Neander Chest-On-Chest Build-Part 6 - Drawers

[Mike Allen1010]

This is part 6 of a hand tool build of a cherry Chest-on-Chest from Glen Huey’s excellent book “Building Early American Furniture”.

Nothing fancy, just basic hand tool build pics. FWIW, brief description of some hand tool techniques in the hope they may be of interest to some of my fellow meanders. I’m certainly not an expert, this is what works for me after plenty of trial and lots of errors!


As described in previous posts the chest carcass is finished, moldings and split turnings applied. Now for building the drawers:


I start with dimensioning the drawer fronts to fit the “drawer pocket”. Reference off the bottom left corner of the drawer pocket for consistency – still end up trimming the wrong part of the drawer front on occasion, but at least it’s an attempt to keep the gap around the outside of the drawer decent.

I use a square/sliding bevel to measure the exact angle between the horizontal/vertical components of the drawer pocket (frequently not exactly 90°), then transfer that angle for marking the horizontal dimension of drawer fronts.

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Here’s an oversized “Bench Hook” I use for finish cross cutting of components at the bench. Generally I prefer doing almost all my sawing at the saw bench, but this appliance raises the work piece so I can make accurate cross cuts with back saw to final dimensions.
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Seems like new project always created the need to build a new shop tool (does this happen to you?) – in this case a shooting board. On the right is my original shooting board; it is too heavy I (built out of MDF), the fence is fixed so that inevitably as I tilted the plane to less than 90° I shaved off the very end of the fence and started getting some tear out on the back edges of work pieces. Finally I used some high density/low friction plastic for the slider portion – worked okay, but not as consistently flat/stable as I’d like.
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On the left is the new shooting board: much lighter BB plywood construction and adjustable fence so I can slide it over as I shaved away the end grain, and finally an adjustable track to help hold the plane against the edge of the work piece. I highly recommend a track, regardless of what plane you use used for shooting. I bit the bullet and splurged on an LV shooting plane which I absolutely love! Not essential, but very fun.

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Here’s all drawer fronts in the case; a light source behind makes it easier to see the gaps.
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I cut everything with hand saws (have an ancient 14” BS I use for resawing but it’s been broken for some time, have to eventually have to get around to fixing that…).

I am a huge fan of saw benches; for me the geometry, body position and set up makes everything about hand sawing easier. IMHO key SB elements are:


1) Weight/stability; I like a SB that’s heavy enough it absolutely won’t move even if I don’t have any body weight holding down the work piece.

2) Clamping; if you have sharp handsaw’s and want to cut quickly and efficiently I think it’s much easier to clamp the work piece, rather than rely on your body weight to hold it still, especially if you’re putting a little muscle into the job. I use a couple 4” hold fasts/holes in the Doug Fir bench top and a flip up stop for crosscutting.


3) Light: the number one reason I wander off the layout line is I’m too lazy to get sufficient light to clearly see the tooth line against the layout line. I clamp a light directly over the saw bench which made a big difference for me.


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For crosscutting drawer components I saw a little bit fat of the layout line so I can shoot the end grain to the final dimension with a couple passes. A 12 PPI panel saw is ideal for smaller components like drawer sides/backs.


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[Mike Allen1010]

I’m a big fan of the ruler stop for laying out repeated dimensions. My eyes aren’t so good, so I use a pencil to highlight the marking knife layout line.
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Here’s the tools I used to layout width and plane drawer sides to the same height. My next version of the panel gauge will have a longer fence for greater stability in marking the width of wider panels.
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One of the biggest timesavers for me is a shop built plane set up with wide mouth, cambered blade to take nice fat shavings and quickly get to rough dimensions.
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I try to measure as little as possible as I consistently screw up ruler use. A Post-it note on the bench light keeps dimensions handy for quick sizing up drawer components.
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Crosscutting some ½” popular for drawer bottoms and a gratuitous pic of a prized tool – my grandfather’s Disston #7, 10 PPI crosscut.
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[Mike Allen1010]

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Final dimension/surfaced drawer components.
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I use the triangle marking system, but when building multiple drawers I always miss-match parts when it comes to cutting joinery – blue tape helps me keep things organized.
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Tools for laying out tails so I don’t have to measure. Using a chisel for laying out pin width is probably the single most helpful thing that has help me speed up my dovetailing.

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For me, building drawers is a great exercise for making my dovetailing skills faster and more efficient. Drawer components are poplar and half blind DT in cherry drawer fronts will be covered with cock beading, so the fit doesn’t have to be perfect. One step I should never skip is marking the waste – opps I hate when this happens!
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The little red shops tool is a recent addition that really saves my back when chopping DT – highly recommended.

