Apothecary Chest - the drawers are done!

[Derek Cohen]

We are getting close. The drawers are done. There is still the base to be built, but the I feel that the hard yards are won. The following was completed this weekend ...


One of the joys with hand tools is simply planing. Nothing special, just planing wood and creating wonderful shavings. This was the final dimensioning of the drawer sides prior to glue up ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/gb3gw5meb/1a.jpg


More planing - this time the panels for the drawer bottoms. These are 6mm thick. With drawers this small and narrow (100mm wide and 100mm high), one probably could run a drawer bottom along the length. I decided to plan for expansion along the length, so the grain runs side-to-side. The panels are Tasmanian Oak ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/vwksg3iwz/4a.jpg


The panels are ripped on the table saw, and one endt is shaped to the drawer front using the template for that row ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/hq51kvfrn/5a.jpg


Here is a glued up drawer ready for the drawer bottom ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/e6j3v2shf/6a.jpg


Extra long at this stage ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/97vlgjweb/9a.jpg


... and trimmed to size (the extra "tongue" is to aid in removal, if needed) ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/v7203s0dv/10a.jpg


There is some expansion that can take place into the drawer front, as the groove there is deep enough (5mm at the front and 3mm at the sides). Some expansion can also take place to the rear. What I have done is drill an over size screw hole ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/498321ngj/15a.jpg


The screw needs to sit flush with the underside, as will become apparent in a while ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/s07gk6iir/17a.jpg


I am very happy with the drawers. They are tight and crisp, and all slide in-and-out their recess smoothly.


I am also very pleased with an idea I came up with for the drawer stops. Drawer stops are very important in this chest as the drawers are inset by 3mm, and a stop at the front, behind the drawer front, will enable this gap to be maintained through the year.


These stops are a little different. I searched the Internet to see if anything like these have been made, sold or used before. Nada, zip. I am amazed. The concept is so simple, and so easy to install. Please make and use them. I think that you will like the idea. Adjustable drawer stops ...


I planed down some scrap Black Walnut. These strips ended up 20mm wide ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/xodrb2f5f/11a.jpg


40mm lengths were marked off, and the piece attached to my router-morticing jig ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/yqnxtlq8z/12a.jpg


Here's the complete set up. It was used to rout out 10mm long mortices ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/kwzl4jpxv/13a.jpg


Sawing away two strips, you are left with this. It was planed to a thickness of 3mm ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/lmidgxlcj/18a.jpg


These were cut up and the fronts rounded. The reason for the round section is that it will butt up against the rear of the drawer front, which is curved ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/7g2mlpi77/19a.jpg


These are screwed into the drawer recess. They can be fine-adjusted with the screw. All pretty obvious, really. The low profile allows the drawer to slide in without obstruction.


https://s19.postimg.cc/4983235gz/20a.jpg


With the drawers done, the knobs were attached. These are cast iron and small (just 22mm across). Yet they seen ginormous after looking at bare drawer fronts for so long.


I was thinking of blacking the cast iron, but I now quite like the grey. I think that it adds to the modern feel of this chest. Your thoughts?


https://s19.postimg.cc/amx65ci2r/24a.jpg


The boards have been cut for the back board and the base. Next time.


Regards from Perth


Derek

[Jim Koepke]

Very nice, the hard part will be remembering what is in each drawer.

jtk

[Derek Cohen]

:)

Thanks Jim.

[Jason Lester]

Really nice!

[David Eisenhauer]

I like it, the whole shebang, but a question - I have noticed in some of the photos that you posted after finishing up the drawer fronts that I believe I can see on some of the drawers where you created the rounded drawer fronts when the light hits the fronts just so. On some of the drawer fronts it seems like there are some lighter areas where the material was removed to shape the front. Are you still going to do some final sanding/scraping or is it planned for the finish to eliminate that? Just nitpicking and thanks for the drawer stop idea. Also, good closeup photo of the drawer back treatment to aid in drawer insertion and prevent spelching over time. As always, your attention to detail is excellent.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi David

I think it is the light. All the drawers are free of tool marks. No doubt this will not be evident once a finish goes on them.

I am also not sold on the handles as they are. Either I turn small ones, or modify these. They look a bit chunky, although up close they are a really nice design.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Phil Mueller]

Well done, Derek. My vote is I like the pulls. I’d certainly get the finish on before deciding whether to change them out. Once you get that nice dark walnut going, I think the satin/gray will look nice. I really don’t think I’d go smaller, either.

