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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: eagle37 on October 04, 2012, 10:57:17 AM
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Can someone tell me how to removed the top of an
Oak Crest Roll Top desk? I am desperate. I am moving
in a couple of weeks and if I cannot diss-assemble the
desk I am going to have to leave it. Way too heavy for
me and my helpers (can't get it off the floor)! The desk
is about 25 years old and was purchased from Oak Crest
Manufacturing in Vernon, CA. To assemble there were
two dowels in the top which dropped into the base when
the Tambre was raised. I have no idea how to reverse
this action. If anyone has any thoughts, I'd appreciate
an email at edw1066@gmail.com. Many thanks for any
information you may have. I have contact just about
every furniture outlet in Vernon with no response. Oak
Crest Manufacturing went out of business. I don't know
when. This particular desk is configured as as a
computer station.
Rev. Edward Frost (Edward)
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Can you post a pic of the desk ??
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Eagle was having a hard time with the pictures. He IMed me. Hopefully the eagle will return! ;D Or hopefully he can figure it out. Would like to see his pictures.
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http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/furniture/unlocking-drawers-roll-top-desk-106072-2.html
I know this says its about unlocking the drawers but halfway down in the explanation on how this is done it also has info on removing the top from someone who evidently has done it !! He says that in his which sounds similar to this one,, you have to remove the center drawer and then sit on the floor and look into the opening to see all the screws that hold it !! I think there may be a couple more but I read it fast !!
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The eagle has landed! ;D
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Are you there Edward?
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The eagle has landed! ;D
What one?....The jack Higgins one....or the ..one Giant step for Mankind one?...... ;D
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There was another guy in PA that had one for sale on Craigslist last month that said his top could be removed !! Started to email him since anyone that has moved one before should know how,, but haven`t yet !!
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There was another guy in PA that had one for sale on Craigslist last month that said his top could be removed !! Started to email him since anyone that has moved one before should know how,, but haven`t yet !!
Would you send me the email of this person asap? I'm
really desperate to get this desk moved and cannot budge
it until the top is off. I'd hate to have to leave it here for
the bank! Many, many thanks if you can help!
My email address is edw1066@gmail.com
Rev. Edward Frost (eagle37)
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eagle37, were these dowels wood or were they metal?
If metal, chances are there is a 'key' at the base of them that turned (usually with a single slot) to 'lock' them into place. If wood, you could try carefully slipping wide (not thick) bladed putty knives between the top and bottom close to the dowels very carefully and gradually to get some leverage. If you gain any leeway remove the knives and cover with soft cloth, reinsert and repeat.
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Is the bank taking the property? Did you get one of those great mortgage modifications? What B.S.! I wish we were there to help! Sorry about your situation.
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I looked up this and thought it would be wise to check if you could just remove bottom part see how it is connected and go from there.
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Expert: Fred Taylor - 10/22/2011
Question
Oak Roll Top Desk How do I remove the roll top section of the desk in order to bring it into our home? I have removed all of the draws and inspected the underside of the desk and I can not see any screws holding the top. There is a full deck section on the lower part of the desk which extends out approx 1/2 an inch over the lower part of the desk. The roll top sits on this. I am assuming that there are wood dowels that hold the roll top to this top part of the lower desk since there are no brackets. The plan is to use a hack saw blade slipped between the roll top and the deck to cut these dowels and then replace them once the desk is brought inside.
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Answer
Joe - Put the saw back in the tool box. The number one rule of dismantling furniture is "It didn't grow there." Some body put it there and attached it somehow and in a factory situation it was quick, meaning screws, not dowels that have to be glued.
The trick is that the deck section is part of the top, not the lower desk unit. The lower unit is just a frame. The deck is like the seat of a Windsor chair - everyting is tied to it. Figure out how to release the deck from the frame and you got it. There may be metal figure eight shaped brackets holding the deck or it may screwed on directly. Lay the desk on its back so you can get a good look underneath. It's just a matter of finding the right combinatioon. Don't cut it.
Good luck.
Fred Taylor
www.furnituredetect ive.com
info@furnituredetective.com
.Questioner's Rating
Rating(1-10) Knowledgeability = 10 Clarity of Response = 10 Politeness = 10
Comment Dead on! There are brackets with Philips head screws on the underside of the base that the top sits on just as Fred said there would be. Perfect, now I can move the desk into my office easily and without any damage to the desk at all. So glad I found this site and I asked Fred for help. Knowledge is a powerful thing to make people's lives a bit easier. Thank you Fred.
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To assemble there were two dowels in the top which dropped into the base when the Tambre was raised. .
