Story Board to help with a derelict Tool Chest

[C. in Indy]

<p>I couldn't leave well enough alone...</p><p>I got in an abandoned Gerstner box with no drawers at all.&nbsp; However, side runner strips are all there -- and this for me takes away much of the mental overload of planning drawers.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The dark old carcass sides/top are now planed to fresher (but still 'torrefied', as they describe aged guitars) wood.&nbsp; &nbsp; I'm starting with a post-board storyboard and I have selected a slab of nice QS oak to serve for the new drawer fronts.</p><p><br></p><p>Spoiler alert:&nbsp; &nbsp;NO dovetails planned here....&nbsp; &nbsp;Maybe for another job where I don't have side runners and grooves and such to worry about....</p><p><br></p><p>

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    <br></p><p><br></p><p>Happy Woodworking,</p><p>Chris</p><p><br></p>

[Mike Brady]

<p>Chris, looks like a great project.&nbsp; I wouild be willing to work with you on the project if you could use help with the dovetailing (Chris and I live in the same area).&nbsp; I'm not sure what the original drawer construction details were, but it should be easy to find out.</p><p><br></p><p>Mike</p>

[C. in Indy]

<p>Hi Mike !</p><p><br></p><p>I'll send you a PM.&nbsp; &nbsp;While the original Gerstner&nbsp;drawers were always side-hung &amp;&nbsp;&nbsp;lock-rabbet joint types...</p><p><br></p><p>https://www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/locking-rabbet-joints/<br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>If you're feeling especially creative,&nbsp; I've got enough going on with other hobbies and busted cars,&nbsp;that I could entertain some help <img src="https://www.forums.woodnet.net/images/graemlins/yellowsmile.gif" data-sceditor-emoticon="
" alt="
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"></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>- Chris</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

[C. in Indy]

I've had some input from Mike on dovetails vs. locking rabbet joints, and I'm still waffling on that decision.  In any case, I needed some grooved stock for drawer sides, so I took an excursion to the "all in one" table saw:

   

I've now got enough stuff for drawer fronts / backs / sides, after more resawing.  That's a nice warm feeling:

   

The "all in one tool" is now put back to watch-tinkering (often watch-destroying in my case)!

   

Have a great weekend,
Chris

[C. in Indy]

For the drawer corner joints,  I decided for the locking rabbets over dovetails, among other reasons, because they can facilitate last-minute vertical alignment changes.   I will probably need to do just that sort of tweaking here, more times than not.

And, just a lot of this sort of stuff coming up:

   

   


More later!

Chris

[Scott W]

I've had some input from Mike on dovetails vs. locking rabbet joints, and I'm still waffling on that decision.  In any case, I needed some grooved stock for drawer sides, so I took an excursion to the "all in one" table saw:



I've now got enough stuff for drawer fronts / backs / sides, after more resawing.  That's a nice warm feeling:



The "all in one tool" is now put back to watch-tinkering (often watch-destroying in my case)!



Have a great weekend,
Chris

510 glamor shot. I miss my shopsmiths.

[C. in Indy]

Yeap,  the Shopsmith is sometimes only a power stropper, but other times it does heavy work


Time for a break!  Enough front-face joints are tried out to give a feeling of progress.   After further work, one of my favorite things is to "whittle down" drawers with saws and block planes.

   

[Mike Brady]

I like what you are doing there and think that the machined joints are actually more in keeping with the whole project.  Since you have the watch-tinkering interest also, why not just devote this entire cabinet to that pursuit?  I know I would be lost without my cab that holds all of my small crap for sharpening, drafting, measuring, etc.  I feel stroingly that a well-constructed wood cabinet is hands-down superior to the red stacking tool chests that we all have in terms of UX.  I think I might redo my fabric-store felt drawer liners with the stuff that Gerstner sells.  Felt helps to make things stay in place.

[C. in Indy]

Mike --  Oh yeah, that Gerstner OEM felt is something else!  I have a few remnants and it's like a royal cloak.  I'll probably get more in the near future.  They ship a lot of yardage of cloth when you order.

Regarding DT's:   No dovetails as promised, but some "Darn Thin" Baltic Birch has been acquired for a few of the drawer-bottoms on the thinnest drawers.   I'm choosing a ply bottom so that the whole drawer will be able to be lock-glued when ready, with no need for sliding parts.

I got in a few more minutes and was able to join-up the first drawer.   Once this is all doubly checked and trimmed to fit, it will contain more "story board" dimensions for the depths of the remaining drawers.   So, it's a lot of mental planning up front, hopefully to be following by rote cut & paste operations later on...

Chris

   

[C. in Indy]

It's a slow boat,  but 4 drawers fully fitted now.   I am pretty sure I'll work in some sort of accent beads on these at the end.   It's fun to say all drawer fronts and backs came from one board