Entry hall table for a niece: Part 13

[Derek Cohen]

The build is nearing the conclusion. The drawers, case back, and finish to do. Here, the drawers are continued. The focus of this article is on fitting the drawer (with lipped sides), and the fixtures that are used in the course of this process.
 
We ended the last build session with the drawer parts made ...
 

 
... and the lipped drawer fronts completed ...
 

 
First task today was to plane the groove for the drawer fronts ..
 

 
The drawer sides and drawer back were dovetailed ... simple through dovetails. The notable feature here is that space is left for the drawer slip (which replaces the drawer groove as the drawer sides are 1/4" thick).
 
Of interest may be the bench hook I use. I suspect that some may look at this and wonder why I am butchering it by chopping on its top ..
 

 

 
Well, it is just scrap, and took about 5 minutes to make. So far this one has lasted about 3 months. I should get a few more out of it.
 
Not only is it used for chopping, but also sawing ...
 

 
... and even shooting ...
 

 
One of the issues with a lipped front is that it cannot be planed to fit after glue up. So, there are lots of dry fitting, and the sides are planed individually. This planing stop is invaluable for thin boards ...
 

 

 
There is non-slip in the form of Crubber on the face of the stop ...
 

 
When fitted together, any raised pins need to be pared level. Here, the drawer is captured in a fixture (essentially, two pieces of ply, each with a cut out). The pins are pared with the newly-released Veritas flushing chisels ...
 

 
I've had a pre-production set for a couple of years. This is what a prototype handle looks like ...
 

 
Veritas now supply this in a nice wooden handle. The one I am using is a design of my own, ala a Japanese slick ..
 

 
Fitting the drawers also required positioning and glueing the drawer dividers. These also act as drawer stops ...
 
This is the drawer divider in position ...
 

[Derek Cohen]

It is slid back ...



The first third of the dado receives glue ...



The drawer is replaced and positioned ..



And then the drawer divider is slid up against the rear of the lip ..



The drawer case is fine-tuned with the LN Rabbet Block Plane ...



This is used to smooth over any irregularities in the side walls and, where necessary, to plane away any fat ...



The drawers are in the process of being glued up. Drawer #3 cannot be glued up until a brass plate is recessed into one side. T



Marked out, the waste routed, and then chiselled along the circumference ...





The drawer fronts are planed ...



Another dry assembly and check for fit ...



If there is any resistance to the drawer being pushed in-and-out, I test fit it from the rear. This shows whether the drawer or case needs some planing. Looking good here, as it goes right in ...



There is good drawer extension (about 80%) ...



The drawers are now glued up.

Lastly, for the day, the slips are attached. These began like this, grooved and beaded ...



A Jarrah runner is added below. The upper section of the slip is, as with the drawer sides and drawer bottoms, made from Tasmanian Oak. This is similar to US White Oak in hardness and wear. Since the drawers run on Jarrah, the wear properties are improved with the Jarrah wear section ...



Tomorrow should see the conclusion of the build.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Phil S.]

Derek -

Is the bead on the slip solely decorative?  It seems that it would weaken it, but the weight of the drawer is supported by the part of the slip below the dado so it may not make any practical difference.

Phil

[Derek Cohen]

Phil, it is decorative, but also serves to meld together the slip with the drawer bottom where, although both are the same Tasmanian Oak, their grains run in different directions. This would look unsightly without something between them.

The bead in no way is weak, or weakens the slip. There is about 1/2” of hardwood under the groove.

Regards from Perth

Derek