How would you build this drawer?

[Jeff Horton]

In the near future I want to build a pair of these night stands.

http://www.uniqueprojects.com/projects/other/nightstand/01.jpg

The plans show the drawer with just a flat face. The box joints are the main detail that attracted me to this piece. It's very Arts and Crafts and that is the style house we built.

Looking at the drawings I was thinking about poplar or something similar for the drawers. Then I remembered the box joints.

I have been tossing around ideas on how to do this. It wouldn't be difficult to make a face with fake box joints and still use popular for the sides. But, I am thinking maybe I should use walnut for the whole drawer and make them real box joints. When the drawer is open all the wood matches. Plus I think it would have a .... whats the word? ..... Well for lack of a better word, a more upscale or higher quality look with the drawers open.

It's not really a problem, just curious how you would make the drawers. Someone may have an idea that I missed.

[Mike Henderson]

Just make the drawer sides from the primary wood. And instead of using box joints, make it a dovetail joint. That way the front will be attached firmly to the sides and you'll get the same look.

Mike

[Peter Pedisich]

Jeff,

I think you should make it with real box joints.
Because it's a focal point in the design that tempts you to open the drawer to look nside, which most people will do.

Pete

[Michael Cody]

When I look at it, I see upper & lower runners with exposed ends and the draw face filling in the area between. You could then make the sides whatever way & joint you wish with blind dovetails.. but that's just how I see it.

[Wes Bischel]

Jeff,
Darrell Peart's book has a chapter on building this style of drawer: "Greene & Greene: Design Elements for the Workshop"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0941936961/ref=pd_bxgy_img_a/103-9101874-5322269?ie=UTF8

I just received a copy and haven't gotten through it yet, but it does a nice job of going through all the details to watch for when building this style of furniture.

I'm a bit torn about using finish grade lumber for the drawer sides as well. Though, I have to agree, it needs to be done to be true to the design.

Nice looking piece.

Wes

[Chris Barton]

I don't know what part of the SE you live in but, in my part walnut costs about the same as poplar, for what looks to be about 1 bf per drawer I would just go with the walnut... The money you would save buying poplar wouldn't buy dinner at Shoney's.

[Mark Singer]

That appears to be a bridal joint...altough it could be made into a dovetail. The corners have been rounded over with a bit or fine rasp and sandpaper. It is an easy joint to make by hand or with a bandsaw, using a stop to limit the cut. After the cuts are made the female part on the drawr front is removed like choping a dovetail with a chisel. Changing the joint to a dovetail would really make it stronger as Michael Henderson suggested. Still roundover the edges. I would use walnut and glue a block on the drawer face and shape the handle as a monolithic part...that wouuld give it a real hand worked appearance...The joint on the picture is on a table I made and is the same...

[Mark Pruitt]

in my part walnut costs about the same as poplar,
I'm moving to Nashville!:D :p

Jeff, I like Mike Cody's idea. I would have never seen it that way until he mentioned it. The sides could be joined to the front by sliding dovetails. Let us know what you decide.
Mark

[Charlie Plesums]

Walnut makes great drawer sides... especially the sapwood or few pieces with ugly color or grain. It feels like a virtuous use for that walnut that "can't" readily be used as primary wood, and the finished results look good and wear well (walnut sapwood is better than poplar, for example).

Maybe for this project you could find "scrap" pieces of walnut that were suitably dark at the end, even if the entire board were not suitable for use as primary wood.

[Jeff Horton]

Wow, thanks for the ideas. I was thinking more about it last night and decided the make the drawer(s) out of walnut. It would just look so much better. And as you pointed out Chris Walnut is not that high. I just found a sawmill that cuts it so I now have a reasonably priced source.

Micheal I kind of like the idea of a dovetail. I am just now learning to cut dovetails by hand. Mark, thanks for the term. I had not heard bridal joint before. Since my dovetailing skills are limited I will probably go with that. As you said it should be simple enough to make.

Wes, thank for the tip on the book. Looks like something I would really enjoy since I love their details.

The input is appreciated. Will probably be a few weeks before I start on these but will post photos once I get started. My wife was saying last night she thought she wanted me to build her a tall cabinet for the laundry room first.

[Mike Henderson]

Jeff, if you do use a bridle joint, you can strengthen it by putting some small wooden pins through the side wood into the face. If you use walnut, you can choose to use a light wood and highlight the pins. One thing I've done is use bamboo skewers - they're light colored and straight grained so you can make the pins small and they're still strong. You'll only see the pins when the drawer is open - the front will still look exactly like your picture.

I've also seen this on some Sam Maloof furniture with drawers. Looked nice.

Mike