Studio desk - part 2

I was asked how to make the drawers slide easily in my cardboard furniture so I decided to include the instructions here as the next step of creating my desk. I had hoped to have more time for working on this and creating really good instructions but as always... quilting comes first.

In order to make the drawer area.... you need to enclose it with cardboard sides. These areas are cut separately and custom fit into the space. What you see at the back of the drawer space is the back of the desk cabinet.



Here is another drawer area. Can you see how I've measured and cut the interior pieces to fit?




The piece that was cut from the front profile to create the drawer space now becomes the front of the drawer itself. The rest of the drawer is custom cut to make a simple box. I make the box itself at least 1/4 to 1/2 inch smaller than the opening in both width, height, and depth. This give the drawer plenty of room for sliding.

All exposed connections and edges are covered with paper packaging tape. The kind that requires water to activate the glue. Can you see down inside the box (drawer) where I have covered the joints with tape? Sometimes I make my own paper tape from newspaper strips and school glue.

Can you see the tape around the opening of the drawer area and around the top edge of the drawer? This disguises the flutes and creates a smooth edge for painting later.

At this stage the drawer fronts fit exactly the opening it was cut from. To make it better; another piece of cardboard should be cut at least one half inch larger than the opening and centered then glued to the front piece of the drawer. This not only gives more strength but keeps it from sliding too far back. Of course if you don't mind the drawer being flush with the front then don't do the extra piece on the front.

I plan to make some drawer pulls from buttons or maybe paper mache ones. I could buy some drawer handles but that would take away from the whole make it all myself concept.

Instead of making drawers these openings could become open shelves or with the addition of a door could become the shelves inside a cabinet.

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I'm planning a book or a dvd or another blog.... something? It will have more complete details about creating cardboard furniture. It will include instructions about how to put decorative details like scrolls and carvings on the pieces. How to make roll top desks and sliding doors for cabinets. How to make drawer handles and door hinges from cardboard. Things of that nature. So far I've just been doing a plan. An outline of the things I want to include in the book or whatever it turns out to be.

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Once I get the plans together then I will need to decide how it will be made. Do I go with a publisher? Do I buy a camcorder and hire to be the editor? Should I hire someone to make me a pay to view website? Should I self-publish? There are lots of details to be worked out. This is where I need advice from someone who is already a published author.... or a financial advisor.... I'm not sure who to ask for advice? Anyone know who I should ask?