Laid Off and Executive Desk Design

As some of you know, about five years ago I gave up the cabinet shop and entered corporate life as project manager for a millwork company.

Back in September I was recruited from my original position at said company and went to work for another type of manufacturing company to service their lead client.

What I didn't know (and neither, apparently, did my new employers) when I signed on was that the previous occupant of my chair was going to leverage his strong relationship with the client and go out on his own to service their account.

When I signed on we had essentially all of the customer's business. When I actually showed up for work, two weeks later, we had about eighty percent and the new/old guy had the rest.

After a month, the new/old guy had fifty percent.

After another month, he had eighty percent.

When I left, after three months, we had about ten percent.

My new company was suitably embarrased and provided a nice pacakage to make my layoff more palatable - but I was still a fifty-seven year old guy looking for a job.

Pissed me off.

Well, I'm tired of screwing around with Monster.com, JobCircle, leveraging friends, talking to thirteen year old recruiters, etc.

Lucky me - I didn't sell my shop and tools.

When I got out of the business I had an idea to concentrate on making high end desks for corporate executives and such. I did a little sketching but didn't go too far down that road because I got a job before I had time to flesh things out.

Now I'm revisiting the concept.

I have some ideas of my own but won't share them now because I'd rather hear some considered opinion, not muddied by any initial direction from me.

The only thing that I will say is that my intent is to go into a nonexistant market, where price is not a consideration and design and execution is everything.

I have four C level clients who only ask that I make them something at least as cool as the cabinets that I have made for them in the past.

That said and individual variations aside, what I would like to take a survey on is what elements the hard core guys on this group think should be included in, dare I name it, The Ultimate Executive Desk.

Nakashima type minimalism is a non-starter.

Modern, or anything that is more glass and metal than wood - is anathema.

Functionality is key but it can't conflict with the heirloom possibilities of the piece - i.e. I don't want to include tech stuff that has a half life of Moore's Law or less.

I can tell you that over extension drawers are a requirement but the hardware can not show.

I can tell you that fit outs for printers and scanners, etc. are required but the fittings must be as nonspecific as possible.

I'd like to hear about woods and shapes, veneer v. solid, desk v. desk and credenza, show hardware v. invisible hardware, security features, exposed v. hidden joinery, wire handling, adjustable desk top height, adjustable keyboard height, keyboard slideouts that don't look like keyboard slideouts, finishes, secret booze compartments, secret compartments in general, ball feet, bun feet, ball and claw feet (of all styles), hanging files v. manila files, panic buttons, autolift compartment functions, KD ability, full extension drawers without visible hardware, pop up two sided flat screens, included speaker cabinets, stand up desks, drawer divider systems, selling the green desk, reconfigurable solutions of modular elements, what makes this desk special, roll tops, secretary desks, totally tambour, ...

You get the idea.

I'm trolling for the coolest stuff to include and what to specifically exclude.

The desk I have in the shop now is very traditional. It has a rectangular top, two file drawers, four additional flanker drawers, a pencil drawer with a secret document compartment - and a price of twelve thousand dollars.

(hand selected solid cherry - flamed on top and front, turned and fluted quarter columns and legs, bun feet, rubbed lacquer finish, all hand cut joinery.)

I know this Rec to be a fetid swamp of ideas.

I'd like to hear them.

Tom Watson tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet

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Reply to
Tom Watson
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I would imagine that you wouldn't have to worry about technology at all.

Does anyone of importance still use a desktop PC with printer and scanner?

Techie executives I know all run wirelessly from a notebook. The less-techie higher-ups use a phone, Blackberry, and paper documents. Like the 1940's, with Blackberries and speaker phones. The printer is nearby, attached to an ethernet print server. I don't know anyone with a scanner. The only wire of concern might be a thin power cable from a DC power supply to the box.

I would imagine that you can think more towards the traditional desk used for hundreds of years as opposed to the "workstation" of the last

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Reply to
B A R R Y

I think that's a very good summary of todays executive environment.

For years I used an "executive desk" that was 36x72. My experience convinced me that 36" is too deep. I could have used the space provided by a 30" or 32" by 80" much better.

I'd also suggest the traditional 3 drawers with writing pullouts on both sides. A bookcase built into one side would also be nice.

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

I think it depends on what you do at the desk...

