Miniature School Desk Tutorial 1/12 scale

Why this style school desk? Well this is the style desk I remember sitting in through most of my school days. I wanted this desk for a project I was planning, but I could not find one online or even a tutorial for one. So I decided to make my own and while in the process make a tutorial for others to follow. After all I can't be the only miniaturist that remembers sitting in this desk at school.

Here is a list of tools I recommend for this project: x-acto or other sharp craft knife, scissors, ,ruler, standard hole punch, paint brushes, cheap make-up sponges (I get mine from the Dollar Store), pencil, sandpaper 220 grit, wire cutters, and rubber bands

Here is the list of things you will need for this project: card stock, mat board, 3/16 dowel, quilling paper, wood glue, tacky glue, super glue, 6 straight pins, craft paint (Burnt Umber, Khaki Tan, and Bleached Sand), and glaze (Gallery Glass Chrystal Clear and Triple Thick Glaze).

The first step is to print out the template on card stock. Click on the image and then save to your computer. You may have to use an editing software to re-size it. That's what the 1 inch square is for.

Now cut out the pieces. With the ones that say "Cut from mat board",- I like to leave the card stock intact to use as a template for tracing onto the mat board.

I just use a little glue stick in the corners to hold the template in place while I trace it. Then using an x-acto knife I cut out the pieces. I use a standard hole punch for the center of the circle bracket.

All pieces cut from mat board.

Now fold Dowel wrap, front leg wrap and back supports on the dotted lines. I use my ruler and the back of  my x-acto blade to score on the dotted line then fold.

Then take some extra pieces of card stock and glue to the wide part of the back supports. This is to strengthen them.

Next you will need to sand edges of mat board pieces smooth and round over the edges of the desk top, back slats and front of seat. 

Then carefully put a slight bend in the back slats. I found that my wood glue bottle was the prefect shape so I used rubber bands to hold the pieces in shape. (I placed the slats back under the rubber bands after painting as well.) Also at this time carefully shape the seat. It needs to match the curve of sides A and B. I did this by gently pressing over the handle of my x-acto knife until the seat fit into the curves. If the mat board starts coming apart don't worry just use a bit of wood glue to glue it back together. Set pieces aside for later.

Make a "pencil" slot in the desk top about 1 inch long. There are 2 ways to do this. Either use a ball stylus and press the slot in or cut with your x-acto knife at a slight angle from both sides. Sand to smooth edges.

Take a piece of quilling paper 4 1/2 inches long and wrap it around the inside of side B. It should like the picture above. Note: if you don't have quilling paper you can cut a strip of paper 1/8 inch wide and use that instead.

Now wrap your dowel with the Dowel wrap using wood glue. Make sure the bottom of the dowel is lined up with the bottom of the wide part of the dowel wrap. Then simply glue it around the dowel and hold in place until the glue sets. Once glue is dry cut dowel even with wrap at the top. 

Ok now let's assemble the bottom of the desk. First glue the shelf to side B and the quilling paper. Then glue on the Front and Back pieces. Finally glue on side A and make sure every thing is lined up and square. (The shelf may not touch all sides but don't worry the paint will fill any gaps.) 

Glue front leg wrap on the corner of Side B and Front of desk. Then glue dowel wrap to Side A and front corner. 

Take the Back Support pieces and trim off the extra card stock. Then glue both Back Supports to back corners. Make sure the wide parts are on the back. Try the seat to make sure it fits. If not trim and/or reshape now.

Now trim the legs to make them even and level.

Pieces painted and Glazed ready for final assembly.  

Painting time. I used craft paint from Hobby Lobby. It's the cheapest brand they have and it works fine. 

Burnt Umber for the seat, back slats and the bottom of the desk top. I just used my finger to rub on then whipped off with a paper towel to get the 'wood' look. Don't forget to paint the pencil slot on the desk top.

Khaki Tan for the main body of the desk. I used a brush for the inside and bottom because brush marks don't matter there. I use cheap make-up sponges for the outside. The sponges don't leave brush mark which means less sanding later. I apply 4 to 5 thin coats waiting about 2 minutes between coats. If they are thin they will be dry enough to touch by then. Then I let dry for at least 1 hour. Now sand, sand, sand. You want to get it as smooth as possible. Then apply another 2 thin coats of paint and let dry at least 1 hour before glazing.

Bleached Sand for the top of the desk top. Make sure not to paint the pencil slot. I applied 2 thick coats with a brush then let dry for 1 hour. (I use a brush because I have to paint around the pencil slot.) Then more sanding. If you go through the paint to the mat board just repaint and sand again once dry.

After all pieces are painted, sanded and dry we glaze.  I like the Gallery Glass Chrystal Clear glaze for 'wood' pieces because its thinner and not quite as shiny as Triple Thick. So cover all the 'wood' pieces with Gallery Glass Chrystal Clear. That would be the seat, bottom of the desk top and both back slats.

Cover the the main part of the desk and the top of the desk top with Triple Thick Glaze. This glaze goes on very heavy, but does thin out some once dry. Don't worry if it looks gloppy and messy to start with. I use a brush because the glaze will smooth out as it dries. This glaze is amazing for making paper look like metal.

You can clean up all the paints and glazes I used with water.

This next step is optional, but adds to the detail and overall look.

With some kind of pointy tool make 2 holes in each end of Slat 1 and 1 hole in each end of Slat 2. I used a dental tool but anything pointy would work.

Now take your 6 straight pins and your wire cutters and cut the heads off the pins leaving just enough of the pin to go through the slats but not come out of the back.

Glue the tiny pin heads into the hole you made in the slats. I just tacky glue because we are glue metal to paper and this will give the best hold. 

Now glue on both back slats. Line slat A up with the top of the back supports and then glue slat B about 1/4 of an inch down from slat A. Then glue on seat. Because of the glaze you will have to use supper glue for this. I like to use both tacky glue and supper glue together.

Glue the small circle bracket to the bottom of the desk top. 

Finally glue desk top to dowel at a slight angle and your school desk is complete. Desk measures 3 5/8 h x 2 1/2 w.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that it was clear. This is my first one. If there are any questions I'll be happy to answer them. 

Thank you, Alicia.