# Building a Dr. White's Chest



## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

*My Interpretation of Thos. Moser's Design*

*What to Expect*

This blog series will highlight some of the techniques I use in solid wood case construction. My previous blog, about building the New Gloucester rocker, covered nearly every step in photographs with an occasional video. This blog will not detail every step along the way, but will rather explore key details of case construction using primarily videos. The videos are "rough takes" since I'm not going to spend the extra time to edit them. In those situations where my wife wasn't available to film, you'll see me walking over to the camera to stop filming. This may be rough, but the information is hopefully good.

*Intro Video*

Watch this video that introduces my blog about building the Dr. White's chest. I look forward to sharing this blog series with you!

*Wedding Gift*

I'm giving my daughter her late mother's wardrobe, which I built in 1990, as a wedding gift. I'm building the Dr. White's chest as a replacement for my wife. This put me on a time constraint and necessitated a less time-consuming video approach to this blog. The original plan was to build the Dr. White's chest for my daughter. In fact, she picked out the design. As I was looking at the interior of the old wardrobe to refresh my memory about drawer frame construction, I realized that my daughter might want her mother's wardrobe. I offered it to her and she made the switch to the heirloom. This was "win-win" as my wife is heavily engaged in the construction of Dr. White's chest.

*Design*

Thos. Moser designs wonderful furniture. Follow this link to view Moser's design of the Dr. White's chest on his web site. His 1985 book, Measured Shop Drawings of for American Furniture, provides many useful details for construction. His 2011 book, How to Build Shaker Furniture: The Complete Updated and Improved Classic , removes the instructions for the hidden compartment. How's that for complete, updated, and improved? To be fair, it wouldn't be a secret compartment if the construction plans were readily available in a book in this digital age…










I'm not slavishly following Moser's design. Rather, I'm adapting it to my own tastes and needs. I'd rather have storage space than a hidden compartment, so I made the center stile narrower. I don't care for bull-nose trim on such a large case piece, so I opted for a more proportional cove molding. I also modified the base by cutting feet into the side rather than just into the front. This gives the case a more dynamic look as it rests on the floor. Other design changes include things you can't see such as using multiple mortise and tenon joints for the bottom of the cupboard section and the very bottom of the case.

*What's Next?*

In the next blog entry, we'll explore multiple mortise and tenon joints.


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## Oldtool (May 27, 2012)

DustyMark said:


> *My Interpretation of Thos. Moser's Design*
> 
> *What to Expect*
> 
> ...


Nice video, GREAT cabinet. Solid cherry, must weigh a ton. I use cherry a lot, don't worry about the side color match, it'll all darken with time anyway. Going to look really great in a few years. I like your design changes on the two top front doors, didn't see the Moser example, but it sounds like the doors are too narrow.
Thanks for the video.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

DustyMark said:


> *My Interpretation of Thos. Moser's Design*
> 
> *What to Expect*
> 
> ...


Thanks, I love this design and it's great to personalize it. The case consumed quite the load of solid wood from Steve Wall and does weigh a ton. I'm glad my wife lifts weights! She has no problem lifting one end of the case as we flip it for various cuts and glue-up. It's neat to watch how cherry changes color with exposure to UV rays over time. Our bedroom is on the north side of the house, so it will take a while.


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## LeeJ (Jul 4, 2007)

DustyMark said:


> *My Interpretation of Thos. Moser's Design*
> 
> *What to Expect*
> 
> ...


That looks real good.

Lee


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## lysdexic (Mar 21, 2011)

DustyMark said:


> *My Interpretation of Thos. Moser's Design*
> 
> *What to Expect*
> 
> ...


Sweet! This is going to be a fun blog series.


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## Bigrock (Apr 16, 2010)

DustyMark said:


> *My Interpretation of Thos. Moser's Design*
> 
> *What to Expect*
> 
> ...


I just showed the cabinet to the boss and also the store bought one. The lines of the cabinet are very nice and she liked what you changed. The Stiles don't look so heavy. Nice construction also. 
The question is where is the secret compartment? My guess is in the top or in the middle between the doors.
Thank you for sharing.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

DustyMark said:


> *My Interpretation of Thos. Moser's Design*
> 
> *What to Expect*
> 
> ...


