The Floating Credenza - Drawer Building

[Brian Holcombe]

Good morning! I've detailed the process of drawer building for my cabinet, which was finally accepted by New Hope Arts. Now I can say I'm looking forward to the show. I'll be delivering it this weekend and so I'm going over some parts a little quicker than I normally do. I look forward to your comments.


https://brianholcombewoodworker.com/2016/11/01/the-floating-credenza-drawer-building/

[Prashun Patel]

I found this format particularly informative: breaking down the task into bite sized videos really worked for me.

That's some pretty red oak ;)

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks Prashun! Thanks as well for the red oak!

[Phil Mueller]

Brian, congrats for having it accepted in the show! Not that I had any doubts that it would.

[Robin Frierson]

Very nice. I like the idea of widening the bottom of the drawers sides to have more bearing surface. I have been making 3/4in sides when all I needed to do is just add a strip to the bottom like you did Brian. Also like the design of the drawer fronts to hide the frame. Congrats on the show!! Seems like you built this credenza very fast.

[Robert Hazelwood]

Excellent work as usual Brian, and thanks for sharing some of your methods on the blog. I hope you get a chance to do a nice overall photo showing the credenza on its stand (a gallery shot, if you will).

Congratulations on being accepted to the show, and here's hoping it finds a buyer!

[Pat Barry]

Nice work! I bet that you get several interested parties to purchase this piece. Did you finish the drawer interior with blond shellac also, ie: the drawer components (front, sides, bottom, etc)? A bit curious about seasonal changes on the drawers, particularly the fronts. I built a hutch this past winter (out of pine, plain lumber). I got more vertical growth in the drawer fronts than I bargained for this summer and need to do a tad bit of trimming to 'loosen' up the closure fit. Your materials are much more stable than mine but the combined effect of humidity and temperature can cause issues across the grain.

[Brian Holcombe]

Brian, congrats for having it accepted in the show! Not that I had any doubts that it would.

Thanks Phil!


Very nice. I like the idea of widening the bottom of the drawers sides to have more bearing surface. I have been making 3/4in sides when all I needed to do is just add a strip to the bottom like you did Brian. Also like the design of the drawer fronts to hide the frame. Congrats on the show!! Seems like you built this credenza very fast.

Thanks Robin! I owe Derek specifically for detailing drawer slips on his blog then continuing to help with suggestions on how to improve them after the first few sets.


Excellent work as usual Brian, and thanks for sharing some of your methods on the blog. I hope you get a chance to do a nice overall photo showing the credenza on its stand (a gallery shot, if you will).

Congratulations on being accepted to the show, and here's hoping it finds a buyer!


Thanks Robert! My pleasure, and I hope so as well (fingers crossed!). I posted them up in the 'finished cabinetry' section, but didn't point to it specifically in this post, as to not spoil the fun for next week.


Nice work! I bet that you get several interested parties to purchase this piece. Did you finish the drawer interior with blond shellac also, ie: the drawer components (front, sides, bottom, etc)? A bit curious about seasonal changes on the drawers, particularly the fronts. I built a hutch this past winter (out of pine, plain lumber). I got more vertical growth in the drawer fronts than I bargained for this summer and need to do a tad bit of trimming to 'loosen' up the closure fit. Your materials are much more stable than mine but the combined effect of humidity and temperature can cause issues across the grain.

Thanks Pat! I finished all parts in blonde shellac. I haven't had much trouble with seasonal changes in the drawers, but so far it always seems to end up that I build drawers when it is humid outside, lol, so I've yet to run into sticky drawers. The quarter sawn wood certainly helps to keep the tolerances tighter, but I have flat sawn drawer sides on my mom's cabinet and they've also remained fairly stable without causing issue.

[Christopher Charles]

Congrats on the acceptance of the piece and well deserved, if I do say so myself. Best of luck, I bet it won't last long.

[Brian Holcombe]

Thank you! I certainly hope so, fingers crossed!

[Jeff Bartley]

That is stellar work Brian! And congrats on the show!
I'll look forward to the rest of the series!

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks Jeff!