How do I cut a desk for a bay window?

I take it your major concern is getting the shape of the desktop correct?

Is it a three-sided bay or a curve? Depending on how straight the angles and edges are, you might get away with a rule and something like

David

Large sheet of cardboard to use as a template, maybe use newspaper sheets sellotaped together to form an initial template, transfer to cardboard to fine tune, before transferring onto wooden top of table and (jigsawing?)

And the old adage, measure twice, cut once is appropriate.

I will try to explain, it is easier shown on a drawing

1. Measure the internal opening frame to frame.

1. Put a piece of string across this opening and measure the depth i.e. from the string to the frame.

2. Measure the three sides

1. Measure a diagonal as a check.

You can then transfer these measurements onto your wood or cardboard and cut.

You could use the same principal for measuring to the wall or window board.

See here

I did a 5 angle bay work surface by the same sort of method you would cut a floor tile to file, i.e. put it as close as possible then use a fixed distance to transfer the measurements, mine was compounded in difficulty by needing to use three bits of worksurface, but it still turned out to fit excellently.

mrcheerful

Thanks everyone for your advice, I am going to try cutting cardboard as suggested.

Cheers

Rob

Get a roll of lining paper, cut it to size shape, when you get it wrong, get a new bit off the roll, put lining paer on desk, draw round, cut.

Rick