Thanks. The compartment is behind the center stile. You have to take the shelf out to open it. Pretty clever design, but not real convenient.


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## lysdexic (Mar 21, 2011)

DustyMark said:


> *My Interpretation of Thos. Moser's Design*
> 
> *What to Expect*
> 
> ...


I agree with cutting the feet into the side.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

DustyMark said:


> *My Interpretation of Thos. Moser's Design*
> 
> *What to Expect*
> 
> ...


It's a subtle change, but an improvement on such a tall case piece. I left the sides solid on my seven-drawer dresser and am okay with the look at that height. The decision was made easier as this is the same style that I used on the wardrobe I built in 1990.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

*Multiple Mortise and Tenon Joints*

*Multiple Mortise and Tenon Joints*

I've owned a Leigh dovetail jig since the early 90's. I started with the 12" model that I used for drawer construction. I switched to the 24" model so that I could join the top of a case to the sides with a through dovetail joint. I bought the M2 multiple mortise and tenon attachment for the 24" D3 jig prior to building a book case that was to hold a tremendous amount of books. I wanted more glue surface and strength than a rabbet joint could provide and the multiple mortise and tenon joints provided that strength. These joints are not easy to produce; even with the jig. The tolerances necessary to achieve a joint of the correct tension require painstaking set-up of the jig. * NOTE:* My panels were too wide to run through my planer. I hand planed the panels flat and the thickness at the ends was not perfectly uniform. This caused me much grief when fitting the tenons. I should have run a sharp plane across the grain at the ends to try to achieve uniform thickness to a tight tolerance.










*The Final Product*

Watch this video to see how I incorporated multiple mortise and tenons and through dovetail joints into the Dr. White's chest design.

*Cut Mortises First*

Watch this video to see how the multiple mortises are cut into the case sides. *NOTE: * I set my depth stop on my plunge router incorrectly on the left side panel and blew through the side on three of the mortises. OUCH!!! That was a 72" x 18" panel of glued-up and hand-planed cherry that already had the dovetails cut at the top. Thankfully, I hadn't reset my dovetail jig fingers and was able to reproduce a new set of pins on the replacement panel. I was also able to recycle the wood into the vertical divider and one shelf within the cabinet. *NOTE: *I normally wear a dust mask when making such messy cuts, but didn't for these videos. I realized later that I had a small vacuum attachment that might have caught a lot of the chips for the tenon cuts. I also recently purchased a more effective vacuum attachment for the dovetail jig, but it doesn't work on the M2 attachment.

*Cut Tenons Next*

Watch this video to see how the multiple tenons are cut in the shelf pieces. I attached the jig to a shelf to raise it high enough off of the floor for the shelf piece to clear. I had already used this shelf to cut the through dovetail pins on the 72" case sides.

*Close-Up of First Side of Tenons*

Watch this video to see a close-up of the first side cut on the multiple tenons.

*What's Next?*

In the next blog entry, we'll explore case construction and glue-up.


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## lank88 (Oct 26, 2021)

DustyMark said:


> *Multiple Mortise and Tenon Joints*
> 
> *Multiple Mortise and Tenon Joints*
> 
> ...


This is an incredible body of work you've put together. Wow. Are these video's regarding the Dr. White's Chest available anywhere to view? Google+ is long gone..


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

*Case Construction and Glue-Up*

*Design Considerations*

Watch this video to explore design considerations. Solid wood case construction must take into account wood movement. Wood expands and contracts across the grain and does not along the length of the grain. When wood is glued across grain over a long span, it will split when it contracts. *NOTE: * The drawer frames and the back are all pre-assembled. The back is a mortise and tenon frame which contains six floating solid-wood panels.










Clamping rehearsal without drawer frames.










Floating panel back assembly squared up the case.

*Glue-Up*

Watch this video to view my clamping configuration. Gluing up a case this large requires a lot of clamps. This is typically a situation where I wish I had more clamps. If I had more clamps across the back edge, I could have closed the rabbet joint more consistently on the back edge. However, that's being pretty picky. *NOTE: * I assembled the case in a vertical position which allowed the best clamp access. I made a mistake by resting the whole assembly on a foam mat. This allowed a bit of inaccuracy where the back lined up with the lower left corner and the mat obscured my view of this issue.

