Some of the specialty tools I used in this build (affiliate links)
• Pro For Sho Hearing Protection https://amzn.to/2wkQJbR
• Lincol Mig welder 180 pro https://amzn.to/2w851NT
• Portable Hand Held band saw https://amzn.to/2kY76VH
• Jet Parallel Clamps https://amzn.to/2kAVtmH
How I Built an Industrial Desk Without Burning Down My Shop
So there I was, about to start throwing sparks around my woodshop – you know, that place that’s basically a tinderbox waiting to happen. But hey, sometimes you’ve got to live dangerously when you’re building an industrial desk with a cherry top, right?
Getting Started: The Cutting Jig Setup
I had a bunch of steel parts that all needed to be exactly the same length, so I pulled out my trusty cutting jig – the same one I used when I made my wood storage rack. For each batch of parts, I clamped a walnut stop block to my bench. Game changer, honestly. Makes those cuts perfectly repeatable without having to measure every single time.
Fire Safety First (Because I Like My Shop Not Charred)
Here’s the thing: I primarily work in wood, which means my shop is basically covered in sawdust and kindling. Not exactly the ideal environment for welding. So before I started my amateur fireworks show, I hung up some fire-retardant fiberglass blankets and did a thorough cleanup to get rid of the sawdust piles. Safety first, people!
Time to Throw Some Sparks
Once I had my fire protection sorted out, it was finally time to start welding. I grabbed some scrap pieces of sheet metal to weld against – this helps reduce those nasty scorch marks on my assembly table. Pro tip right there.
I started by welding the legs to the apron to get the basic frame structure together and squared up. As I went along, I made sure to grind down my welds and clean them up. Just because I’m going for an industrial look doesn’t mean I want it to look sloppy or rustic. There’s a difference!
Fixing Mistakes (AKA Reverse Welding)
One of the legs ended up a little out of square, so I just unwelded it by sucking the sparks back in – kidding! – and repositioned it. We all make mistakes, right?
When I was welding the frame for the shelves, the heat actually pulled it out of square. No biggie. I just used a bar clamp to pull it back into alignment and welded the bottom supports in place while it was clamped.
The Spacer Block Trick
For the shelf supports, I used a little trick that saved me a ton of time and measuring. I cut a scrap piece of wood to use as a spacer block, so I only had to measure once. Then I just clamped it in place, pushed the steel support against it, and welded it up. Used the same method for the front supports too. After that, it was just a matter of welding up the rest of the frame and doing some cleanup with the grinder. This is a great example of where wood meets steel.
Making the Mounting Tabs
Once the frame was done, I moved on to making some tabs to screw the wood shelves to. I drilled holes for the screws using my high-tech H?O coolant system (water, it’s just water) and my drill press. I made the holes slightly oversized to allow for wood movement – super important when you’re mixing wood and steel.
Then I went back to my cutting jig with the stop block and cut all the tabs to about an inch long.
I flipped the desk upside down so I could weld the tabs in place. I used a piece of scrap wood the same thickness as my shelves to help me line up everything flush with the top of the steel and position the tabs correctly.
Prep for Paint
Before moving back to woodworking mode, I took a few minutes to go over the entire frame with a flap disc. This knocked off all the mill scale and those little dingleberries from welding and prepped everything for paint.
Back to Making Sawdust
I cleaned up all the metal dust and sharp steel shards (seriously, those things get everywhere), and got back to what I do best: making sawdust. Building the top and shelves was pretty standard woodworking – rough cut the lumber to length, send it through the planer, and glue it up.
Even though I took my time and used floating tenons to help align the boards, the top still had a few spots where things were slightly out of line. So I went over the whole thing with a hand plane to flatten it before sanding and finishing.
Final Assembly
Now that everything was painted and finished, it was time for the fun part: final assembly!
The shelves just drop in between the steel and rest on the tabs. I cut them about ?” smaller than the opening to allow for wood movement. You don’t want your beautiful shelves getting bound up and cracking when the seasons change.
For attaching the shelves, I screwed them to the support tabs using an impact driver, then used a screwdriver to hand-loosen them by about a half turn. This lets the wood expand and contract with seasonal changes without getting stuck.
The Finished Product
And there you have it – my completed industrial modern desk with a black steel frame and gorgeous cherry wood top. No fires, all my fingers intact, and a pretty sweet desk to show for it. Not a bad day’s work!
I’m the owner of Benham Design Concepts, a mixed media art studio where I design and build custom furniture and other works of art using wood, glass, stone, and various metals.
In this blog, I talk about the art I create, my journey, and the things I learn along the way.