Dr. White's Chest

[Randy Klein]

So I want to build a Dr. White's Chest. It's a Thos. Moser design. In his Measured Shop Drawings book, the chest looks like this (taken from a FWW gallery):
IMG1524_xl.jpg

But on his website, it now looks like this:
2134_865856664b92cabfdaf388af2b21b65e.jpg

One of the differences is the 3" face frame on his latest version. It seems like a waste of space for the drawers. But I've been trying to imagine how you make the face frame for the first pic. It's 3" at the doors, looks to be 1" at the drawers and back to 3" for the foot.

If you look closely at the pic, it appears to be a single piece. Would you mill up a 3-1/8" board, rip out a 1" piece (using 1/8" blade), crosscut for the door and foot, and re-glue to the 1" piece?

I guess you could be real careful with grain selection and just glue it up from separate pieces.

Thoughts?

[Ray Newman]

"If you look closely at the pic, it appears to be a single piece. Would you mill up a 3-1/8" board, rip out a 1" piece (using 1/8" blade), crosscut for the door and foot, and re-glue to the 1" piece?"

I think you are on to something there. That was my first idea as to how to do it. Probably the easiest and simplest way to fashion the face frame.

[Tom McMahon]

In the first version I don't believe there is a face frame. The drawer dividers are in dadoes or dovetailed into the sides and there are filler strips added to hang the doors.

[Frank Drew]

Hard to tell from a photo, but when I magnify the picture of the first chest it appears, from the grain, that there's one piece of wood all the way from the hinges to the case sides, indicating a single applied piece that was reduced in the area of the drawers. The door rails do appear to be dovetailed in. Maybe a phone call to Moser would clear the matter up.

I prefer the door panels on the newer chest, though (I think the typical raised and fielded panel has been a bit overdone), as well as the wood selection overall (but, again, it's hard to be definitive from photos.)

[lowell holmes]

In the first version I don't believe there is a face frame. The drawer dividers are in dadoes or dovetailed into the sides and there are filler strips added to hang the doors.

In the book, there is no face frame. I looked.

That's not to say you shouldn't use a face frame.

[Matt Kestenbaum]

With only these two photos to go by, it is hard to make real determinations. But, I see more than a few differences...the piece is slab-sided with small miters added to create the bracket feet. The second piece looks to be frame and panel sided with short tapers on the stiles forming the feet. Also, the doors are completely different -- raised panel and pinned frame in #1 but flat panel and unpinned in #2.

I got out the latest catalog they sent me before the holidays and this pieces was not in it...not surprising since the last time I noticed it I recall it was like $11K. While many of their designs are a blend of Shaker, Danish modern and arts/crafts movement...this one is pretty straight up Shaker. You might take the styling cues and seek out some additional books. Becksvoort's book (taunton press) on the Shaker legacy and another called "In The Shaker Style" might help.

[frank shic]

i prefer to build shaker "inspired" furniture meaning that if i were to tackle that piece, i would totally bag the center stile between the doors.

[Tom Gerken]

The piece with the constant width side rail seems more “shaker” to me. Not necessarily from a strict historical standpoint (I don't know enough to say). Just feels better to me.

The raised panels are definitely out of place on the other version.

[Joe Dowling Jr]

While many of their designs are a blend of Shaker, Danish modern and arts/crafts movement...this one is pretty straight up Shaker. You might take the styling cues and seek out some additional books. Becksvoort's book (taunton press) on the Shaker legacy and another called "In The Shaker Style" might help.

I'll second Becksvoort's book as an good reference. Another is "The encyclopedia of Shaker Furniture". You might want to chase down a copy of "Shop Drawings Of Shaker Furniture and Woodenware" by Ejner Handberg (get the one with vols 1, 2 & 3 as one book). It is a compilation of measurements.
It does seem that Moser's reproductions have been modified to form a different look than what was traditional shaker. His sizing seems more modern.

[Art Mulder]

So I want to build a Dr. White's Chest.
...
If you look closely at the pic, it appears to be a single piece. Would you mill up a 3-1/8" board, rip out a 1" piece (using 1/8" blade), crosscut for the door and foot, and re-glue to the 1" piece?

I'll try to remember to check my book at home, but I suspect they only appear to be a single piece.

However, I never make exact reproductions. For that matter I rarely use plans (ie: other folks' plans) Just build it the way you want it to look!

[Henry Ambrose]

The details are in the book aren't they?

The old style has no face frame, you are looking directly at the frames that hold the drawers and dust panels. The sides need to be thicker to do this. The new style has a face frame to not have to use thick stock. Also it may look more conventional to the average customer. (my guess anyway)

For the top panels, do them how you like, I don't see that as being too important either way.

[Randy Klein]

I have been checking the book. The face frame is 1-1/8" by 13/16". the sides, top, and back are 3/4". I think the new style was just easier to construct.

[Randy Klein]

i prefer to build shaker "inspired" furniture meaning that if i were to tackle that piece, i would totally bag the center stile between the doors.

Something like this?

7820658d-db05-4230-bfd4-50238c417a98.jpg

[lowell holmes]

I just discovered there is a drawing of this chest in Sketchup's 3d Warehouse. It can be downloaded free.

[Randy Klein]

I just discovered there is a drawing of this chest in Sketchup's 3d Warehouse. It can be downloaded free.

I found that as well. It's quite helpful.