*What's Next?*

In the next blog entry, we'll explore face frame construction and glue-up.


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## lysdexic (Mar 21, 2011)

DustyMark said:


> *Case Construction and Glue-Up*
> 
> *Design Considerations*
> 
> ...


Great videos. Thanks for taking us along.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

DustyMark said:


> *Case Construction and Glue-Up*
> 
> *Design Considerations*
> 
> ...


Thanks! There are many techniques to consider in case construction and I thought it would be helpful to share some of them. It's less time consuming to set up a video camera and talk through it versus writing a small book!

Real-time progress = I hung the doors last night. I'm turning knobs, fine tuning the door installation, and possibly starting to mill the drawer wood tomorrow. I bought a new pad for my ancient Fein sander (predecessor to the Multi-Master) and my new 5" Mirka CEROS sander arrives tomorrow. That should make sanding this "monster" a lot less unpleasant…


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## cpine (Apr 26, 2013)

DustyMark said:


> *Case Construction and Glue-Up*
> 
> *Design Considerations*
> 
> ...


that is absolutely gorgeous! This will be a rock solid, wonderful custom heirloom! Would love to see more when you are done!


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

DustyMark said:


> *Case Construction and Glue-Up*
> 
> *Design Considerations*
> 
> ...


Thanks Chris. You're right that it is real solid. Progress will slow over the next two weeks with some traveling, but I should put this case in service by the end of May.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

*Face Frame *

*Complicated Face Frame*

The Dr. White's chest is a combination wardrobe/chest of drawers and has a complicated face frame. There are eight mortise and tenon joints, ten dovetail joints, and one half-lap joint in the frame. I cut the dovetail joints with my Leigh dovetail jig. Watch this video to see how I cut the female portion of the face frame dovetail joints. I cut the male portion of the joint using the same jig in the vertical mode and the bit set at the same depth. *NOTE:* Chip out is not an issue in the vertical mode.










A sample of each joint.










Close-up of a dovetail joint.

*Critical Glue-Up*

The front of the chest is the most visible. It pays to strive to makes cuts with close tolerances for these joints and use plenty of clamps for clean glue lines. Watch this video to see how many clamps I used to attach the face frame. *NOTE:* I glued the mortise and tenon joints the night before, laid down wax paper on the case, and dry-clamped the frame on the case to ensure it was square with the case as the glue for the mortise and tenons set. *NOTE:* You could certainly use finish nails or even screws to hold the face frame down and get by with a lot less clamps since clamps could be prohibitively expensive. That would mean plugging screw holes or puttying nail holes. (Yet another option would be to borrow extra clamps from a fellow woodworker.)

I cleaned up the mortise and tenon glue lines the next day and then glued this assembly, along with the dovetailed pieces, to the case. I used Liquid Hide glue for this complicated assembly since it has a long working time.

*Oversized Strategy*

I made the dovetailed pieces oversized by 1/16" in width to ensure that the edges of the poplar drawer frames were covered by cherry. Some of the drawer frames could be off a little in square, have slight bends in them, or pieces could shift during glue-up. This precaution ensures that all we see from the outside is cherry. *NOTE:* Another way your face frame could become misaligned is if you didn't cut your dado joints perfectly square in the case side for the drawer frames.

After the glue set, I removed the clamps and used a flush trim router bit to remove the excess cherry from the edges. I used a file to clean up the corners the flush trim bit couldn't reach.

*What's Next?*

In the next blog entry, we'll explore how to shape and reinforce the legs.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

*Case Legs*

*Case Legs*

Watch this video to view the leg construction and track my progress on the face frame. I like legs that are cut in two planes on a tall case like Dr. White's chest. This gives the legs a more fully formed look. I used a wider lower rail with a mortise and tenon joint at the base of the face frame rather than a narrow piece with a dovetail joint. Our vacuum floor attachment will still reach under the face of the case to suck up dust balls!

