I stole a customer from IKEA

In this video, I take on a challenge that starts with a simple promise to help my daughter with IKEA furniture... but quickly turns into a custom desk build! With two days to spare, I designed and built two desks from WISA Birch Plywood, skipping IKEA and opting for something more unique. Using dovetail joinery and Rubio Monocoat finish, these desks came together in style!
Thank you to ‪@TheSwedishMaker‬ for letting me use clips from • pay a woodworker instead (go watch)
A special thanks to the folks at @UPMPlywood . Check them out at www.wisaplywoo....
Follow along as I deal with tight deadlines, tear-out disasters, and a few unexpected problems along the way. Will I finish before the trip across Denmark? And most importantly, will my daughter love it? Spoiler: She did! 🙌
Check out the journey, and let me know in the comments what you think of the final product! Big thanks to The Swedish Maker for the inspiration, and to my daughter for trusting me to bring her design to life!
Materials used: WISA Birch Plywood, Rubio Monocoat Oil + 2C Pure.
► Subscribe for more woodworking and DIY projects! ► Download my daughter’s desk plans for free!
Tools used: Laguna Fusion 3, Festool Domino, and more!
#Woodworking #DIYDesk #IKEAAlternative #FatherDaughterProject

[@dainermade]

Dad of the year, twice 😂 loved that mate ❤

[@NoLumberLeftBehind]

I'm pretty sure you could make a sandwich, add your commentary, and it would still turn out to be a great video.

[@dosatundeerika4650]

Sandwich maybe, omelette, nope 🤣

[@GeffHiggy]

yes we need this

[@philclayton5163]

He could do a chip butty and it would be an awesome video 😂

[@secksysequin2580]

I concur

[@Hog-g2z]

Good Day 🌅 Jasper , very nice job, but the most important thing is that your Daughter loves it, I have the Leigh Jig D-1258R , if you can afford one, you can make some awesome joints/joinery , sliding dovetails, tails & pins , good luck with your next project, from France.

[@CrazyThunderbird]

Stumbled over your "Beginner 2 Fulltime woodworker video" and now, well here we are, just looked like 4 hours of your videos with a smile on my face. You are such an awesome human, absolutely incredible. Best wishes from germany

[@timitii]

Thanks for letting us screenshot the plans! And once again really nice video. Your daughters are lucky to have you as a father ❤

[@gustavemoreau151]

I love plywood furniture and I love the linear exposed edges.... it's clean and simple and also very sturdy....and your finish color is beautiful ! Only comment.... maybe small levelling feet? Just to avoid the spilled water running off the table onto the floor?😜

[@pinkytaylor5845]

I think these tables are awesome. Can't wait to see the other table. I want to build one for my tiny house. ❤❤

[@barberspaddockwoodworking]

"Plywood pride" - Amen brother!

[@MOAJackson-u9f]

Awesome build Jesper! 🎉🎉🎉. Those tables look amazing!

[@dmwi1549]

Looks great. Far better than IKEA Sawdust.

[@dosatundeerika4650]

The color really does look nice 👀

[@LittleSonWoodworking]

Well, clearly not your most outstanding peaces but i love the color and the 2 day challenge 😁 best regards Jesper 👋🏼

[@its_marc]

Stunning. Sat absolutely captivated. As per every single video you do.

[@hermlon4459]

I found this video looking for instructions on how to stain my untreated IKEA table plate out of plywood. The surface looks really nice in the end, I think I'll give it a try.

[@theresabu3000]

I think putting painters tape above such a difficult cut for the joinery can prevent tearouts. Still looks great though - has a handmade sturdy feeling to it. The stain color I'm not really a fan of - though that could have been lighting. The closeups look fine - but I'm missing a red hue for it to look more natural. But seems like your daughter was glad - and can speak from experience that sturdy self built stuff can outlast bought IKEA like furniture in longevity and looks 😉👍

[@fathogwoodworking]

Great video Jesper. The tables looked great and so much better than going to ikea.

