slapdashery: (n.)
1. the act of doing things in a careless or hurried way
2. utilizing a complete lack of patience when trying to make or build something
3. my middle name
Construction doesn't lend well to slapdashery. Sewing doesn't usually either. It's like baking, requiring close precision. My husband is the baker, I'm the cook. He saved this desk.
I struggle with patience. It would be quite adequate to say that I am not a process oriented person--I want a desk and I want it now and will do everything I can to get it done in a day. But alas, polyurethane takes 24 hours to dry, supplies need to be purchased and then returned and purchased again, and boards need to be cut and then cut again.
Here's what I've learned about building desks:
1. Measure. Then measure again.
2. Don't guess what height you want your desk. An arbitrary number of 33 inches, because I like tall desks, doesn't work with any chair that would still allow me to touch the floor. Too bad I found this out after I build the supports.
3. Wood soaks up a lot of paint and stain. So buy extra--a lot of extra.
4. I haven't the faintest idea how to clean a paintbrush so it won't harden with polyurethane.
5. My cat can squeeze out of window open only 5 inches.
6. My square isn't square, so all my cuts were at an angle. Now my whole desk is angled.
7. Angry painting in the dark does not a pretty desk make.
8. 1"x10" lumber is actually 3/4"x9 1/4." This makes a big difference when the side support of the table sticks out those extra 3/4". I'm convinced the fourth dimension is where all of the wood that's missing from these measurements is hiding. It's just a bunch of skinny slivers of lumber hanging in space.
We're getting close--I can see the light. Tonight we will be screwing the top boards together to make the table top. And it will look like an actual table. Then 5 coats of paint + 2 coats of an accent design + 5 coats of polyurethane + 2 days of drying time = a functional, amazing, mind-blowing desk.