The sides of the original Dr. White's chest are solid to the floor with the leg profile cut only in the front. I took this approach on my seven-drawer dresser. While I like the look on that case, I found that my wood floor is uneven in that spot. Shimming the case level would be simpler with only four contact points. It boils down to personal taste.










View of the front right leg. *NOTE: * I made the leg cuts, both curved and straight, with a Bosch jig saw.

*Completed Leg Reinforcement*

Watch this video to see the completed leg reinforcement. Moving can be very tough on a large case piece. It's wise to reinforce each leg with a backer block. I made mine from 8/4 stock and trimmed it to a 45 degree angle so the block wouldn't be visible.

*Alternative Approach*

An alternative means of forming the leg in the front involves gluing a strip of wood directly to the inside edge of the stile. If you've got plenty of wood, the stile could start out full width and trim off the 65" of excess above the foot. The mortise would then be cut into that strip.










This photo shows the alternative approach used on a wardrobe I built in 1990. I'm not sure which approach I like better…

*What's Next?*

In the next blog entry, we'll explore how to make case trim.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

DustyMark said:


> *Case Legs*
> 
> *Case Legs*
> 
> ...


Always fun to see your good work and explanation of the details Mark.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

DustyMark said:


> *Case Legs*
> 
> *Case Legs*
> 
> ...


It's looking good. I haven't seen this before so perhaps I need to backtrack on this blog.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

DustyMark said:


> *Case Legs*
> 
> *Case Legs*
> 
> ...


Thanks Mike and Charles. Real-time update = I fine-tuned the door installation two nights ago. I'm a children's pastor and out of the shop for a couple of days working with kids at a weekend event.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

*Trim*

*Trim*
Chests and wardrobes benefit greatly from the added visual detail of trim applied at the top of the case. Watch this video to see how I cut the cove for the trim on my Dr. White's chest.










Trim after application and prior to final sanding.










Out-of-focus shot of the temporary fence set-up I used to make the cove cut. Be sure that your clamps have a good hold. Often, the areas under or near the edge of the table saw are difficult to attain a good clamp hold. *NOTE: * Years ago, I had a clamp slip while running a large piece of cove through a set of parallel boards and came close to cutting my wrist on the table saw blade when my push block rotated as the clamp let loose at the end of the cut.

*Installation*
I've used three different techniques to apply trim to a case. In all of the techniques, I glue the trim to the case across the entire front edge since wood movement isn't an issue on the long grain. I also glue the first third of the trim to the side of the case and use a method that allows for wood expansion and contraction to fasten the back two-thirds of the trim.

First Method
Apply the back end of the trim with finish nails. I used a pneumatic finish nailer on the trim on this case and will plug the holes with a color-matched wax putty stick. An even more controlled option is to cut the head off of a brad nail, chuck it in your drill and pre-drill a hole two-thirds of the way to receive the nail. This doesn't remove material like a drill does, yet it provides enough relief to prevent the wood from spIitting. This is more controlled than a pneumatic nailer, yet the nail is tightly held by the wood since the fibers are compressed rather than removed. I made the mistake of shooting the nails through the 3/8" wide upper flat edge. One nail blew through the top of the case. I was able to fix this easily enough. Another nail blew through the inside edge of the case. I should have used 1 ¾" nails instead of 2" nails. I could have shot the nails through the middle section of the trim with even shorter nails. I didn't expect the 15 gauge nails to stray off course as much as they did on this trim installation. I used this technique successfully with 18-gauge nails on a book case. However, I likely won't use this technique again on a fine case.

Second Method
Cut a key-hole slot with a router along the inside edge of the trim. Install two or three screws along the back two-thirds of the case. Slide the trim from front to back, pushing past the glue area. Apply glue and then slide the trim forward into the glue. Clamp the front third. This is the technique I used on my seven-drawer dresser and is likely the one I'll use on future fine cases. 
 
Third Method
This is similar to the second method. Cut a dovetail grove in the inside edge of the trim. Cut a matching male dovetail section about six inches long and screw it to the side of the case toward the back section. Slide the trim on the dovetail key (from the front and pushing back) and glue the front third. Making dovetails with the correct tension is a lot of tedious work. I used this technique on a previous wardrobe. However, I find that the screw head and key-hole slot method is much easier.