[@jaredvandyke]

Love this build!! Turned out fantastic Jesper

[@ianstreet1358]

They look absolutely brilliant!

[@wooddogg8]

Those are some nice looking tables, great video as always!!

[@luisgomezjr.1594]

I like this plywood project, nice table 👍🏻👍🏻

[@maedilein6802]

Well done. Great looking tables.

[@henkvandebeek7921]

Absolutely epic!!

[@jerrywoodlee2345]

Nice work. Keep the videos coming.

[@pmewUK]

Great video. Thank you for that, a good way to spend a quarter of an hour with a cup of coffee. 😊

[@DanielMathis-kn4xq]

Amazing work!!!

[@marypont8785]

Jeg er kæmpe fan af birkekrydsfiner og minimalistisk design! Godt arbejde far!. Selvom jeg ser med fra Canada, har jeg nu taget den samme "cross-country" tur fra Kobenhav til Brønderslev, hvor jeg var udvekslingsstudent i 1982-83. Jeg elsker at høre dansk accent, når du taler.

[@simonefavilli]

I simply love all your content

[@AP-fm9jm]

Jesper, lovely project, would you be willing to share which router jig you used?

[@woodfather]

whoop, free plans! 😆

[@atteru01]

I know few danes and swedes and I can literally hear you screaming in danish: "Those damn swedes wont take me and my doughter alive with their furniture"

[@dawn4224]

Love the tables

[@Mr2at]

Excellent vid. Subscribed.

[@casperghst42]

Ha, someone is watching 10minutes Workshop 😊

[@georgegriffiths2235]

Looks great Jesper way better than IKEA

[@Ernzt8]

You have me fooled

[@CraigRippon]

That was very entertaining - thank you! 🦘🦘🦘

[@Kristian_theDane82]

Flot arbejde 👍 Meget pænere, end Ikea møbler 😄

[@ianwatson-qt5zt]

Nice wonder if I can use this excuse with my wife.

[@GeffHiggy]

i love your vidis jesper u r the best. i am groing my own workshop because of you and you beter beleve i only use free wood:) love the chanel keep it up

[@kathleenmead9259]

💗💗💗

[@hyundaiverna]

Did anyone else got a shot for every Ikea counter?

[@ReclaimDesign]

Sorry, not sorry 😂

[@michaellienhoop2387]

I think, well done 👍

[@UnboundedArtandCrafts]

They came out very pretty 😍 What would have made you even more of a pro is finishing the bottoms 🫣 sorry, couldn't unsee the light wood flashing me 😅

[@CaddoCreekWoodworks]

Wait...WAIT!! You're telling me I won't be such a woodworking hack AND I get a new tool!? OK I'm in, where's the link for the dovetail jig?😂

[@CALIDAN1063]

Good

[@dennisstolwijk7906]

Tip for using ratchet straps during transport, apply some card board to the edge of whatever you are holding down with them! Ratchet straps easily give off a lot of color during such a trip where everything is vibrating. Could have ruined that nice finish on the tables.

[@lindamccarthy6931]

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[@AlphaFoxAdam]

Did you tell her boyfriend that the tables can be converted into a coffin if need be?

[@curm1778]

ver gut

[@claussabrosrensen5918]

Hej flot og sikken et stort arbejde

[@SeorkMaxx]

Comment😁

[@specialksspeciallife]

Dude how did you cut your forehead???

[@stigmautomata]

IKEA is a terrible, terrible company, seriously

[@riba2233]

Why?

[@stigmautomata]

@@riba2233 They brag about European equality and helping the average man while they pay federal minimum wage to their American employees

[@stigmautomata]

@@riba2233 they waffle on about european values of equality and goodness and helping the everyman while they pay their american employees min wage previous comment was hidden for some reason. guess youtube doesn't like when you talk about life.

