| Walnut Computer-Desk, Part 5: Drawer Assembly |
From "Wood Works"
episode WWK-711 |
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This computer desk is designed as a functional piece of furniture. The second episode of this two-part project focuses on the drawers, panels and top.
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Ebony drawer-pulls highlight the design and create a visual contrast against the rich color of the walnut.
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NOTE: Images on this page may be enlarged for enhanced viewing simply by clicking on them.In this special two-episode installment of Wood Works, David Marks constructs a contemporary styled computer-desk including the top, drawer-cabinet and frame. The desk, with its clean look and straight lines, appears simple, but building it presents a number of woodworking challenges. All sides are veneered with claro walnut, and the drawers -- made of maple and faced with walnut veneer -- are assembled using dovetail joinery. The distinctive figure of the walnut veneer provides a rich chocolate-brown color and almost three-dimensional quality of the grain. Those elements, along with the visual contrast between the light maple and dark walnut, raise this functional piece to the level of furniture art. In this second of two episodes covering the construction of this desk, David returns to complete the project. The top is built and veneered in stunning claro walnut, and all four drawers are faced in matching wood. The solid maple drawers, complete with dovetail joinery, are assembled. Also host, David Marks, shows how to add an elegant touch by creating carved ebony handles on his lathe. Once all the pieces are constructed, David reveals how to assemble them and applies his signature wood-finish. In the first segment of this second episode, work gets underway with the construction of the drawers.
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The more impressive attributes of this piece include the highly figured claro-walnut grain and the dovetail joinery.
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Tools and materials used in this project:Claro-walnut stock for veneers
Maple stock
Baltic birch plywood stock
Ebony stock for handles
Maple plywood stock
MDF for templates and mockup
Table saw; cross-cut sled; dado blade
Miter jig
Circular saw
Jointer
Power planer
Band saw
Table router
Biscuit jointer
Drill press
Clamps
Yellow woodworker's glue
Slow-setting resin glue
Glue roller
Hand scraper
Hand plane
File
Razor hand-saw
Cordless drill; Phillips screwdriver attachment
Threaded inserts
Sandpaper, various grits
Straight-edge
Tape measure
Carpenter's pencil
Chalk
Carpenter's tape
Safety glasses or goggles Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses, and follow proper safety precautions, when working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, routers, etc.
Drawers and Dovetail Joinery
With the case for the drawers -- also known as the carcass -- completed, work can begin on constructing the drawers. The four drawers are faced in claro walnut to match the top and sides. The drawers themselves are made from solid maple and constructed with dovetail joinery. Carved ebony handles add the finishing touch to each drawer. The construction process is basically the same for all four drawers, though they differ in height. For purposes of demonstration, this segment details the construction of the largest of the drawers -- the bottom file-drawer.
To begin, cut 1/2" maple stock at the table saw. - The two sides measure 23-3/4" L x 11" W (figure A).
- The front and back stock measure 11" L x 18" W (figure B)
Note that the drawer-front is cut from claro-walnut stock.
- Align the side-stock with the drawer runners and mark the position where the dados should be cut (figure C).
- At the router table, use a 1/2" router bit to cut stop-dados that are 3/16" deep. Stop the dado cut 1-1/4" from the end of the stock (figure D).
- Use a sharp chisel to square the corners of the dado.
With the stock and dados cut, work can begin on the dovetail joinery. For this project, we achieved this using a dovetail jig. The jig allows the repeated cutting of pins and tails in a selected pattern. It supports the stock and registration, and also provides a holder for a backing board -- so that the stock won't tear out when the cuts are made. With the jig, the pattern of pins and tails can be defined or varied by adjusting the metal guides (figure E). For this project, the pattern will be adjusted for the different sized drawers. For the large file-drawer, we started with a half-pin, followed by a space, full-pin, space, full-pin and so on. The placement and pattern of the dovetails is an individual design choice. Feel free to experiment with your own choices of pattern and symmetry to create your own "signature" joinery pattern.To cut the tails, we used a dovetail bit and guide bushing installed into a hand router (figure F).
As you make the cuts, the bushing guides the bit between the fingers of the jig (figures G and H).Next, rotate the stock, keeping the same face referenced against the jig, and make the cuts on the opposite side.
To cut the pins, flip the guide and clamp the stock in place.Install a straight-cutting bit in the plunge router (figure I), and carefully cut the corresponding pins (figure J).
With all of the joinery cut, conduct a dry-fit to check the alignment (figure K).
Check the assembly for square, then take measurements for the exact dimensions of the bottom panel (figure L).
Disassemble the drawer and, at the router table, cut stop-dados on all sides to hold the bottom panel (figure M). Use a 1/4" router bit and cut the dados to measure 1/8" deep and 3/16" from the bottom.Chisel the stop-dados square.
At the table-saw, cut the bottom panels for the four drawers from 3/8"-thick plywood. All of the bottom panels are identical in dimension: 17-3/8" W x 23-1/8" L (figure N).
With the panels cut, dry-fit the drawer with the bottom panel to make sure that it fits square (figure O).Disassemble the pieces and apply some plastic-resin glue to the pins and tail-sockets.Set the pieces back in place, and tap them together with the bottom panel.Pull the joints together tightly with clamps (figure P) and allow the glue to cure.Once the glue has cured, use a hand-scraper to remove any excess glue and to flush the dovetail joints with the surface.
Next, the drawer-front can be faced with veneer in order to match the figure on all of the drawer-fronts. We opted for highly figured curly claro-walnut. Because we didn't have enough of this uncommon wood stock available to make all of the drawer fronts, using the veneering technique helps to extend this precious resource.To join 1/16" veneer to the drawer front, spread an even coat of plastic-resin glue onto the front using a glue roller (figure Q). Also spread glue using the same technique onto the back side of the veneer.Place the veneer onto the front surface (figure R).
Clamp the veneer assembly using a wide wood-caul (figure S).Once the glue has dried, carefully level the edges of the veneer using a hand plane (figure T). The fit at the edges is critical. The objective is to have the drawers fit together tightly and provide a seamless look to the grain.
RESOURCES :
The Small Wood Shop (The Best of Fine Woodworking)
Author: Helen Albert (Editor)
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561580619
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
Woodworker's Guide to Wood: Softwoods, Hardwoods, Plywoods, Composite, Veneers
Model: 080836878
Author: Rick Peters
(2000)
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.sterlingpub.com
Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
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