Need Some Advice on Making Neader-style Drawer Trays

[Tony Filippone]

Hi folks,

I want to build some drawer trays/organizers. For cutlery in the kitchen. Maybe for my tool chest.

Modern convention starts with 1/4" stock (or thinner) and uses a table saw to cut dados and grooves with consistent and even spacing.

Well, I have no table saw. And 1 1/2" wide stock doesn't make router use easy...

And I want to make enough organizers without making this into a 3 week "project". Essentially, I want to produce a bunch of these (like more than 12) each with different configurations.

I need some advice on making the dados with hand tools or other devices without spending hours making each organizer.

Anyone have advice?

[Dan Andrews]

I made deviders for one of my tool boxes with hand tools only. 1/4 " is aufully thin to make dadoes in anyway, so I cut two tennons on the end of the pieces that were going to join into the side of another piece, and two mortices in the side of the second piece and glued them in place. They make for very strong deviders.

[Jim Koepke]

If the dados are to be all the way across the stock, then a back saw and chisel should get you there.

The project can be as difficult as you want to make it.

Simple would be dovetail the corners. Use a less than stock thickness dovetail to hide the slot for the bottom at the front and back.

The dividers can be attached to the sides via a dado or mortice and tenon.

jtk

[Trevor Walsh]

Considering the thinness of the stock and shallow depth of dadoes I'd consider clamping a batten across the dadoes, knifing in two lines for the cheeks and using a small rabbet/router plane or chisel to plow an 1/8" deep dado.