DIY Network

Wooden Tool Chest -- Dados, Maple Panels and Assembly From "Wood Works" episode WWK-308

advertisement

Figure A Figure B Figure C Figure D Figure E Figure F Figure G Figure H Figure I Figure J Figure K Figure L Figure M

Dados, Maple Panels and Assembly

With all of the dovetail joinery cut in the walnut-case stock (figure A), dados must be cut in the case for holding the maple panels in place. The panels themselves must also be fashioned from slices of maple. Once those steps are completed, assembly can begin.

Materials:

Walnut assembly pieces
Maple stock
Table router; spiral carbide-bit
Band saw
Drum sander
Hand scraper
Sanding block; 220-grit sandpaper
Dead-blow hammer
Yellow wood-glue
Slow-setting glue
Carpenter's pencil
Clamps
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:

• To join the pieces of the case together, gently tap the pieces to drive the pins on the side-pieces into the tails on the front and back. With the sides of the case dry-fit together, take an inside measurement for the top and bottom panels.

• Cut the through dados on the inside faces of the side-pieces (figure B) using the table router and 5/16-inch bit raised to 5/16-inch. Set the fence so that the dado misses the pin when the cut is made.

• To cut the dado on the front and back panels, stop-blocks will need to be set up since these are not through-dados. For these, the cuts must stop 3/8-inch from the outside edge (figure C).

• Set up a stop-block on the table router, and cut the dados using a spiral carbide-bit (figure D). This will produces a cleanly milled dado.

• The panels for the top and bottom of the chest are made by edge-gluing book-matched pieces of figured maple. Using curly-maple stock, mill four pieces to proper dimension using the band saw.

• Edge-glue the panel pieces together using yellow woodworker's glue, and clamp them securely as the glue dries (figure E).

• Once the panels are dry, run them through the drum sander to bring them to their final thickness of 5/16-inch (figure F).

• Using the measurements taken earlier, and adding the combined depths of the dados, cut the panels to size.

  Note: To allow for wood movement and expansion, the pieces should be cut just shy of the final measurement.

• Before glue-up begins, sand the edges of the panel, and make sure they fit the dados perfectly.

• With all of the elements prepared and sized to final dimension (figure G), sand the inside faces, and add tape to the inside of the joints to make cleanup easy.

• Use slow-setting glue for assembly of the chest to permit longer working time. Apply glue to the pins (figure H) and tails.

• To secure the top and bottom panels, brush glue only to about an inch of the center of the dado (figure I). This will be sufficient to hold the panels in place, but will still allow the wood to expand and contract. Too much glue in the dado could cause the wood to get "frozen" in place, and eventually crack or split.

• Assemble the pieces carefully, beginning with the maple panels in the dados ( figure J).

• Attach the side pieces (figure K), followed by the top and bottom.

• Dovetails are a self-squaring joint, but a few taps of a dead-blow hammer will help bring the joints together firmly (figure L).

• Clamp the assembly securely, using long clamps and wood cawls (figure M) as the glue dries for 24 hours.

In the segment that follows, the lid is made and a wood finish is applied.

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

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

Mastering Woodworking Machines (Fine Woodworking Book)
Author: Mark Duginske
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 0942391985

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

The Complete Book of Wood Joinery
Author: Robert J. Decristoforo
Publisher: Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN: 0806999500