If the dowels dropped in they should lift back out.
If you spilled something on the desk surface, like a sugary drink, that flowed between the 2 pieces it maybe kinda glued them together, and if so you'll hafta pry them apart.
And what is a Tambre?
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I don't know what a "tambre" is either, but here is the definition of tambour:
"A rolling front or top for a desk or table, consisting of narrow strips of wood glued to canvas."
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To assemble there were two dowels in the top which dropped into the base when the Tambre was raised. .
If the dowels dropped in they should lift back out.
If you spilled something on the desk surface, like a sugary drink, that flowed between the 2 pieces it maybe kinda glued them together, and if so you'll hafta pry them apart.
And what is a Tambre?
Its a commune..or municipality in Italy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambre
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I figured that's what it was, ..... but one never knows for sure.
I had trouble imagining a "factory mechanism" that caused 2 dowel pins to "drop" when the "slider door" or tambour was opened up the 1st time.
And I am still dubious about it. ::) ::) ::)
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I figured that's what it was, ..... but one never knows for sure.
I had trouble imagining a "factory mechanism" that caused 2 dowel pins to "drop" when the "slider door" or tambour was opened up the 1st time.
And I am still dubious about it. ::) ::) ::)
I have resolved the problem of the roll top desk top. The best piece of advice was from "Fred" who pointed out that the "table" of the desk is part of the top, not part of the base. So, I climbed inside the pedestals and lo and behole, there were strips of wood to which the "table" part of the top was screwed. The top is off. And, as for the doubting Thomas, there were indeed dowels at the back of the pedestals. They are part of the locking mechanism that enages when the tabour is raised and they drop onto a lever. From that point, whenever the tambour is lowered, the drawers lock. Actually, very clever. Cutting between the base and the top would have had no effect whatsoever. Thank you all for your interest. Particular thanks to Fred. It was that piece of information that led to the resolution of the problem.
Rev. Edward Frost (eagle37)
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I am glad that helped you I found it on a answer forum and thought I sounded right I am very glad you get to move it it was posted a long time ago
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To assemble there were two dowels in the top which dropped into the base when the Tambre was raised. .
And what is a Tambre?
Its a commune..or municipality in Italy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambre
I misspelled. The word is tambour--and its the "roll" part
of a roll-top desk.
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Youy mean the problem is solved ?? I just got home a short time ago !! He says the same thing that was in the link I gave you earlier,, if I am reading correctly,, that after all the screws are removed the desk and top just lift off the pedestals !!
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And, as for the doubting Thomas, there were indeed dowels at the back of the pedestals. They are part of the locking mechanism that enages when the tabour is raised and they drop onto a lever.
Well now, Rev. Edward Frost (eagle37), you gave the "doubting Thomas" good reason to be a Judus, to wit:
Can someone tell me how to removed the top of an Oak Crest Roll Top desk? To assemble there were two dowels in the top which dropped into the base when the Tambre was raised. I have no idea how to reverse this action.
You implied you assembled it, ..... which threw me "off track", ...... and given the fact that dowel pins are often used to affix top portions to their bases I took your word for it and assumed that was how your desk top was affixed.
Anyway, you learned 2 things, .... how to remove the top ..... and how to reverse the action of the dowel pins.
So, you had a pretty good day at the Forum and none of the lions growled at you. ;D
Cheers
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You come away with some Belters Cogar....you,re worth a watching......LOL!
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Quite right. Not only did I IMPLY that I had assembled the
desk I actually said I did: trouble is, it was over twenty years
ago and, as us old guys say, I sometimes have trouble
remembering what I had for breakfast (actually not: it
seldom varies :-). I also said that the dowels held the top
to the base, which is not the case. They are part of the
locking system, linked to the tambour. Well, I made some
new friends (I hope) and may come back to ask how to
put the desk back together again :-). Nah. Thank you
for your patience. All's well that ends well.
Edwardsad
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Quite right. Not only did I IMPLY that I had assembled the
desk I actually said I did: trouble is, it was over twenty years
ago and, as us old guys say, I sometimes have trouble
remembering what I had for breakfast (actually not: it
seldom varies :-). I also said that the dowels held the top
to the base, which is not the case. They are part of the
locking system, linked to the tambour. Well, I made some
new friends (I hope) and may come back to ask how to
put the desk back together again :-). Nah. Thank you
for your patience. All's well that ends well.
Edwardsad
How to put it together again....do yourself a favour...buy a cordless drill and a box of posi-drives...then the next time you move it will just be a reversal of what you did,nt do last time... ;)