*What's Next?*
In the next blog entry, we'll explore the process of making raised panel doors.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

*Raised Panel Doors*

*Raised Panel Doors*
Building a set of raised panel doors might seem like a daunting process. However, it's simply a sequence of steps that, granted, use most of the tools in a serious hobbyist's wood shop. Wood movement is an issue here since the panel grain runs perpendicular to the grain of the top and bottom rails of the door frame. Watch this video to see how to build a raised panel door in one 25-minute video. This blog entry also includes links to eight individual videos that highlight, separately, each major step of the door construction process using mortise and tenon joinery. *NOTE:* Another feasible option for door construction would include using a cope and stile router bit set.










*Routing Raised Panel*
I had a scrap of wood that had a ¼" panel groove from making the back frame of the carcass. Armed with that test piece, I was confident making the raised panel before making the door frame.










I used a vertical router bit in a 3-hp plunge router mounted in a router table. Watch this video to see how I cut the raised panel on my router table. *NOTE: * I set a bad example in the video by working with a router fence that probably should have been about 3" taller.

*Cutting Panel Dado*
After milling all of the rails and stiles to final dimensions, I cut the groove for the raised panel. Watch this video to see how to cut the groove with a dado blade on the table saw. * NOTE:* It's important that you cut your wood square. If not, there will be unsightly gaps where the frame pieces meet.










The feather board helps keep the rail and stile squarely against the fence.

*Cutting Mortises*
After cutting the panel groove, I cut the mortises in the stiles. You could cut these mortises with a chisel, a plunge router, or a mortising machine. I've used all three methods over the years. My first choice is to use my mortising machine. The mortises in these frames are 1 ¼" deep and if you choose to use a router, even a fresh spiral up-cut bit will burn when cutting cherry at this depth. Watch this video to see how to cut the mortises.

*Cutting Tenon Shoulder*
After cutting the mortises, the first step in cutting the tenons is to establish the shoulder. I make this cut on the table saw using a sliding crosscut table. Watch this video to see how to cut the tenon shoulder. *NOTE:* Be careful not to set the cut too deep. It's good to run a scrap piece or two (of the exact same thickness) ahead of your project wood for all of the steps in door construction.

 
*Cutting Tenon Cheek*
With the shoulders cut, I cut the tenon cheeks next. This cut determines the tension of the joint. I use a simple tenon jig with a toggle clamp for this cut. Watch this video to see how to precisely cut the tenon cheek.

*Cutting Secondary Shoulder*
With the tenon cheek cut to precise thickness, I made a cut establishing a secondary shoulder that will rest in the panel groove. This cut is visible from the top and bottom edge of the door frame. Watch this video to see how to make this secondary shoulder cut.

*Final Tenon Cut*
One cut remains to complete the tenon. This cut removes the wood started by the secondary shoulder cut. Watch this video to see how I make this cut on the band saw.

*Dry Assembly of Doors*
With all of the mortise and tenon cuts complete, I fine-tuned the fit of each joint using a shoulder plane, a file, and a sharp chisel. Watch this video to see the dry assembly and explore critical glue-up precautions.

*What's Next?*
In the next blog entry we'll explore how to install the doors.


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## punk (Oct 14, 2011)

DustyMark said:


> *Raised Panel Doors*
> 
> *Raised Panel Doors*
> Building a set of raised panel doors might seem like a daunting process. However, it's simply a sequence of steps that, granted, use most of the tools in a serious hobbyist's wood shop. Wood movement is an issue here since the panel grain runs perpendicular to the grain of the top and bottom rails of the door frame. Watch this video to see how to build a raised panel door in one 25-minute video. This blog entry also includes links to eight individual videos that highlight, separately, each major step of the door construction process using mortise and tenon joinery. *NOTE:* Another feasible option for door construction would include using a cope and stile router bit set.
> ...


nice looking good fit i like the way you do things


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

DustyMark said:


> *Raised Panel Doors*
> 
> *Raised Panel Doors*
> Building a set of raised panel doors might seem like a daunting process. However, it's simply a sequence of steps that, granted, use most of the tools in a serious hobbyist's wood shop. Wood movement is an issue here since the panel grain runs perpendicular to the grain of the top and bottom rails of the door frame. Watch this video to see how to build a raised panel door in one 25-minute video. This blog entry also includes links to eight individual videos that highlight, separately, each major step of the door construction process using mortise and tenon joinery. *NOTE:* Another feasible option for door construction would include using a cope and stile router bit set.
> ...


