I have been meaning to build about fifteen drawers for some cabinets in my shop for well over a year now. The plan has been mahogany sides backs and bottoms with birdseye faces. I would like to do half blind dovetails for the faces and through dovetails for the backs of the boxes.
I figured before i jumped head first into very expensive stock i would practice on some spare scap i had lying around the shop.
I settled on a long and low box. The face and back are curly maple. The sides are teak and the bottom is walnut. It should be a pretty cool box when all is said and done. I may inlay some ebony into the sides to act as handles of a sort?
I left both sides of the box high as to act as a handles. This is where i indend to inlay and recess the ebony. Prior to laying out the tails leaving the sides high to act as handles seemed like a pretty nice design idea. When i finaly took the plung this afternoon and started cutting my pieces to exact size and then laying out my tails i quickly realised i had added another layer of complication to my first attempt at dovetails. I almost backed out and cut the sides even with the face and back. Then i said no i got this dont be scared just take your time and do it.
Anyway pictures bellow. I only got the tails cut. Hopefully tomorrow before the game i can get the pins done. I am really really happy with the tails. I had not one slip up or oops. That is not how i thought this first endeavor would go. Wish me the same luck tomorrow with the pins.
Also attached is a pic of my new collection of tools to assist as i venture from machines to hand tools. I also attached a picture of the sides and backs for the soon to be drawers all roughed up waiting for a final run over the jointer then through the planer. I am still deciding if i want to do plywood bases or glue up mahogany pannels. I am leaning more towards the mahogany pannles vrs plywood.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Frederick Skelly
