February 4, 2012

Fitting the drawers on assembled stand-up desk

With the base assembled, the next step is to fit the drawers of the stand-up desk. This is accomplished in at least three steps: 1- ensuring a perfectly flat surface of the sides on the dust cover; 2-adjust the width of each drawer such that they fit perfectly, without binding; 3-adjust the reveal around the perimeter of the drawer front.

It is sensible to start by ensuring that the drawers are perfectly flat on the dust cover; if the drawer rocks in any way, it means two corners are low. The trick is to define which sections of the drawer sides must be planed, to get to the sides perfectly flat on the dust cover. To do this I use a hand plane, checking for flatness every few strokes. The following photo shows the amount of shavings after adjusting the bottoms on three drawers:

Getting drawers flat.

Once a drawer is perfectly flat on the dust cover, and the sides fit the opening nicely, it is time to adjust the drawer front to get a perfect reveal around the perimeter. Again, a hand plane is key to accomplish this:

Adjusting reveal on the drawer front.

With all four drawers laying perfectly flat on the dust cover, this shot will remind me of the work required to get to this point. The drawer fronts still need a little flattening, but it is now a close fit:

Overhead shot of drawers.

At least two of the drawers still need a little work to leave a perfect reveal – can you tell which ones need this in the following photo?

Front view of desk.

This is a wonderful part of the project, as it is the little details that will make a great piece. Little by little I am getting there.

Al Navas

Fitting the drawers to the stand-up desk

Finally, time to fit the drawers to their respective openings in the front apron of the desk (Edit to add: all hand-cut dovetails, as I am trying to reproduce features of a desk for my client):

Changes in humidity caused the drawer fronts to grow considerably across the grain; I had to wait until things stabilized prior to doing the initial fitting – I am glad I did. Had I not waited, it would have been close to impossible to remove the drawers from the openings without damaging the front apron, as they would been too tight!

As I made progress, things are taking shape. Notice how the grain runs uninterrupted from left to right; this is the result of cutting the drawer front pieces from the same board as the front apron/frame:

The initial fitting is always exciting, as it is an opportunity to aim for the smallest possible reveal around the drawer fronts, while ensuring smooth opening and closing of every drawer. Sharp hand planes are the best way to do it!

The fourth drawer awaits initial fitting now. Construction can then proceed, as moisture content in the wood has stabilized significantly.

— Al Navas

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Related articles: Click this link to read several articles related to the construction of the desk.

Woodworking in America at Valley Forge: Making and fitting drawers, with Mario Rodriguez

Download this episode in Quicktime format
(In Windows, right-click on link above, then | Save Link As…)
Duration: 19:34 minutes

You can read a short description of the work by Mario Rodriguez at the Philadelphia Furniture Workshop web page, and at FineWoodworking.com.

Making drawers, and fitting them well, separates a good piece from a great workpiece. As a result, it behooves the craftsman to learn how make drawers properly. Mario used a case containing two drawers to illustrate differences in fitting options.

Included in this session you will the following: milling the wood, letting it “rest” to acclimate to the shop environment, milling to final dimensions for a perfect drawer front fit, suitable material thickness, layout of the dovetails, fitting the bottoms, hardwood bottoms and grain orientation, drawer slips to beef up the thickness of the sides, drawer web with dust cover, and installation and sizing of drawer stops.

Mario ended the session with a verbal description of the technique he uses to cut and fit the dovetails by hand.

Although I edited the 90-minute session to less than 20 minutes, I hope you will find all the critical information to properly make and fit drawers in your next masterpiece.

If you ever have a chance, make the time to attend one of the Woodworking in America conferences. I know you will likely learn something new, will meet new people, and will enjoy the Marketplace and the terrific tool makers!

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——  Al Navas

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Related posts:
More Woodworking in America posts on this blog.

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