Thanks. Doors can give you fits during the fitting process.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

*Hanging Doors*

*Mortising the Hinges*
Hanging doors involves a mixture of precise work and some trial and error. The first step is to choose a hinge and then mortise the case frame to receive the hinge. A common approach for hinge placement is to locate the top of the upper hinge even with the bottom of the upper rail and locate the bottom of the lower hinge even with the top of the lower rail of the door frame. I should have thought ahead and routed these mortises before assembling the case. However, I forgot and routed the hinge mortises in the case after assembly. My router didn't reach the last inch of the top of the upper hinge mortise. I finished that section with a sharp chisel. It was a little more work, but not that big of a deal. * NOTE:* Establish the edge of each mortise with a sharp chisel and then carefully route the waste in between. You're doing a somewhat tricky balancing act with the router on ¾" thick wood, but the cut isn't very deep.










Hinge installed in face frame.










Routing the hinge mortises in the doors is much easier since you can secure them to the side of a bench. Screw the hinges in place on the case. Use a spacer beneath the door to establish the bottom gap. (I used my ruler.) Mark the hinge locations on the door frame by transferring a line from the hinge to the door frame. Cut the mortises in the door frame.

*Fitting the Doors*
With the door complete and the mortises cut, check the fit. If the door opening is out of square, you'll have to do some fitting to attain even gaps. Watch this video to see how I fit the right door to a slightly out of square opening.










*Doors Installed*
Watch this video to see the doors after final fitting. Follow this link to the catches I used. These catches work well and look classy in solid brass.










Female portion of catch.










Male portion of catch.

*What's Next?*
In the next blog entry, we'll explore how I turn a batch of twelve matching door and drawer knobs.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

*Turning Knobs*

I like to turn the knobs on the cases I build. Dr. White's chest has a total of twelve knobs. I'm not a skilled turner, but that hasn't stopped me from building a lot of furniture with turned parts. Turning a batch of knobs that is "identical" could drive a turner to another hobby. However, it's not too difficult to turn out a batch that matches "close enough." Remember, this is a handmade project and hand-turned knobs scream craftsmanship. Watch this video to see how I turn out the knobs for this chest.










*Uniform Blank*
Even a hobbyist can benefit from a production approach. Turn a blank of reasonable length to yield multiple knobs. My first scrap yielded five knob blanks. Subsequent scraps yielded two knobs each. Turn the blank about 1/8" diameter larger than the finished knob. (This gives extra wood to true the knob when it is chucked.) Turn the shoulder for each knob using a parting tool and the tenon sizing tool. Cut each knob from the blank.

*Common Meaurements*
You now have a set of knob blanks ready to fasten on the chuck. Chuck the knob blank with a 1/8" gap between the chuck and the shoulder of the tenon. (This gives room for your gouges to cut without dulling them on the chuck.) Turn the knob to 7/8" diameter. Trim the tenon shoulder to ¾" diameter. Mark a line at 1" from the chuck shoulder. This defines where the curve starts that defines the end of the knob. Round the head of the knob. Cut the cove between the transition line and the shoulder to a ½" diameter. If you follow the key measurements, there won't be a lot of variance in the knobs. (They'll match "close enough.") *NOTE:* Finish sand the knobs while chucked on the lathe. Remove knob from chuck and cut tenon to final length.

*What's Next?*
In the next blog entry, we'll explore how to make drawers using half-blind dovetail joints on the Leigh dovetail jig.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

*Building Dovetailed Drawers*

*Dovetailed Drawers*
There are many functional means of building drawers that will stand the test of time. I believe a fine case piece, such as the Dr. White's Chest, warrants drawers assembled with dovetail joints. Watch this video to see my detailed description of building drawers with half-blind dovetail joints using the Leigh dovetail jig.










