Apothecary chest - shaping the drawer fronts (1)

[Derek Cohen]

Having completed the dovetailing of the drawer sides into the drawer fronts, the next step is to shape the outside bow to match the chest.


This is the drawer to be demonstrated ...





The drawer blade has been removed, and receives a final tweaking to match a template. Every drawer blade receives the same treatment, and there is a template for each vertical row ...





The drawer blade is returned to the chest, the drawer is fitted, and the profile of the drawer front is traced ...





Below, the markings may be seen on the drawer front ...





The drawer is pulled apart. The grooves for the drawer bottom have been completed. The drawer sides received a 3mm deep groove, while the groove for the drawer front is about 8-9mm deep. The extra depth here is to allow for the inner curve to be later shaped, and that this will remove approximately 3-4mm at the centre.





Now the end of the drawer front is marked ...





Blue tape is added, and the excess removed ...





The tape is added to the upper and lower faces, and the template (from the drawer blade) is now used to mark the curve ...





Once removed, the cut lines stand out clearly ...








The rasping may begin. A start is made with a Shinto, which has roughly 10 grain on the coarse side (this is a Japanese rasp made from hacksaw blades. The other side is about 14 grain).





In turn, after the 10 grain comes the fine side of the Shinto, and then a 13 grain Auriou followed by a second cut file.


The surface is refined with a scraper ...





... and 120/22/320 Abranet mesh. You will ask why sand after scraping? The reason is that the sanding removes any scratches left by the rasps and scraper, creating a uniform surface. The final result is fairly polished. It is possible that I may go over this with a cabinet scraper prior to finish ...





This completes the drawer at this stage. The rear of the drawer front will next receive a complimentary curve. I hope to get to this during the week ...

[Derek Cohen]

The run out from cutting away the ends of the boards is noticeable (to me at any rate) ...





Regards from Perth


Derek

[David Eisenhauer]

Question: Did you consider using a plane rather than the rasp? At any rate, the end result looks very good from here.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi David

The drawer fronts are too small for a plane, as is a spokeshave (they measure 100x100mm). The amount of waste to remove is also too little for a bandsaw, plus the height versus length makes it too awkward to do. The rasp was all that was left to use.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[James Pallas]

Looks good Derek. The runout would be noticeable to an experienced eye. However that person would know why. Does it hurt the piece, not in my opinion. For what my opinion is worth. I'd love to have it.
Jim

[Jim Koepke]

Like end grain, run out can be a feature in the overall beauty of a piece.

Once again Derek you have given the rest of us a work of inspiration.

jtk

[Pete Taran]

Very nice Derek. Also pleased to see you are single handed in keeping Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing in business with your blue tape consumption!

[Pat Barry]

I love the grain flow on your drawer fronts. Very very nice!

[Derek Cohen]

Like end grain, run out can be a feature in the overall beauty of a piece.

Once again Derek you have given the rest of us a work of inspiration.

jtk

Thanks Jim. I am very far from finished with this piece. Drawers to complete, then there is a base to build. The drawer handles arrived yesterday ...

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jeff Ranck]

It just keeps getting better and better looking. This has been a real fun project to watch in so many ways.

[James Waldron]

It just keeps getting better and better looking. This has been a real fun project to watch in so many ways.

I agree it's been fun to watch. Doing it? Not my cuppa! I'll stick with simpler designs. I'd be tempted if I didn't follow the process.

Beautiful work.

[Kees Heiden]

Impressive thing allready! The grain runout is noticable indeed, I don't know yet if I like it or not, mixed feelings still.

It's about 70x50 I guess? That's smaller then I thought it would be. I don't know how I got the impression it was much larger.

[Brian Holcombe]

It's very beautiful work, I think you did a fantastic job.

I would be tempted to apply quarter sawn veneers (shop cut) to the fronts. The runout actually makes it quite difficult to see that the drawer fronts are matched from single boards and makes it very busy, which along with the dividers makes for a busy cabinet.

[Kees Heiden]

It's not that big, so a bit of busyness wouldn't be too dramatic in a larger room. If it were a wall filling cabinet, it would quickly become an eyesore.

[Pete Taran]

Brian,

I agree. The regrettable part is he could have used pine and sawed the fronts to match the curve, ditched the difficult angled dovetails and be done by now.