In self defense I normally make a batch of small items and stash them in the closet for just such emergencies. Due to various reasons I got caught flat-footed this holiday season when I was asked for a "quick" gift for someone who "suddenly" came up. I am going to kill off some scrap and shorts and build up a supply for all those surprises that will come up this year ;-)

I grab some interesting looking scrap. I also have some thin stock leftover from resawing drawer fronts and the like. I use the thin stock as veneer on 1/4" ply for the bottoms.

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I resaw and mill the stock. I rip to width and then cut the carcass parts. I rabbet them top and bottom and pre-shellac the insides.

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I drill a hole centered in the top for finger clearance and use the router table and some stop blocks to mill a couple of mortise-like notches to receive the pulls. I square up the mortises with a chisel.

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The pull is cut with angled ends and shave to a slight taper. This makes the pull fit like a cork for a gap free fit.

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cont'd