# Chest of drawers



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Had a great couple of days to work on the chest of drawers I promised Maree.

1. making the dust frames using pocket hole jig.

2. Completed dust frames.

3. Testing the dado jig.

4. Perfect dados.

5. Dry fit of ply sample carcase

6. Cutting down the veneered mdf

7. setting cutter height for dados

8. Routing dados

9. Dry fit of MDF carcase.

10. setting out the face frames.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

James, those are some nice photos! Your text is also quite helpful. I am certain Maree will enjoy it and especially since you've custom made it to suit location & needs. *OPG3*


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## vikingcraftsman (Mar 31, 2006)

Solid work


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

Coming along nicely James. Can't wait to see the finished pics.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

You are well on your way with this James.


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## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

Nice work.


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## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

That is looking good James. I am looking forward to seeing it finished.


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## Al Robins (Jul 13, 2009)

That looks like a very professional job James, both photos and text....well done....OK, me off carting grain...the silly season is upon us.......AL


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Well done my friend, you are well on your way to a top notch project. Looking forward to your next posts.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

There's just something about doing 'bigger' projects that just gets the juices flowing. You're well on your way James, very well done!!!


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## wbh1963 (Oct 11, 2011)

Very nicely done James. I mean that in regards to both the craftsmanship and the quality of photos/descriptions used to share your experience with us. Did you design this yourself or are you working from a set of plans?

I especially like this write up because I have picked up a pocket hole jig that I haven't got around to using yet. I am currently feeling the urge to try using 'cedar decking boards' to make the dust frames.

Once again thank you for sharing a very elegant and simple design and construction process with us.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

OPG3 said:


> James, those are some nice photos! Your text is also quite helpful. I am certain Maree will enjoy it and especially since you've custom made it to suit location & needs. *OPG3*


Thanks otis


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

vikingcraftsman said:


> Solid work


Thanks John


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

jlord said:


> Coming along nicely James. Can't wait to see the finished pics.



Thanks James. - can't wait myself. - had to stop work last weekend as I did not have the fine screws necessary for the Jarrah face frame - only coarse


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Mike said:


> You are well on your way with this James.


Thanks Mike - already too big to put away in the shed, so i have to leave it in the car port all week.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Gaia said:


> Nice work.


Thanks Peter


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

mailee said:


> That is looking good James. I am looking forward to seeing it finished.


I am also......LOL


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Al Robins said:


> That looks like a very professional job James, both photos and text....well done....OK, me off carting grain...the silly season is upon us.......AL



Carting grain...easy...

When I was a kid we used to "bag out" out of a bulk bin....
Sowing wheat bags in the summer sun was not my idea of school holidays....:no:


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

xplorx4 said:


> Well done my friend, you are well on your way to a top notch project. Looking forward to your next posts.


Thanks Jerry - still have a ways to go to catch up to you.....


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

TwoSkies57 said:


> There's just something about doing 'bigger' projects that just gets the juices flowing. You're well on your way James, very well done!!!



You are right there, Bill.

Great weather and some self motivation are handy assets to have.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

wbh1963 said:


> Very nicely done James. I mean that in regards to both the craftsmanship and the quality of photos/descriptions used to share your experience with us. Did you design this yourself or are you working from a set of plans?
> 
> I especially like this write up because I have picked up a pocket hole jig that I haven't got around to using yet. I am currently feeling the urge to try using 'cedar decking boards' to make the dust frames.
> 
> Once again thank you for sharing a very elegant and simple design and construction process with us.



thanks Bill,

Based on a set of plans I bought from New Yankee Workshop. 

As taught by my wood working teacher, I did make a sketch before I started cutting anything.

I added the second row of double drawers as I thought that was more proportional.

I am a complete amateur, so just get in there and make anything....

There are many plans on the Kreg site for using pocket hole construction.


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## Al Robins (Jul 13, 2009)

jw2170 said:


> Carting grain...easy...
> 
> When I was a kid we used to "bag out" out of a bulk bin....
> Sowing wheat bags in the summer sun was not my idea of school holidays....:no:


Yes James, been there done that..."character building" was the term used....bbbwwwwaaaaa...........AL


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi James


Nice job so far , I see you used the router table to put the dado slots in place ,would you like to see a jig that you can just drop the router on the stock and by using a brass guide , and it can be done safe and easy, I know using the router table can be a PITA ..and I know you have the OP brass guides, the jig will let you put them to work...just a note the jig can be used for many router jobs not just one...

====





jw2170 said:


> Had a great couple of days to work on the chest of drawers I promised Maree.
> 
> 1. making the dust frames using pocket hole jig.
> 
> ...


