First furniture project

[Collin Knop]

Been away from woodworking for sometime and have started at it again. Found my grandfathers old magazines and decided to give a chest in one of them a try.
Wonder if you folks think it would be to much for someone who is basically a beginner. It's old style but will update some things in the plans.
Attached are the pages from the 1959 Home Craftsman magazine. Will stay with Pine and change the way the drawers are installed since this will be for the granddaughter. Any suggestions would be more than welcome.

Thanks, Collin

[Adam Cormier]

Hey Collin,

I think that is a great project that you can get a lot of satisfaction from. As for, is it too much for someone who is "basically a beginner?" It depends. If you keep an open mind and expect that there will be some mistakes that will be made and buy a few extra board feet to compensate with that to prevent an extra trip to the lumber yard (I've done that frustrated drive before), I think it will be a great learning experience.

I built a fairly similar dresser for my son a year ago. Here is the link:

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/60105

Good luck on your project! I hope you enjoy building it as much as your granddaughter will enjoy the fact that you made it for her.

[Jim Matthews]

If this is your first project, you're ambitious.

I would recommend a large toy chest, as a starter project.
Getting one drawer to fit in a cabinet can be challenging.

Fourteen is pushing beginner's luck...

[Prashun Patel]

I don't think it's ambitious. Just pick your wood properly. Choose something that will be stable, machines easy, and will be easy to finish if you plan to color. As long as your patient and persistent and have the right tools, you can do it!!!

This project will rely on squareness and straightness and flatness. What tools will you be working with?

[Jim Rimmer]

I agree with Prashun. If you are patient, properly prepare your stock and make sure everything is square, you should be able to pull it off. I look at projects like that and try to break them down to the basic parts. You are building a big box, subdividing the interior and then making several small boxes to fit into the subdivisions. Accuracy of measurements and cuts, and squareness is the key

[Jim Matthews]

Fourteen drawers for a beginner?

Come on.
He wants to give it to his grand daughter before she goes to college.

This is an easy 70-80 hour project, if nothing goes wrong.

[Collin Knop]

Yes it is a little on the ambitious side and will take time ( I have 13 years until college :D). My work entails a lot of cabinet and drawer repair, mostly drawers and I have built a few less daunting things in the past, desks and small/medium knickknack displays (sorry, so long ago no pics). As for tools I have my table saw, router, skilsaw, jig saw and assorted hand tools. Fourteen or four, if I mess up one it still means starting a new with only that one and I have learnt in the process. I look upon a project like this as slow and steady. Set aside when patients is short and work it when on level.

[Joe Mindell]

I agree with those who would suggest a simpler starter project. Why not make a matching nightstand with 2 or three drawers to get a feel for this stuff--it'll be a lot easier to get the smaller carcasse nice and square and you'll get some experience with a smaller number of drawers. The drawers are easy to redo if you get one wrong, but if you get the carcasse out of square you'll have a nightmare of a time with all of the drawers....

[Jim Matthews]

My work entails a lot of cabinet and drawer repair, mostly drawers and I have built a few less daunting things in the past, desks and small/medium knickknack displays (sorry, so long ago no pics).

My mistake, I presumed you were a beginner.
"Wonder if you folks think it would be to much for someone who is basically a beginner."

There's a world of difference between rusty skills and new skills.