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So I'm calling on my Luthier friends for some advice here (please be kind )

As part of my Father's estate, I gained full-time access to the basement of the Family home (at least until we decide to sell it, which we are in no hurry to do). It's a nice sized basement that is about 4' below ground level. Temp and Humidity controlled, nice windows to ventilate, lots of room to spread out multiple projects, etc... Very nice

My dilemma is, this nice basement has this rather impractical old Oak Fliptop Typewriter Desk in it. I dont have actual pictures, but these two should give you an idea. This desk is basically exactly the same color and design as the 2nd picture. The top picture is just included to show the typewriter flip.

It takes up a lot of space, and the typewriter flip isn't very practical. Unfortunately, the thing is, in a ship-in-a-bottle sort of way, too big to remove from the place without either knocking out part of a wall, or chainsawing the desk in half.

I'm not terribly fond of the thing and would like to get rid of it, but I'd rather not cut it up if I don't have to.

I guess my options are.

* Keep it as is, and try to integrate it into the shop space somehow... I can't think of any use for the fliptop part.... It doesn't make a good computer desk because a) it's too big, and b) you can't get your knees under it for the flip up hardware. It's a little short to be a comfortable bench, but I suppose I could raise it up somehow and put a maple bench top from Grizzly on it. ?

* Disassemble it and try to salvage as much of the wood as possible. I'm not sure I would have much use for it in guitar building? I also have no idea if there is any value in old oak that used to be a desk?

* I could try to sell it as is. My sister and I were thinking if we pulled a door frame off we might be able to get it out into the garage... with some help (we figure it weights 250+ lbs).. but then what? I don't imagine there is a big market for such things?

Help me out here guys and gals? Every day I walk into my shop I have a staredown with this thing, and I always lose. I'm at an impasse.... what should I do?

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Jim Hansen

Jim, it would make a nice sharpening station.

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Aoibeann

I'd sell it. The top is veneered, isn't it?

It's all solid oak.. and when I say solid, I mean *very* solid.

Thanks Lillian. Definitely something to consider.

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Jim Hansen

Pull out the drawers
get underneath and check
good chance the top comes off making moving it in peaces easy,

Sally Ann, St. Vincent De Paul, Joes junk store?

You:ll find some one who wants it


blessings
the
Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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I would
1. - turn it into a workbench for planing wood, or a horizontal surface to store projects on, maybe a bending station.
2. - as mention, I bet that top comes off one way or another - and you will be able to move the desk. If the top ios glued or doweled, you should be able to pry until you get a thin saw blade in there an cut whatever is holding together. If screwed, then you can use a screwdriver to take it apart.

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Time for therapy..... But be warned the therapy that I had didn't work and all of my furniture still lives in terror when ever I walk by.... Got a birdseye maple bedroom set that is worried about the green mile right now....

I would figure out how your dad got it in the basement and take it out the same way.

René

I would see if i could remove the center section , and create two work stations , bending , sharpening , etc: it has excellent potential for srorage , and the narrow section on the back would be great for a tall wall , desk mounted shelving unit

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As others have stated....
It's probably worth more as "Furniture" to someone than it is as a shop bench....
Duty as a shop bench is pretty rough duty -- it will end up getting pretty beat up... and mostly no good for furniture duty ever again.

If it is already in that sort of shape.. Battered and bruised and dinged -- have at it.. I am using an old veneered office desk as my main Workbench right now -- but was cheap, and pretty beat up... and kinda ugly to put up stairs in the house... It is also massively heavy and stable... 350 lbs of Particleboard... -- doesn't shift around when planing or doing other work... so it is perfect.

Then... if you are thinking about resawing it into Guitar sets.... Consider.... Do you have any sections that are over 24" long for Backs and 36" long for sides? Are the 24" long sections at least 9" wide? Are the 36" long sections at least 5" wide? Are you really sure that those sections aren't veneered? Are those sections free of nail holes and bug holes and screw holes?

Not to mention that really good looking QS Oak lumber is available at less than $10.00/bd-ft... so you could buy a nice wide board and resaw it.... and not have to deal with 50 years worth of furniture polish, paint, nails, screws, etc...

Tell us how it goes

John

Thanks everyone. Great advice, especially Hesh's. I think I could probably get some good mileage out of some Therapy. :p

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Jim Hansen