This photo shows the drawers at the dry assembly stage. The joints are tight enough to handle the drawers prior to glue up. The end grain of the tails isn't visible on the finished piece when using half-blind dovetails.

*Work Flow*
I follow a logical sequence of steps when building a bank of dovetailed drawers.

1. Build the case. (Get the case as square as possible.)
2. Determine exact measurements of each drawer. (Make the final depth about 1/8" shallow to ensure the drawer fronts don't stick out of the case when the case sides contract during the winter. Make the drawers about 1/16" narrow in height and width so that it slides in the opening of the case side.)
3. Mill the drawer pieces. (Any cups, twists, or out-of-square cuts transmit to the final product.)
4. Drill holes for knobs.
5. Cut the tails.
6. Cut the pins. **NOTE:* Leigh has upgraded their jig fingers to allow the pin and the tail pieces to be cut simultaneously. Older jig fingers can be modified by drilling precise holes and buying alignment pins or by buying a kit with factory modified fingers for about $100. 
7. Cut drawer bottom grooves.
8. Make drawer guide.
9. Notch drawer face and back to receive drawer guide.
10. Cut drawer bottom. (I use a tight tolerance so that the drawer bottom squares up the drawer during assembly.)
11. Dry assemble each drawer.
12. Glue and clamp drawers. 
13. Sand drawers.
14. Apply shellac finish to the inside portions of the drawers. (Oil finishes smell for a long time in a closed drawer filled with clothes.)
15. Apply oil finish to the exterior face of the drawers.










Notice the slightly darker color of the half-width drawers. I planed wood off the face of the full-width drawers. This highlights the darkening process cherry goes through with exposure to sunlight.

*What's Next?*
In the next blog entry, we'll explore some drawer fitting considerations.


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## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

DustyMark said:


> *Building Dovetailed Drawers*
> 
> *Dovetailed Drawers*
> There are many functional means of building drawers that will stand the test of time. I believe a fine case piece, such as the Dr. White's Chest, warrants drawers assembled with dovetail joints. Watch this video to see my detailed description of building drawers with half-blind dovetail joints using the Leigh dovetail jig.
> ...


These blogs have been great Mark. Thanks for doing it.
Someday, someday…..

Really well done,
Steve


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

DustyMark said:


> *Building Dovetailed Drawers*
> 
> *Dovetailed Drawers*
> There are many functional means of building drawers that will stand the test of time. I believe a fine case piece, such as the Dr. White's Chest, warrants drawers assembled with dovetail joints. Watch this video to see my detailed description of building drawers with half-blind dovetail joints using the Leigh dovetail jig.
> ...


Steve,
You're welcome and thanks. I enjoy sharing how to woodwork via the blog format. I focused on videos to document this project and that forced me to learn the basics of my video editing software.

My pace in the shop slowed recently. My daughter graduated from college on the 11th and got married on the 18th. Both of those life events were three states away. A medical procedure restricted me for a week after that. It was good to complete the drawers before being laid up another week starting today. I'll start sanding and finishing in about a week.


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## Sheepdog06 (Mar 20, 2017)

DustyMark said:


> *Building Dovetailed Drawers*
> 
> *Dovetailed Drawers*
> There are many functional means of building drawers that will stand the test of time. I believe a fine case piece, such as the Dr. White's Chest, warrants drawers assembled with dovetail joints. Watch this video to see my detailed description of building drawers with half-blind dovetail joints using the Leigh dovetail jig.
> ...


Did you purchase the knobs or did you make them? I'm trying to match the knobs Thomas Mosure uses, but am having trouble finding something similar.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

DustyMark said:


> *Building Dovetailed Drawers*
> 
> *Dovetailed Drawers*
> There are many functional means of building drawers that will stand the test of time. I believe a fine case piece, such as the Dr. White's Chest, warrants drawers assembled with dovetail joints. Watch this video to see my detailed description of building drawers with half-blind dovetail joints using the Leigh dovetail jig.
> ...


I turned them on the lathe. I take measurements for max diameter, min diameter, overall length and the length at the crown of the knob. I turn the knob to a cylinder the desired diameter and then mark the transition points. This helps to get a set of knobs that look "basically" the same as each other. A little variance reminds me that the project is hand made!