[@riba2233]

@@stigmautomata yt has some words it doesn't let out, you need to learn to get around that (I did manage to see it though)

[@tayred81]

In Sweden MALMSkrivbord med utdragsskiva, vit, 151x65 cm costs 1795 Sek and in Denmark 999 Dkk ~ 1518,76 Sek 😂 (Witch is total crap: m Material vice any ways, pressed wood is not made to last, a specially as a "work surface") Begynd at sælge Tuborg Classic til Sverige, den er alt andet end en kedelig Tuborg. I think you should stop hesitate in your self, clearly you solve problems and dare taking on new unwalked soil in your projects 💪🏻💜🇸🇪

[@TheSwedishMaker]

Tables turned out great! Im really glad you didnt have to go to Ikea 😃 thanks for the shout!

[@ClangandChiill]

Its nice seeing some realistic human wood working projects on YT sometimes. Big slab desks are cool but 99.9% of people will never even consider buying/making one, stuff like this anyone can do with simple tools, guidance and determination and that makes it a great video.

[@thomasbalka9882]

I appreciate your craftsmanship. But I really enjoy your humor.

[@julietphillips1991]

Jesper, you made plywood proud to be plywood! Modern, minimalist and fancy with those dovetail joints! I love it! Most importantly, your daughter loves it/them! Quality plywood is good stuff!

[@craigbaxter4842]

Yet another great video Jesper👍👍 And yes the finish came out looking fantastic, a really high end colour.

[@lisaconnelly7731]

These turned out so lovely and so much nicer than IKEA. Another plus is that they're made by her loving father.

[@craig2606]

Nothing better than making something for your kids. Great work pal your videos cannot come fast enough.

[@brianrydzeski6108]

I enjoy your story telling style. Nice table, Jesper.

[@monkeysnark7043]

Yaaa! Free kids plans! 🤔 Only things missing from the free plans. Is the family drawings, one of Jasper, one of Mrs Jasper, and then, one of youngest Jasper, female edition. Oh, and some trees that Jasper is cutting down, and Ole Sole off to the side, shining on all of it. Could then magnet it on the fridge. 😂😂 Oh, nice save on the joints, and that really is a great finish. So, that third table…….. you promised?

[@InoRobert]

Never thought someone could make something so good out of two plywood sheets! Great job!

[@PaulMeyette]

Wonderful work with mere plywood. Looks rich and luxurious. ..or at least better than IKEA. 😂 just kidding. Looks great!

[@MelbourneMaker]

Awesome work mate! Always love your story telling. Not sure your going to get sponsored by Ikea anytime soon though haha!

[@Berlin-Woodworker]

IKEA HQ right now: We need to stop this man 😂 Great video Jesper! Finish looks top notch!

[@Whodatindyman]

Always a great video, thanks. And I fell-out laughing when the comment came up about getting your daughter’s plans, very funny.. Keep rockin brother….

[@locomokko]

Hi Jesper, great fun in this video. What is the thickness of that plywood? Looked to be 24mm - 30mm? Some chunky stuff as plywood goes. Love the join. Do you have a link to that dovetail template? That looks genius as well. My current workbench is made from plywood... only 12mm if you can imagine that! And a pair of 2x4's that I had in the scrap bin (had previously been used for temporary support while doing some structural repairs to the house remodel). Thanks for this video! We (your community, I'm not a multi-personality nutbag, just a regular nutbag) miss you! Scott from Japan

[@JesperMakes]

Hey Scott! The plywood is 21mm birch plywood from WISA Plywood in Finland. This is the jig I used: www.sautershop.com/router-jigs-machines/dovetail-jigs/igm-dovetail-jig-fd600/igm-dovetail-jig-fd-600-base-unit/

[@locomokko]

@@JesperMakes Brilliant! Thanks for that. That is one BEEFY jig! Thanks heaps for the link! I'm surprised the ply is only 21mm. Maybe the camera adds 9mm? :) It's an unusual thickness here in Japan. I'll have to keep an eye out for it. Cheers! Scott from Japan

[@TreeTopCreations]

Great work, the end result of the birch ply looks fantastic!

