Expert: Eileen Cronk - 8/23/2006

Question
We recently purchased a Cutler Rolltop desk.  When we got it home, reassembled it and tried to open the desk, it stuck with three or four inches of the tambour unretracted.  The tambour moves freely up and down between the point at which it sticks and the fully closed position.  The top opened fully when we inspected the desk at the (private) seller's home.  Do you have an understanding of what is causing the problem and what might be done to correct it? Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi George
Nice to hear from you.
Well I certainly have an understanding of how a roll top desk is suppossed to work as I have refinished a number of them over the years and had them completely apart.
So the first place you must start to see what is wrong is by removing the back. That is the back of the top of the desk.
Once this is removed it will give you a view of what is happening when you try to raise the tambour.
It could be a couple of the slats have come loose, it could be a humidity issue, or it could be the entire section of slats is out of square.
So remove the back and see whats taking place.
Get back to me.
Regards
Eileen