[Kees Heiden]

The pulls also help to make tge woodgrain less “in your face”. I think I could get used to them quickly.

Nice work, looking forward to the finish.

[George Bokros]

Absolutely stunning. Your work is magnificent!

[Jeff Ranck]

Beautiful!

[David Myers]

Very nice, the hard part will be remembering what is in each drawer.

jtk

Ha. That's exactly what I thought after I admired that gorgeous piece of work.

Thanks for sharing the piece and the process Derek.

[Derek Cohen]

Well, I spent late afternoon turning knobs for the chest. I should have done this at the start, but thought it would take too long. In all, it required about 2 hours. They are not quite finished, but enough is done so you get an idea. And your thoughts, as always, are welcomed.


All along, Lynndy has said, "make the knobs in the same colour as the drawers". She wants them to blend in, and after staring at the chest knob-less for so long, I see her point. So they will be finished in oil and wax, as per the carcase and drawer fronts.


The iron knobs are 22mm wide and 21mm high. The new knobs are 18mm wide and 20mm high.


https://s19.postimg.cc/bqqxs0dsz/knobs2.jpg


The tenon is 3/8" and long enough to extent through the drawer front and be attached with a wedge from inside.


https://s19.postimg.cc/x0ek2v9j7/knobs3.jpg


Some have a little wax to obtain an idea of the final colour.


There are enough here for all the drawers ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/z4yx3y3g3/knobs1.jpg


The idea is for the knobs not to dominate ...


https://s19.postimg.cc/dvbat42kz/knobs4.jpg


Thoughts?


Regards from Perth


Derek

[Kees Heiden]

I like the steel ones better...

[Pete Taran]

Not me, wood all the way. I thought the iron ones were too big for the drawer. I like the blend in approach, but something darker like cocobolo or ebony would be a nice touch as well. And maybe a touch smaller. :)

[Dave Zellers]

Love the wood ones, especially lining up the grain with the drawer face the way you did.

[David Eisenhauer]

This is a highly subjective subject Derek, your cabinet - your (or Lyndy's?) pull choice. If it was my cabinet, I'd prefer wooden ones fabbed from a darker, rich chocolate flavor to stand out some (but not overwhelm) from the cabinet. However, I would have to apply the final finish to the cabinet before being able to settle on the pull wood/finish combo. Someone above said cocobolo and I have also used imbuye in this case. Not black like ebony, more from the rich brown line to better flow with the cabinet. For me, this would require several test pieces to compare.

[Brian Holcombe]

New knobs look great to me.

[Stewie Simpson]

Solid brass slotted screws would have been more visually appealing.

https://s19.postimg.cc/s07gk6iir/17a.jpg

[Derek Cohen]

Actually Stewie, these screws - all the steel screws - will now be swapped out. The steel was chosen to go with the iron knobs, and changing those opens the way to changing the screws. Brass is my preference as well.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Stewie Simpson]

Derek; personal preference, but I would rather see the rear overhang on the draw bottoms trimmed back flush-to the back of the drawer.

Stewie;

[Derek Cohen]

Stewie, flush would be neater, I agree. However the overhang is to aid in removing the drawer bottom. Anyway it is academic - no one will pull out the drawer and look at the back.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Stu Gillard]

Stewie, flush would be neater, I agree. However the overhang is to aid in removing the drawer bottom. Anyway it is academic - no one will pull out the drawer and look at the back.

Regards from Perth

Derek

C'mon Derek that's the first thing I'd do!

As a side note, the future restorer in 150 odd years will thank you when the drawer bottom pulls out of the groove in the drawer front due to shrinkage.
I see it all the time when restoring antique drawers.

[Derek Cohen]

That's interesting, Stu - that the extra length could be used to slide back into the front groove. That had not occurred to me.

Kind regards

Derek

[Jeff Ranck]

I'm with Brian on this one.

[Derek Cohen]

The knobs were completed this evening, and a finish coat of Shellawax applied ...

https://s19.postimg.cc/admqcym5v/Ca.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Tom M King]

I didn't want to express my opinion on the first knobs, and now am especially glad I didn't. Nice choice with the wooden ones!

[Jim Koepke]

Anyway it is academic - no one will pull out the drawer and look at the back.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Nor will they flip it over, spilling the contents just to check the screw.

Though just in case they do, it is good that the screw is clocked. :D

jtk

[John Kananis]

Loving the turned knobs. The entire piece is beautiful.