[@evaapple255]

😁 you forgot the hole for the cords to dive through, and the plug she detailed so detailed on the plan

[@coolabahwoodworking]

Love this video! The desks turned out great. Love the dovetails!

[@oscardelgadotolosa3819]

Sencillos, elegantes y fuertes... me gusta el color.... felicidades, su hija tiene que estar encantada. saludos.

[@lulunz6809]

I am very impressed with how those came out. I love the dove tail jointing jig! I will look for one now. That flat pack furniture is so crappy. These desks will last for a long time. Your daughter must be so happy. Great work Jasper!

[@cdnmrspolitics]

So much better than going to ikea, hire a woodworker

[@LukeTheJoker]

Always enjoy your videos. I always love the raw plywood edge, and the dovetails just made it so much better, please thank your daughter for supplying her plans for free!

[@andrewclarkehomeimprovement]

Nice one Jesper. Been toying with the idea of a dovetail jig but my 'shop' is so small I literally have nowhere for it. The desks turned out really good, of course they did! ...and it was nice to see a bit of Denmark. Maybe you could as a side thing show us round a bit? Your take on things Danish.

[@DennisHinkle]

Jesper you did a great job. They look awesome. Dovetail joints are strong and should last for years. Thank you for sharing.👍

[@riba2233]

Why start with such low grit, birch is already sanded to 120 from the factory

[@JasonLohman-JTL_Art]

Great video and story, Jesper! I really like this one. The animations were a nice addition! Simple, thoughtful, on point. Well done and cheers from the US!

[@NamelesshunterGaming]

birch plywood, thats hard to find

[@lindomarchagas1877]

Olá, que maravilha de trabalho e este acabamento ficou muito lindo, parabéns pelo ótimo trabalho.direto do Brasil para você.eu também gosto de marcenaria.🙋🇧🇷

[@bluecurlygirl]

Absolutely love the desks. Great job. That finish is beautiful too but maybe I'm biased because I love bourbon (the drink).

[@dannyishome]

I think he forgot the opening for the cables. 😅 Anyway, great work 🙂

[@vmoutsop]

Great project. One question - what is the offset on the horizontal board vs the vertical board to get the dovetails to line up properly? Thx.

[@michaelwillson6847]

Awesome video jesper looks amazing and dad points always handy to get some them. Glad weve got another video Keep them coming. Hope your well dropped you an email need your help. Catch up soon mate 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👍

[@SteifWood]

Guess the fancy ply and masssive dovetail jig made it a looot cheaper than a trip to ikea. Err. But then again, you can always make your first daughter a mini bed from the scraps and a second use of your new tool: in woodworking, always factor in the residuals ...

[@WedoweeHandyman]

“The Spungy thing 😂” another great video

[@viron1615]

I directly upvoted the video because of the title xD

[@jennynations04]

You're both a good dad and an excellent wood worker. Well done

[@MaryCumbersnatch]

Yes, "amateurish" is a word 😊 Great work, as always, Jesper!

[@hungarianzozo]

Great video. Am intrigued with your trailer for car. What make is it and where did you buy it?

[@robbrummer8967]

Ikea is the worst shop in the world, better find other customers and leave those desperate enough to buy at ikea at their peril!

[@murraygraham1696]

Not only a nice build but a great story!!

[@maxsioulas7794]

They turned out a million times better than any ikea product out there ❤

[@WolfKenneth]

Ikea is for those who can't afford woodworkers furniture.

[@IainTaylor0]

Nice IKEA pillow case 😂 Love your videos…

[@lisahodges8299]

Done! Happy Jesper and happy daughter! Birdy

[@rexochroy2]

Your daughter better say thank you Dad or she can go to ikea .. 😂😂😂