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For sawing the outside shoulder of tails in casual work like it saves time to just saw to the line without marking/chiseling a “runway”.
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[Mike Allen1010]

Here’s some pics of sawing/chopping half blind tale sockets. I do most of the chisel work with the work piece flat on the bench and put it upright in the face vice for final trimming. A little undercutting of the layout line helps me with a solid fit.
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Before assembly a little paring of the inside edge of tails eases assembly – probably cheating but I’m not that accurate anyway.
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[Mike Allen1010]

After assembly, here’s the setup I use for trimming tails and pins I would own a bevel down Jack plane if only for this purpose.
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I really like two rows of dog holes/tail vise for surfacing glued up panels. I like to surface before final turning to dimension to trim off any spelching – two rows of dog holes helps in holding irregularly shaped work pieces.
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Here’s the trio planes I use for surfacing glued up panels;
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the cambered blade somewhere between a true scrub and at Jack plane used diagonally helps speed things up for me.
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Thin, poplar drawer bottoms required a little persuasion to stay flat until fitted in draw grooves.

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Finally some pictures with most of the drawers done.
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[Mike Allen1010]

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After our finish the remaining drawers, next step will be a little bit of carving for a shell on the top drawer and maybe some egg and dart dark molding to ease the abrupt transition from the upper chest to the waste molding, which is what happens when I do any kind of math – like scaling the original plans down by 15%.

Thanks for looking, Mike

FWIW, you now have to insert pics one at a time (probably means I'm doing it wrong?)

[william nelson colorado]

Mike, thanks for posting. I've really been enjoying watching this come together. Regarding your comments about your saw bench, if it isn't too much trouble, could you describe the rough dimensions and/or add an unobscured picture of the bench? It looks like it is made with a couple 2x10"-ish boards for the top and maybe even a little taller than normal. I've noticed I saw better when my knee is off the board as well. I haven't figured out if my saw bench height is off, or if I just have better sight or balance when both feet are on the floor.

[Patrick McCarthy]

Michael, I LOVE it. Thank you again for posting these threads. Peace, out dude. Patrick

[Jeff Posten]

Beautiful work, Mike. Also envious of all the sunshine in the background. It's been a long winter.

Jeff

[Winton Applegate]

Thank you Mike
Looks like some real woodworking going on there.
Nice cherry for the drawer fronts.

[Patrick Bernardo]

Mike, I'd also like more info on your saw bench. Looks wider and more stable than the ones I've seen (and used).

Oh yeah, and this is great work! I'd love to get good enough to build something like this.

[Jim Matthews]

Gaps? What gaps?
I don't see any...

If I make a single drawer that slides all the way home, and doesn't spill the contents when opened -
it's a good drawer. You've got what, a dozen drawers all inna same carcasse?

Show off.

******

I note two things in the article that I would to have more clarification about:

Is the shop made plane "fenced" on both sides, so it fits the same thickness each time?
I also use a scrub plane to get down to depth, on occasion but have lately taken to using a drawknife.

Secondly - you're chopping lotsa little dovetails.
How fare your wrist and elbow, on the mallet side?

I'm finding that chopping for any length of time aggravates mine
to the point of needing an ice bag, afterwards.

I get my best fit this way, but Oy Gevalt!

Kudos for the quality you produce and the foresight to take pictures along the way.

[Tony Wilkins]

Definitely bookmarking this thread and it's predecessor. Great work.

[Chris Griggs]

I'm getting bored of telling you how great your work is so I'm going to mix things up a bit here....


Mike, that is terrible, you have no taste, and your work is sloppy...also your tool collection leaves something to be desired...get some decent tools man! Those are junk!

(but i really think the opposite of this)

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Nice work, as always, Mike! I'll have to dig back for the old threads, I think I missed the last one. Did you make the the dentil molding on the case top? Was that a tablesaw/router thing, or handtools as well?

[Mike Allen1010]

Mike, thanks for posting. I've really been enjoying watching this come together. Regarding your comments about your saw bench, if it isn't too much trouble, could you describe the rough dimensions and/or add an unobscured picture of the bench? It looks like it is made with a couple 2x10"-ish boards for the top and maybe even a little taller than normal. I've noticed I saw better when my knee is off the board as well. I haven't figured out if my saw bench height is off, or if I just have better sight or balance when both feet are on the floor.

Hi William,

This is the third saw bench I've made. I started with much smaller saw benches and they've evolved over time – based on what works for me since I pretty much cut everything here. It's built out of construction grade Doug Fir from the local BORG and lots of giant lag bolts.

Two 2" x 12" for the benchtop – I left a 2" wide gap in the middle for ripping – also comes in handy for F clamps we needed. The top is thick enough to hold the 5/8" diameter, small hold downs I like to use to keep the work secure. I really like the hold downs – a quick tap with a mallet and the workpiece isn't going anywhere. I always do better work when I clamp, rather just holding with my body weight. I also have a little slide up bench stop along one edge that's convenient for crosscutting.

