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by
Jerry Weber
photos: Roger Yip
illustration: Len Churchill |
DESKTOP HELPER (part 2) |
The
order of events matters in this project, and next on the program
is cutting the dados for the drawer divider. Mark the placement
for the dados on the top face of the shelf floor, and the underside
of the top. Also, remember that the dados in the top are stopped
so you don’t see them in the completed project. Make them
only 10" long, either by halting the cut and squaring the
end with a sharp chisel, or cutting the dado clear through,
then gluing a cap strip on the front edge.
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| Top
and side details, cut out with your jigsaw, as well
as the overhanging top, give this piece visual appeal
outside the box |
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| Small
drawers are just the right size for storing office
supplies, pens and pencils. Brass knobs add a distinguished
touch |
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Dry-fit
all the parts you’ve been working on, then mark the dado
location on the inside faces of the gables. When you’re
done, bring all the parts together and see how they fit. If
you’ve done a good job, everything should push together
and hold without glue. Set things aside for now and get ready
to work on the back.
A completely solid wood project
is classy, but it can also be challenging. And the back panel
of this project is a case in point. Here you’ll need to
cut stopped sliding dovetails to join the back to the gables
because of the alternating wood grain that meets at the joint.
Don’t try a conventional glued connection here such as
dowels or biscuits.
Cut your back panel to length
and width, but you’ll cut the fancy features later. Next,
hold the back against the dry-fitted project to mark the spots
where dovetail grooves will go.
Using a table-mounted router,
mill a dovetail groove using a 1/2"-dia. dovetail bit set
to 1/4" high. Hold the wood tightly as you work—the
bit may grab. This can be a high-stakes operation, so it’s
wise to make some test cuts on scrap wood to gain confidence.
And whatever you do, remember to cut no further than the height
(length) of the gable when you’re routing your project’s
back panel, otherwise the dovetail grooves will be visible after
assembly. Here’s another tip: if your router is small
and has trouble plowing the dovetail groove in one pass, start
with a straight bit. You’ll find it easier to complete
the dovetail slot after routing an initial groove in the wood.
Just make multiple passes until you get the groove to the required
depth.
The groove is one half of the
sliding dovetail. The mating profile required on the back ends
of the gables is the other. Take small passes on both sides
of each gable, checking the fit of these parts in the grooves
you cut in the back earlier. If you go too far and make the
dovetail a bit loose, you can tighten things up again slightly.
Use a hammer to tap the dovetail edges cut in the gables. You’ll
spread the wood, thus tightening the fit. Dry-fit all project
parts now and tweak everything in preparation for glue-up.
When the fit looks good, cut the
decorative profile on the back panel following the grid diagram.
I used a 3/8"-dia. spade bit to bore the holes near the
top, then I made the angled cuts and scrolled edges with a jigsaw.
Clean up the edges with 120-grit garnet paper on a sanding block,
then sand the entire project with 150-grit paper in a random-orbit
sander. Assemble the parts with glue and clamps, but don’t
glue the back. It stays in the assembly unfastened so it can
expand and contract with changes in humidity.
While the main project is drying,
build your two drawers. The first step is to cut the drawer
fronts so they fit into their openings with about 1/32"
to 1/16" of clearance on all four sides. Next, cut the
drawer sides and back, and then fit them together with dados
and rabbets as shown on the plans. Test-fit the drawers in their
openings and cut the plywood drawer bottoms so they protrude
out the back enough to act as drawer stops. The drawer faces
should fit flush when the drawers are closed.
Finally, screw on the bottom from
below, locating at least one of the #8 x 1 1/4" screws
in the edge of the back panel. Be sure to predrill first, since
white oak is quite brittle. Sand all edges, then ease the corners
with a sanding block wrapped with 150-grit sandpaper.
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| CLICK
ABOVE TO ENLARGE ILLUSTRATION |
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You
could apply one of many types of finishes; just be sure to choose
one that seals the surface well. I coloured my desktop organizer
with a Goudy stain called San Miguel, then sealed the surfaces
with three coats of lacquer, sanding between coats with 240-grit
paper.
Now that your desktop organizer
is finished, go the extra mile before you wrap it: head to the
stationery store for some nice pens and paper.
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PART 1 | PART 2 |
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