# Red Oak Tall Chest



## bcfunburst (Jan 14, 2012)

Hello fellow woodchoppers!! This project started way back in Dec.2013. I have never done anything like it and will likely not do another. This is an experience project for a friend. He is paying for all materials and I get to have all the fun!! The photos attached show just how much I have done so far. There is a lot of hardware yet to be installed as well as all the finish mouldings incl. a 4" cornice mldg. at the top, fluted vertical mldgs. at each side of the drawer faces, and the finish cove mldgs. at the base of the tall chest of drawers. The casing is 3/4 red oak plywood. The drawer faces and face frame are solid red oak. The drawers are poplar wood with 1/4" ply for the bottoms of drawers. Photos show joinery I used for the drawer fronts and backs. My friend requested there be dividers between each drawer, which I made from various stock on hand. I convinced him the very top compartment should be a shelf with doors for easier access because of the height of this piece @ 6' tall by 33" W by 17" D. The weight of this chest is getting to be difficult to manage. My friend has yet to choose the hardware and stain color. I am hoping to clear this project from my shop by this Christmas. I will contribute again when this chest of drawers is closer to completion. I welcome any and all questions and ideas. One can never learn it all. There's not enough time in one lifetime.


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## Carpenter12 (Sep 19, 2013)

Beautifully done. I'd like to see it after stain.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Very nice.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Very nice and I also am looking forward to seeing after it's stained .Looks pretty intimidating for a rookie like me . 
I don't know what that joint is called on the backs of the drawers ? At the front you've done a dovetail all the way threw , nice


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## bosox (Jun 12, 2012)

The pictures show it really off! Red oak is nice wood. Also looking forward to seeing the finished product.


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## bcfunburst (Jan 14, 2012)

*Drawer Joints*



RainMan1 said:


> Very nice and I also am looking forward to seeing after it's stained .Looks pretty intimidating for a rookie like me .
> I don't know what that joint is called on the backs of the drawers ? At the front you've done a dovetail all the way threw , nice


The rear panels of the drawers are done with a lock-miter bit, especially for drawers, on the router table. The fronts are held in place with a "sliding dovetail" joint and brad nails. The joint does stop. There is a 1/4" slot hidden in the fronts as well to take the drawer bottom panel. I may have dabbled in woodwork for many years, but I am still making all sorts of mistakes. I'm very much a rookie like most of us on this site. Don't be intimidated; it's just wood!!


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Nice job Reg.


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## denniswoody (Dec 11, 2011)

It looks like you are going to have a very successful project and a good learning experience. Well done. If I may offer two comments though. First is you did not need to pin the sliding dovetail joint. A little glue and this joint will hold forever. A small cosmetic issue. Second and I think more important the drawer slider looks to be pretty low-end and perhaps not appropriate to the quality of the piece and also maybe not able to properly support a large drawer. Something to consider before you finalize it.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Reg may I ask what a ball park figure would be for the material ? I bought a bedroom suit and the dresser was $900 alone . It's maple I believe .
Not that I'm trying to cheap out but sometimes I wish I made my own furniture as the feeling of accomplishment and the sentimental value would have been invaluable .

I am going to build my coffee and end tables next summer though as it's got to be a lot easier for a beginner like me . Sure as heck I'll screw up the first time but that's part of learning I guess .


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Looking good Reg
Boy that is tall chest can not wait to see it stained


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## AndyL (Jun 3, 2011)

Nice work Reg. It's going to look a very impressive piece with all the mouldings installed.

Your friend will thank you for not putting a drawer in the top compartment, you'd have to be 7 feet tall to get anything out of a drawer that high!

I like the sliding-dovetailed drawer fronts, it's something I was thinking about for a project I have in mind. Was it tricky to get right?


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

that came out looking really good...


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## bcfunburst (Jan 14, 2012)

*Sliding Dovetail*



AndyL said:


> Nice work Reg. It's going to look a very impressive piece with all the mouldings installed.
> 
> Your friend will thank you for not putting a drawer in the top compartment, you'd have to be 7 feet tall to get anything out of a drawer that high!
> 
> I like the sliding-dovetailed drawer fronts, it's something I was thinking about for a project I have in mind. Was it tricky to get right?


Being a lazy guy, I figured to use simplest way I could think of to do this. Use a dovetail cutter bit in router table; first set up for drawer faces. I set the depth of the cut so that the blade is cutting the full height of the cutter. Set the fence correct distance from the blade. Mark your stop lines on fence face after doing test cuts with scrap wood. I run both ends of drawer faces from opposite sides of the blade. (careful on the climb cut). Then set up for cutting the side pieces to fit into the dovetail. Don't change the height of the bit; just change the fence position so you make the tails the correct thickness to fit into the sliding channel. (More Test cuts in scrap). This worked very well for my purposes. Thanks for asking.


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## bcfunburst (Jan 14, 2012)

denniswoody said:


> It looks like you are going to have a very successful project and a good learning experience. Well done. If I may offer two comments though. First is you did not need to pin the sliding dovetail joint. A little glue and this joint will hold forever. A small cosmetic issue. Second and I think more important the drawer slider looks to be pretty low-end and perhaps not appropriate to the quality of the piece and also maybe not able to properly support a large drawer. Something to consider before you finalize it.


Drawer sliders are 75lb. capacity from Lee Valley Tools. Drawers are 25" by 17" by 7". I forgot to ask if he would be storing gold bars!!!
I used glue at the rear of the drawers but tried to get away from glue on the drawer fronts as much as possible. The pinning will allow for expansion and contraction much better in our damp West Coast climate.
Cost of materials is approx. $800.oo, incl. hardware.


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## AndyL (Jun 3, 2011)

bcfunburst said:


> Being a lazy guy, I figured to use simplest way I could think of to do this. Use a dovetail cutter bit in router table; first set up for drawer faces. I set the depth of the cut so that the blade is cutting the full height of the cutter. Set the fence correct distance from the blade. Mark your stop lines on fence face after doing test cuts with scrap wood. I run both ends of drawer faces from opposite sides of the blade. (careful on the climb cut). Then set up for cutting the side pieces to fit into the dovetail. Don't change the height of the bit; just change the fence position so you make the tails the correct thickness to fit into the sliding channel. (More Test cuts in scrap). This worked very well for my purposes. Thanks for asking.


Thanks for the explanation Reg.


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## KomputerMan (Mar 3, 2014)

Luv the joinery. I built three dressers myself a few years back and only used screws for the drawers glides. Everything else was old school joinery. Takes a little more time but to me it is the craft in craftsman!


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