| Project by Techsan | posted 1053 days ago | 2526 views | 6 times favorited | 13 comments |  |
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This was the first real project I did for my family. My wife and I were expecting our first child, and I got the urge to build the furniture for the nursery. Rather than start with the crib for the baby, knowing they would be sleeping in a Moses basket in our room for awhile anyway, we decided the dresser would be of greatest use – good thing we did, because I didn’t finish the crib until she was almost 2 (thankfully I designed it to be converted to a toddler bed).
The dresser is made out of solid cherry I milled from the stack in the 2nd photo. It is constructed with standard frame and panel sides and a mortised and integral tenon face frame (somewhat of a puzzle to put together). Knowing the abuse it was going to take from the children, I opted to go with full extension metal drawer slides as opposed to having the boxes glide on wooden runners. The drawers boxes, which I made out of poplar, are dovetailed together and their fronts are attached with sliding dovetails. I finshed it with shellac and a couple of coats of sprayed lacquer (I need more practice there).
While the finish could be rubbed out and refined, I’m very happy with this first project proudly sitting in our daughters room (and now covered with toddler clothes and toys)!
-- Michael - Houston, Texas
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13 comments so far
ajosephg
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1718 posts in 1727 days
#1 posted 1053 days ago
That is so beautiful – Great Job
Coincidentally I am in the gathering inspiration for a Mission Dresser very close to what you have done. I’m sure I’ll be visiting this post many times when I start the actual design and build.
-- Joe
heavyelectrician
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14 posts in 1106 days
#2 posted 1053 days ago
That is some fine work! That finish really brings out the beauty of the wood
-- You hold onto friends by keeping your heart a little softer than your head
MOJOE
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533 posts in 1435 days
#3 posted 1053 days ago
Did you sneak into my garage!!!!! It looks like the progress pix from a similar dresser I built for my son a few months ago…....I even have the same mower! By the way, the dresser is awsome, the cherry looks great.
-- Measuring twice and cutting once only works if you read the tape correctly!
AaronK
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1365 posts in 1631 days
#4 posted 1053 days ago
nice work. I’m a big fan of mission/craftsman/arts and crafts done in cherry. somehow the quality of the wood softens the hard edges of those styles.
dub560
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602 posts in 1079 days
#5 posted 1053 days ago
looks great
-- Life is enjoyable especially when you borrow from people
Skylark53
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2265 posts in 1227 days
#6 posted 1053 days ago
This is a great work. Te cherry shows up very nice and you did an excellent job with the construction. This’ll be a family favorite, not doubt. Thanks for sharing.
-- Rick, Tennessee, John 3:16
rowdy
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370 posts in 1609 days
#7 posted 1053 days ago
Nice job. I really like this style of furniture and it is fun to build.
-- Rowdy in Kechi, Kansas
blackcherry
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2902 posts in 1989 days
#8 posted 1053 days ago
A excellent job on your first heirloom piece. I like the use of Cherry instead of the more masculine QSWO for the use in the nursery. I’m wonder if you may have known that by leaving the Cherry cabinet expose to direct sunlight the wood will darken faster? It a real nice piece of furniture and you should be proud so carry on young buck you have a whole house to fill….take care and enjoy raising your family, and thanks for posting…BC
stanley_clifton
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164 posts in 1870 days
#9 posted 1052 days ago
Outstanding, particularly as it’s a first project.
-- Stanley generally struggling
randyb
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117 posts in 1494 days
#10 posted 1047 days ago
excellent job, I like the design, also how you did the drawers.
-- I was going for that distressed look
ajosephg
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1718 posts in 1727 days
#11 posted 1032 days ago
How did you attach the top to the sides?
-- Joe
Techsan
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4 posts in 1054 days
#12 posted 1020 days ago
The top is attached using home made cabinet buttons. They are L shaped wooden pieces that fit in slots that are dadoed into the top rail of the front, back and side frames and then screwed into the top. The slots are cut wider than the button, and no glue is used to allow for any seasonal movement of the top.
Another option would have been to use “figure 8’s”, but I opted for the more traditional solution – mainly so I wouldn’t have to go out and buy more hardware :)
-- Michael - Houston, Texas
pintodeluxe
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1733 posts in 980 days
#13 posted 137 days ago
Great work on the dresser, it came out fantastic!
-- Willie, Washington "If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made a Choice" - Rush
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