In August I bought an old, 7-drawer student’s desk at a garage sale. Since then I’ve been converting it to a clockmaker’s bench. This note is a quick update; I plan to write a full, how-to booklet once I’ve completed it.
I learned amateur clock repairers often make their own benches, starting from a solid writing desk. I bought mine at a garage sale.
![My original desk, for $15 US](https://bluepapertech.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20190824_101900Bwiki.jpg)
The main changes I’m making to turn this desk into a clockmaker’s desk:
- Replace most of the drawers with a lot more, thinner drawers.
- Add height to bring the desktop to a comfortable 33 inches (about 84 cm).
- Add a trim around the desktop, to keep parts from rolling off.
- Paint the whole thing, because I didn’t think I could match the new drawers to the old stain.
Here’s a mid-way picture of the new drawers and height:
![Drawers added and height increased](https://bluepapertech.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20191007_113139Bwiki.jpg)
I also made my own 3D printed knobs for the drawers.
![My custom, 3D printed drawer pull knobs](https://bluepapertech.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20191013_102420Bwiki.jpg)
At this point I’ve added the trim along the top, routed a pencil trough in the desktop front to catch rolling parts, and am almost done painting the desk, less the drawers.
![Almost done painting the carcass](https://bluepapertech.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20191116_192005Bwiki.jpg)
I expect painting the 22 (!) drawers will take quite a while. Again, I plan to write a “how I did it” brochure once the project is done. Wish me luck!