| Apothecary Cabinet -- Case Joinery and Assembly |
From "Wood Works"
episode WWK-405 |
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Case Joinery and Assembly With the, elements of the case all cut, work can begin on the joinery and framework that will hold the drawers. The case is designed so that the drawers slide in and out of individual compartments made up of horizontal and vertical dividers. The dividers fit into dados that are 3/4-inches wide. Materials: Maple plywood stock
MDF for spacers
Table saw; miter gauge
Table-router; 3/4-inch straight-cutting bit
Diamond hone
Hand-scraper
Yellow wood-glue
Dead-blow hammer
Clamps
Straight-edge
Carpenter's pencil
Carpenter's tape
Safety glasses or goggles
Note: Cut sizes may vary. For exact measurements, please contact David Marks through his Web site -- information below under Resources. Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, routers, etc.
Steps:
- Plywood is sold in stocks of various thickness, including 3/4-inch. However, the true dimension is actually about 1/32-inch shy of 3/4-inch. The straight-cutting bit used at the tabler-router to cut our dados was made to cut dados that are fully 3/4-inch. For that reason, the bit had to be filed down slightly using a diamond hone (figure A) to cut dados that would provide a nice, tight fit for the stock.
Important: It's highly advisable to make practice cuts on scrap wood to get the spacing of the dado cuts exactly right.
- At the table-router, make the center dado-cut first with the bit raised to 1/4-inch in height. Adjust the fence so that the bit cuts exactly in the center of the panels (figure B). To prevent chip-out, it's a good idea to continue the cut into a piece of scrap-wood.
- For the next series of cuts, use a spacer that's 5-3/4" wide to ensure accurate, consistent placement. The spacer bumps the stock out so that there is exactly 5 inches between the cuts.
- After cutting the second dado using the spacer, rotate the stock to cut the third dado (figure C).
- Use the same setup, and repeat the process for the other side-piece (figure D).
- Next, adjust the fence to 3/4" from the bit, and cut the ends of the side-stock (figure E) where the top and bottom will attach.
- As seen on the prototype, the pieces on the inside of the case fit together honeycomb-fashion. The vertical pieces fit into dados that are cut into the center of the horizontal dividers (figure F). Therefore, two dados are cut into the center of the three horizontal dividers, and a single dado is cut into the center of the top and bottom panels of the case.
- Cut a dado 3/4-inch wide by 1/4-inch deep in the center of the three horizontal dividers (figure G). Cut matching dados on both sides of each divider.
- Using the same setting, cut a single dado in the center of the top and bottom pieces.
- With all of the dados cut, conduct a complete dry-fit of the case to ensure that all the pieces fit together snugly (figure H). If any pieces are too tight, sand the edges of the dividers slightly to adjust the fit.
- Once all the pieces are aligned, label them with a carpenter's pencil so that they can be assembled in the same order during the glue-up.
- Using yellow glue, assemble all the pieces of the case in a single glue-up. Begin by gluing the center-section together, as if building a ladder (figure I).
- Continue assembling the center section, adding glue to the dados in the horizontal pieces and carefully stacking the vertical pieces into the dados (figure J). To minimize glue squeeze-out, only add glue to the dados.
- Once the center section is joined, apply glue to the dados in the side-sections. Carefully lift and set the center section in place in the first side (figure K), then set the second side in place.
- Check to make sure that all the face-pieces line up evenly, and tap the assembly together carefully using a dead-blow hammer.
- Once the pieces are aligned, add as many clamps as necessary -- to both sides of the case -- to secure the case assembly with even clamping pressure as the glue dries (figure L). Be sure to use wood cauls to protect the wood.
Tip: During glue-up, clean up any glue squeeze-out as you go using water and an old toothbrush. It's easiest to clean up the glue initially, before it hardens.
Top and Base Pieces
As the case is drying, work can begin on the top and base. Two pieces of 3/4-inch plywood, cut to 10-3/4" by 12", are used to cap the top and base. The edges of each piece are banded with thick strips of solid maple. Thick strips are used to create a 1/2-inch reveal all the way around the case, and since a decorative cruved profile will be routed along the edges.
- Use a mitering jig at the table saw to cut the maple strips to length (figure M).
- Glue the banding to the top and bottom using yellow glue (figure N).
- Use clamps and cork to protect the banding strips as they dry securely.
- Once the strips have dried, use a hand-scraper to scrape the edges so that they are flush with the plywood (figure O).
- Finally, a rounded profile in the bottom of the top piece using a 3/4-inch round-over bit at the router table (figure P). Repeat the process for the the top of the bottom piece.
In the segment that follows, the drawers are made, and the decorative top and bottom pieces are added to the case. Sponsored Resource
> Click here to order your tools and materials for this project from Woodcraft!
RESOURCES :
Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456
David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com
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