I guess total dimensions of the top are probably 26" x 45"- Key is to ensure benchtop overhangs the legs so you don't hit them with the saw. Height is the top of my knee, which makes it easier for me to get my eye and upper body over the layout line. I saw much better with both feet on the floor and because the bench has enough mass to keep the workpiece still without my body weight, I can cut on the "wrong" side of the layout line when it's convenient instead of moving the workpiece. The bench is light enough to slide easily around the concrete floor of my single car garage shop – maybe 70 pounds? The legs are 6 x 6 with a simple bridal joint to join them to the cross pieces. Some stretchers underneath house lag bolts to keep the top flat.

IMHO, a nice functional saw bench is a key gateway shop appliance that will definitely accelerate your trip down the slippery slope of the neander way!

All the best, Mike

[Mike Allen1010]

Patrick McCarthy (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/member.php?26240-Patrick-McCarthy) Michael, I LOVE it. Thank you again for posting these threads. Peace, out dude. Patrick

[QUOTE=Jeff Posten;2242601]Beautiful work, Mike. Also envious of all the sunshine in the background. It's been a long winter of the Meander Way,

Patrick and Jeff – always great to hear from you! Jeff, welcome home and thanks again for your service! Sorry you had to get home just in time for winter – I know it's been a real long one for folks in the snowier climes. I don't have the heart to talk about the winter here in So. Cal, but as I'm sure Patrick might agree, there are downsides to living here; as I'm reminded every time I buy lumber and write the mortgage check!
Cheeers, Mike

[Mike Allen1010]

[QUOTE=Jim Matthews;2242676]
I note two things in the article that I would to have more clarification about:

Is the shop made plane "fenced" on both sides, so it fits the same thickness each time?
I also use a scrub plane to get down to depth, on occasion but have lately taken to using a drawknife.

Secondly - you're chopping lotsa little dovetails.
How fare your wrist and elbow, on the mallet side?

I'm finding that chopping for any length of time aggravates mine
to the point of needing an ice bag, afterwards.

I get my best fit this way, but Oy Gevalt!


Jim, I really enjoyed your comments/recommendations on the "whiskey" thread – and as a bonus I get to blame you when my wife comments (with raised eyebrows) on our single malt inventory:).

The Jack/scrub plane with the cambered blade I use for big fat shavings has a regulations flat, smooth bottom without a fence because I use it for initial surfacing glued up panels (which I never managed to align very well), as well as quickly shaving to the layout line when ripping to width.

Funny you should mention the wrist/elbow consequences of chopping lots of dovetails; I used to use a beach "Carpenters mallet" (I think that's what it's called?), But recently switched to the rubber mallet with shot inside (I can't remember what that's correctly called either – that might be the downside of the single malt:)), just because it is easier on the wrist/elbow – no vibration, it seems like the dead blow mallet (just remembered what it's called) kind of sucks it up. Something to consider, as I know you have better uses for the ice!

All the best, Mike

[Mike Allen1010]

I'm getting bored of telling you how great your work is so I'm going to mix things up a bit here....


Mike, that is terrible, you have no taste, and your work is sloppy...also your tool collect leaves something to be desired...get some decent tools man! Those are junk!

(but i really think the opposite of this)

CG, I didn't think was possible but I like your new tagline even better than your previous "X-Men" – hysterical – you should be writing for Jimmy Fallon!.

BTW, quit torturing those adorable cats with your subversive vegan pet food! Your "homeboy" Ben Franklin would be aghast at such a thing:)

Have a great weekend! – I'm hoping you can work in another hand tool video?

Best , Mike

[Mike Allen1010]

[QUOTE=Joshua Pierce;2242767]Nice work, as always, Mike! I'll have to dig back for the old threads, I think I missed the last one. Did you make the the dentil molding on the case top? Was that a tablesaw/router thing, or handtools as well?

Hey Josh, I confessed to making the dentil molding on the router table, with little block spacer on the miter gauge. Yes, I did nick my finger ruining a mindlessly, laboriously created piece of molding with bloodstains – oh the horror! I knew there was a reason I was afraid of those electrical spinney things.

Mike

[Chris Griggs]

CG, I didn't think was possible but I like your new tagline even better than your previous "X-Men" – hysterical – you should be writing for Jimmy Fallon!.

BTW, quit torturing those adorable cats with your subversive vegan pet food! Your "homeboy" Ben Franklin would be aghast at such a thing:)

Have a great weekend! – I'm hoping you can work in another hand tool video?

Best , Mike

Hehe....:) I allow my cats to make there own choices...they continue to insist on chicken and salmon despite there mother and I's disapproval :p

Dude! Seriously, your stuff looks awesome!

No vids this weekend...I've got friends coming into town...so I don't even get to go out to Pauls to finish my workbench....maybe I'll shoot something ridiculous next weekend.

Always good to see what you've been up to my friend! I'm just amazed at how much you get done.

(I steal all my lines BTW...the xmen one was a ripoff of an internet meme, and my current one is from the movie "The Foot Fist Way"...I just replaced the "Tae Kwon Do" with "woodworking". :D)

[Steve Voigt]

Looks great of course, but I really love all the excellent little tidbits for working accurately and efficiently, and the shopmade tools. Thanks!