I had a real estate office and my desk was 38" deep... It was picked because it was the only desk that I'd ever seen with a 12" overhang on the "client" side of the desk, so when clients read or signed papers they didn't have to sit side saddle to do it..

I had a workstation at a right angle to the desk with computer, printer, etc... That evolved to a laptop/notebook and "docking station" for a real keyboard, monitor, etc... If we would have wireless then, the printer and stuff would have been in the hallway with the copier... All we had then was a "sneaker net"... hope not too many of ya'll are old enough to know what that was... lol

mac

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Reply to
mac davis

Is seeing them okay?

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Wooton desk - the one in the picture is for sale for $200K

And a variation:

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the Canuckistadians had 'em:
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Reply to
RicodJour

You have a flawed concept of Normal.

tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet

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Reply to
Tom Watson

I thought you said you wanted done with moster.com or it should e mobster.com. now you want to build desks for the c*ck suckers? time for you to start anew and think outta the box. ross

Reply to
Ross Hebeisen

This works for me:

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's more of his stuff in the Taunton Press book "In the Craftsman Style".

Simple lines and design for the desk, hardware can go in another cabinet (which you could also build/sell). Functionality (keyboard drawers, &tc.) could/should be customized to the user's needs or wants. Heck, maybe you could convince them to go wireless. And sell them the stuff.

-Zz

Reply to
Zz Yzx

A fine way to take their money. Don't work cheap.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

RE: Subject

What market are you trying to serve?

Is this a personal desk complete with an additional conferance table in the room or a stand alone piece that may double as a conferance table from time to time?

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

FWIW, I find that a decent digital camera does everything that I would want to do with a scanner and exposes in a hundredth of a second rather than grinding slowly across the page.

Reply to
J. Clarke

What ever happened to humanity in buisness, there is no reward in 20, 30 or more years of dedication. seems they would all sell their sole to the devil for the right trade. hey thats it, how bout making caskets for the hell bound, seems they all want to invest in their future. ross

Reply to
Ross Hebeisen

What ever happened to humanity in buisness, there is no reward in 20, 30 or more years of dedication. seems they would all sell their sole to the devil for the right trade. hey thats it, how bout making caskets for the hell bound, seems they all want to invest in their future. ross

Reply to
Ross Hebeisen

We use a scanner/printer to send faxes, but we're sort of in the boonies..

mac

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Reply to
mac davis

Once had a customer who built automated welding systems for things like caskets.

On one of my visits, they were testing a system prior to shipment.

It was to weld up infant caskets.

Some things you don't forget.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

I've got a small pile of digital cameras, and a larger pile of scanners, and they do NOT do the same jobs for me. Using a digital camera as a scanner, for example, for files, whether drawings or text or photos, is a time consuming PITA, while the scanner requires a lift of the top, insert the page, push the button, and pick a file location on the computer. Five seconds total, and another 30-45 to scan. Using a camera to "scan" a photo, for instance, requires specific and special light set up, selection of file type, some form of space at least the size of a scanner where I can make sure said photo is flat, and on. It just isn't worth it unless the photo is too large for the scanner. Same with plans and text.

Reply to
Charlie Self

WTF are you on about? How does this relate to building a desk?

Reply to
Charlie Self

Tom,

Were I in your shoes and had a smidgeon of your woodworking talents, I would be looking at this situation as a marketing issue and not as a technical design challenge.

For me, I would be looking to hook up with a complimentary business (such as a high-end, interior decorator firm) where you can leverage their marketing. Their design sense will lead you to what sells for a particular market. You can spend a lot of time coming up with a desk design - or spend that time being more productive by marketing yourself rather than a desk.

Bob S.

Reply to
BobS

I absolutely concur. "I can build your dream."

Reply to
Robatoy

As an old marketing guy, I concur. You got hellova portfolio. Don't limit yourself. There are a hundred professionals out there who would love to have a man of your considrable talents in their rolodex. Do whatever is reqired to get the word out there, including a good web presence.

And don't be too proud to take on smaller jobs to get yourself extablished in your new marketing niche. Problem solvers are worth their weight in gold. Just think of yourself as a knight in shining armor with considerable woodworking skills. Make sure other folks think of you in the same way.

And as this thing develops, you may end up in a whole different area than you originally planned for. Stay flexible. Go to where the opportunities are.

Reply to
Lee Michaels

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