Jefferson Lap Desks
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lap desk
Thomas Jefferson Inventor / Designer
Jefferson was an inventor as well as statesman and he came up with the idea of a portable writing desk during his 200 mile coach ride between his home at Monticello and the Continental Congress in Philadelphia Pa.
He designed this desk, with an adjustable book rest and a locking drawer, so he could continue to work during his long commute. After designing the box he gave the drawings to Philadelphia cabinet maker Benjamin Randolph to build. The original can be seen in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.
Building the Thomas Jefferson Desk
I decided to make a copy of the Jefferson lap desk after reading an article about it in Fine Woodworking Magazine (v 144, September/October 2000). The article described the process of making the desk and I thought it sounded fascinating since many different techniques were involved in putting this little box together.
It took me many hours to make the Jefferson lap desk and it was a lot of fun. I had to:
- handcut dovetails (drawer)
- make miter and hidden splines (box corners)
- veneer the box top and bottom
- band the drawer front and add stringing to the back
- mortise the top of the desk for the support stand so the writing surface would lie flat when closed, rout grooves to hold the stand in place when the surface is open, and mortise for the lock and hinges
- finally I need to attach the baise (similar to the fabric used on a pool table) to the writing surface.
Since then I have made several more, including variations on the original, ones with leather writing surfaces or single support. Each time I learn something new.
It took me many hours to make the Jefferson lap desk and it was a lot of fun. I had to:
- handcut dovetails (drawer)
- make miter and hidden splines (box corners)
- veneer the box top and bottom
- band the drawer front and add stringing to the back
- mortise the top of the desk for the support stand so the writing surface would lie flat when closed, rout grooves to hold the stand in place when the surface is open, and mortise for the lock and hinges
- finally I need to attach the baise (similar to the fabric used on a pool table) to the writing surface.
Since then I have made several more, including variations on the original, ones with leather writing surfaces or single support. Each time I learn something new.
Buy a Lap Desk
I make lap desks in two models. Each one is custom made and you can specify the type of wood and whether you would like a single leaf or the double leaf version.
Feel free to contact me with questions or if you would like more photos.
Thanks for your interest.
Feel free to contact me with questions or if you would like more photos.
Thanks for your interest.