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

*Sanding and Fitting the Drawers*

*Sanding the Drawers*
I'm at the dreaded sanding stage of this large cabinet project. Watch this video to view some of the tools and methods I use to sand the drawers.










The tools pictured in the photo above, from left to right, are the scraping plane blade, card scraper, Veritas sanding block, Fein Multi-Master sander, and the Mirka CEROS sander. The scrapers do a good job of removing excess glue and, when properly sharpened, can leave a surface so smooth that no sanding is needed. The Veritas sanding block uses 1/6 sheet of sandpaper and has a firm felt backing. It is excellent for controlled sanding of flat surfaces; such as scuffing the shellac between coats with 320-grit sandpaper. The Fein sander has a very tight oscillation pattern and is great for cleaning up corners or inside edges. The Mirka CEROS proved itself while sanding this large project. The Mirka's strengths include lots of torque, low center of gravity, superior dust collection, and excellent ergonomics. Pairing the Mirka CEROS with the Abranet mesh sanding discs resulted in amazing performance. The Abranet sanding discs were durable, allowed efficient dust collection, and left a very smooth sanded surface.

*Fitting the Drawers*
The half-width drawers are fit with a gap of about 3/32" on each edge. This allows the drawer enough slop to move without binding. A perfectionist might attempt a tighter fit, but that would be counterproductive as the drawers would tend to jam.










The photo above shows the female portion of a guide track installed on the bottom of a full-width drawer. The tracks are fit with about a playing-card width of clearance to ensure smooth sliding and allow for the shellac finish. One drawer gave me troubles after finishing and I simply removed some wood off one edge of the male portion with a shoulder plane and the Fein sander. All of the drawers slid better once sanded and finished. I'll apply a light coat of paste wax to the contact surfaces to reduce friction and increase the life of the shellac finish.

*What's Next?*
In the final blog entry we'll explore finishing techniques.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

DustyMark said:


> *Sanding and Fitting the Drawers*
> 
> *Sanding the Drawers*
> I'm at the dreaded sanding stage of this large cabinet project. Watch this video to view some of the tools and methods I use to sand the drawers.
> ...


Withdrew the post earlier since the video wasn't playing reliably…seems to be working now.


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## Bogeyguy (Sep 26, 2012)

DustyMark said:


> *Sanding and Fitting the Drawers*
> 
> *Sanding the Drawers*
> I'm at the dreaded sanding stage of this large cabinet project. Watch this video to view some of the tools and methods I use to sand the drawers.
> ...


What is that first photo??


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

DustyMark said:


> *Sanding and Fitting the Drawers*
> 
> *Sanding the Drawers*
> I'm at the dreaded sanding stage of this large cabinet project. Watch this video to view some of the tools and methods I use to sand the drawers.
> ...


The first one is the scraping and sanding tools that I use. The second one is the guide track on the bottom of a full-width drawer.


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## DustyMark (Sep 24, 2012)

*Applying Finish*

*Final Blog Series Video*
Watch this video to view my finishing techniques on the Dr. White's chest. This has been a fun project to build. I took my time through the finishing process since I no longer had a deadline. I'm pleased with the way the finish turned out and as I type this, Mary is loading her clothes into the chest.

*Finish Choices*










I used shellac on most of the interior surfaces. It's easy to apply and goes relatively odor free quickly. I applied three coats to the interior cupboard and the drawer surfaces. The lower interior of the case received two coats.










I applied three coats of poly/oil finish to the exterior of the case. I like the way the oil brings out the grain and the cherry will turn many shades darker with exposure to UV light. I also applied a coat of oil/wax to the exterior.










I have a buffer now, so I applied a liberal coat of paste wax, let it dry, and buffed it out. Those surfaces have a silky smooth feel and the luster is almost more than I expected. I might try a little less wax next time!

*Final Thoughts*
This project started out as a wedding gift for my daughter. However, part way through I realized she might want her mom's wardrobe instead. Her mom passed away four years ago and my daughter chose to receive her wardrobe instead. That was win-win since my new wife now receives the wardrobe she helped build. Thanks for following this blog. I hope it was helpful to you. Dusty Mark


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