Solid Wood Chest of Drawers (80" long x 48" tall) :D

[woodguy1975]

Well, I've moved into working on my next commissioned peice. It is a solid wood chest of drawers. The primary wood is genuine mahogany with maple drawers and some poplar used for dust frames. The peice will be 48" tall 80" long and 22" deep with 24 drawers and a section for A/V equipment. A definite one of a kind design. This is a BIG piece.

Since this chest is so large I have to do 80% of the jointery by hand. This will include the half blind dovetails for the case work and the sliding dovetails for the cross supports. They are just too long for my Leigh and too long to run upright on a router table although I might over come that buy building a horizonal router table. I am enjoying the hand work though. I'm going to do a complete writeup on my website at http://www.jsrwoodworking.com/Chesto...tofdrawers.htm

Here are a couple top pics of the work I've done so far. It took me all day today to do the two joints for the bottom of the case. 22" wide hand cut half blind dovetails takes time.


Here was my short cut for layout. A plotter and CAD can save you some time.



Keep watching my website. I plan on keeping pretty current updates.

Thanks,

John

[DaveO]

Wow, WG that is a lot of work. I squared up the corners of some router cut rabbets, and that felt like it took forever. It would take me a year of weekends to do just what you've done. Looking forward to your progress updates.
Dave

[Monty]

Great start there!!! I'm really envious. A project like that is my ultimate goal! Maybe one day...


First question (many more to come from me, I'm sure ): Why use half blind DT's on the case? I thought through DT's, then cover with molding.... ?

[McRabbet]

Yet one more example of the beautiful work you produce -- nice work. You'll please that client, that's for sure!

[woodguy1975]

Monty, I did a lot of reading on this subject. I used to think that through was the way to go. When you do through dovetails and attach molding the molding will pull away from the case as expansion and contraction kicks in and the end grain of the dovetails moves differently than the pins. If you want the molding to stay tight yet have a beautiful joint to look at the half blind is the solution. Now the molding will stay tight year round and you still have a very pleasing joint. It was one of Lonnie Birds books that convinced me to go this route. He is the man when it comes to period furniture.

See ya,

John

Originally Posted by insomniac

Great start there!!! I'm really envious. A project like that is my ultimate goal! Maybe one day...


First question (many more to come from me, I'm sure ): Why use half blind DT's on the case? I thought through DT's, then cover with molding.... ?

[Monty]

You da man! HBDT's are harder to do, but will save you from having to do tricky dovetail keys for the molding later! NICE!


EDIT: Oh, wait... nevermind. You'll still have to do dovetail keys for the molding, because of crossgrain situation.

[woodguy1975]

Right, I still have to do the dovetail keys for the molding. That is the only way to solve the cross grain situation. The end grain of the through dovetails can expand and contract differently so sometimes they are flush and other times they may be proud or pulled back. If they go proud during an expansion cycle they will creat a small gap between the molding and the chest side and the molding that is not attractive. I'm just taking measures to ensure the chest looks good all year round.

Check out the latest Popular Woodworking. There is an article from Lonnie Bird. I actually think this is where I read about the through dovetails and the molding. HBDTs do take more time to cut, but really aren't any harder.

Thanks,

John

Originally Posted by insomniac

You da man! HBDT's are harder to do, but will save you from having to do tricky dovetail keys for the molding later! NICE!


EDIT: Oh, wait... nevermind. You'll still have to do dovetail keys for the molding, because of crossgrain situation.

[D L Ames]

Looking good John....looking good. You do really nice work and we can all learn a lot from you. I look forward to seeing the in-progress pix as well as reading the full write up.

D L

[clowman]

Great start WG! I can't wait to see this progress. I can't picture 24 drawers and sections.

[cpowell]

That's a very impressive piece you are working on, WG.

Thanks for sharing the experience with us. I look forward to seeing it go together.

[JohnsonMBrandon]

Man that is one awesome project. I am with Monty, I hope to make a piece of that quality one day.

[woodguy1975]

Today, I've added a lot more info an pics on cutting out the tails on my website at http://www.jsrwoodworking.com/Chesto...tofdrawers.htm

One thing I did do is regrind on of my old marples chisels into a dovetail chisel. It is essential for cleaning out the tails.




Here is a quick sketch of what I am making. I do have a 3-D model, but don't really have time to complete it all the way so I'm just working from the sketch.


Thanks,

John

[Monty]

That's gonna be a keeper!!!

[D L Ames]

Nice John. Thanks for posting the sketch. That is going to be one big piece of fine furniture when you finish it.

D L

[b4man]

John, Are you going to do a joinery workshop anytime soon? I'd love to takeit. Beautiful work!
Barbara