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

bobj3 said:


> Hi James
> 
> 
> Nice job so far , I see you used the router table to put the dado slots in place ,would you like to see a jig that you can just drop the router on the stock and by using a brass guide , and it can be done safe and easy, I know using the router table can be a PITA ..and I know you have the OP brass guides, the jig will let you put them to work...just a note the jig can be used for many router jobs not just one...
> ...


Thanks, BJ.

As you can see from my previous posts (_too many jigs_?), I have several dado jigs. 

I used the variable spacing jig to make the dados and rebates for the ply test carcase. The advantage of using a variable spacing is that the mdf is in 17mm - not 3/4".

When making the veneered MDF carcase, I use the method shown by Bob & Rick in their book case video using a 1/2" cutter and adjusted the width with my fine adjusting tool.

I also have the plans for your jig using the 1" slot. I plan to add that one to my collection shortly.:happy:


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*I blame Harry..........*

for all this confusion between metric and imperial.....LOL

This morning, I went over to Trend Timbers to buy some more Jarrah to use on the base.

I selected a nice piece ( 6 x1) with even colour ( about 3.1m long), and said "I'll take this one."

Cost me $63.00.

Then, like a blonde with old timers , I asked for the board to be cut into 400 lengths - that's 400mm - I should have said 40"........

I ended up with a batch of short boards........ROTFL.

I had to go and buy another longer board to use for the base front. The short peices I can use for base sides and drawer fronts....

No , I don't really blame Harry. I should have written down a cutting list so that I made sure I got what I wanted.....

Another one of wood workings lessons......:cray:


PS the second board was $38.40....


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## gav (Oct 12, 2009)

Hi James,
Was looking forward to the finished product.
Did you manage it ?


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

gav said:


> Hi James,
> Was looking forward to the finished product.
> Did you manage it ?



_Why do people keep asking that....LOL

I will have to put some effort in shortly.. My employer has put me back to 3 days a week from 1st March, so every week end will be a 4 days week end, and I am going to retire at end April._

Has not changed much since last post.... I keep getting hints from SHMBO......


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## Scottey66 (Feb 1, 2012)

Nice work James. Look great


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*making a test drawer*

I think I mentioned in another post that making the drawers for the chest of drawers was my next hurdle.

I have not made any drawers before so decided to get outside and have a go today.

Inspired by the Bill Hylton video on youtube, I decided to make the first attempt using sliding dovetails.

I used 12mm ply for the test.

Here are some photos ......

I believe that using 12mm solid timber will be the next choice so I am off to the timber merchants (Trend Timbers).

This afternoon I will try again using the Bob & Rick method.

I also noticed that one of my 1/4" cutters damaged - it is now on it's way to the dump...


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*Using the OP spacer fence*

Here are the results using the Oak Park 1/4" spacer fence.

I don't need to show how this was set up......

Last shot is the shed packed up for the night....:jester:


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## wbh1963 (Oct 11, 2011)

Thanks for the update on this one James...

Joinery, in its many forms and styles seems to be what I like most about working with wood. As such, sliding dovetails are most certainly on the list of techniques that I hope to become proficient with someday.

I did some experimenting with the dovetail bits that came in a 'bit set' and quickly discovered that my favorite species of wood (Western Redcedar) is difficult to 'machine' due to tearout/chip out, especially along the triangular edge created by cutting a 'angled grove/dado slot'. 

The same bit and motor produced much better results on several other types of wood I tried it on, those being fir, fir-ply, oak and hickory. I suppose, the tighter the grain of a wood, the more difficult it may be to 'machine', but the stronger it will be after being machined. There are probably some 'chemical' differences between the species that impact the ease of machining vs. strength after machining bell-curve. That chemical most of us simply call 'water' has it's way of setting in motion the phenomena of wood movement.








jw2170 said:


> I think I mentioned in another post that making the drawers for the chest of drawers was my next hurdle.
> 
> I have not made any drawers before so decided to get outside and have a go today.
> 
> ...


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## Matador58 (Jan 28, 2012)

Hi James ,

A nice job on your chest of drawers .
Looking forward to your next post keep up the great work .

Cheers Graham .


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## PaulDaniels (Jun 16, 2012)

Very nice, I'll admit, I was a little worried until I noticed you were going to laminate the dresser


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*Laminate?*



PaulDaniels said:


> Very nice, I'll admit, I was a _little worried_ until I noticed you were going to laminate the dresser


Hi Paul

I am not sure where you got the impression the dresser was going to be laminated??

The carcase is made from 18mm Jarrah veneered MDF and the face frame will be Jarrah.

The drawers will be 1/2" hardwood with 3/4" Jarrah fronts..

There must be something in there that got you worried????? If so, what....


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*getting there....*

Went to the men's shed today and worked on the timber for the drawers.

Last week I resawed? the timber and this week I put it through the planer.


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