Dresser Update/Dry Fit--Help looking for problems

[Chad Johnson]

This is my first "high quality" furniture build and I dry fit my dresser case together. Uploading pics to both share and see if anyone sees any glaring errors before I start spreading glue. Appreciate any feedback or suggestions.

[Randy Red Bemont]

I say if you have it all dry fitted and everything fit, go for it. I like the look. It will be awesome once finished completely.

Red

[Jim Dwight]

Looks good to me too. You might want to double check the openings for drawers and make sure they are consistent sized from front to back. But it looks good. It also looks like you plan dividers on the upper level to make the drawers narrower but they aren't installed, right?

[Bob Hoffmann]

Since you said that it is a dresser, it does not look as though it has enough vertical support for the drawers. The horizontal pieces are pretty thin if the drawers are only supported by them. I would think that you would need to put in some vertical supports.

[Chad Johnson]

Yes. It's a seven drawer chest. Three drawers across the top and two on the bottom two rows. Sliding dovetails slots are cut, but am waiting to install dividers until it's glued up just in case pieces move during glue up.

[Chad Johnson]

Thank you. Do you think the dividers that I have not yet installed for the fromt will be sufficient or are you thinking vertical supports in the casework? You cannot tell from the pics, but the back frames of the inner case work recess into a dado cut into the stiles of the back panel. Does that make a difference?

[Bob Hoffmann]

A piece of wood along the grain is where its strength is. The vertical dividers should support it -- provided that they are connected firmly to the horizontal pieces -- I guess would be the case since they would go from the bottom for the bottom 2 rows.

For the top row, you may want to make the top row dividers connected tight to the top so that the top row hangs from the top ... just a thought, not sure, but maybe someone else can chime in on what is needed to support the drawers.

[Chad Johnson]

Really appreciate your comments and you taking the time to provide your thoughts! The vertical dividers are connected via sliding dovetails so I think that they should be sturdy.

[Mike Schuch]

My GF has a dresser that she just loved the look of. It has really big thick heavy duty dividers. That stupid dresser has more dead air space than storage space. I like your minimalist dividers MUCH better! With the dividers you have yet to install I would think that it will be plenty sturdy. The weight of the drawers is supported by the side of the drawers close to the dividers anyway. Sliding dovetails on the dividers are a nice detail that will say "quality workmanship" to anyone that studies the design closely.

I have made a couple of shelves out of maple and walnut. Personally I think walnut looks better with an oil finish. I think that maple looks better finished "in the white" with lacquer. An oil finish on walnut really brings out the grain of the walnut. An oil finish on maple turns it very yellowish but lacquer retains maples white hue. Because of this you might consider pre-finishing the maple and walnut before assembly?

My favorite finish for walnut is 1/3 spar varnish, 1/3 tung oil (or boiled linseed oil), and 1/3 turpentine (or mineral spirits).

[Jim Dwight]

With respect to finish on walnut, remember that it will bleach out to grey in sunlight. A finish with a UV inhibiter can slow this - like an outdoor finish.