DIY Network

Manly Mantelpiece: Cutting Dados and Drawer Guides From "Freeform Furniture" episode DFFF-106

Host Amy Devers cuts the dados for the drawer guides. She drills the holes for the dowels and then cuts the core to length and width.

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	Amy creates the dados and guides for...
	this unusual drawer for the Manly Mantle Piece.

Materials:

Walnut
Z-clips (panel clips)
Pencil
Tape measure
Dowels
Clamps
Masking tape
Yellow glue
Cauls
Dowel center pins
Long stick
400-grit wet-dry sandpaper
Tung oil
Damp cloth
Paint
Glue
Flocking
Flocking gun
Small paint brushes
Safety glasses
Screws
Large forstner bit
Small forstner bit
Chamfer bit
Round-over bit
2" straight cutting router bit

Tools:

Table saw
Cross-cut sled
Band saw
Planer
Jointer
Dado blades
Drill
Jig
Mallet
Awl
Drill press
Bevel gauge
Router
Fence

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F
	Figure G
	Figure H
	Figure I

Cutting Dados and Drawer Guides

1. To cut the dados (the groves for the drawer guides) use a set of dado blades. Dado blades consist of a number of blades that stack together to make a wide flat bottom cut (figure A). If you don't have dado blades, you can make dado cuts using a router and a fence.
   
   Note: Dado blades fit on most table saws and are available from home-improvement stores ranging in price from approximately $100-$300.

2. With the dado blade set to proper depth, set the fence so the dado is cut down the middle of the work piece (figure B). A fence is just a straight edge or a guide.

3. When the dados are cut, change the blade and cut the drawer guides. Cut them so they fit snugly in the dado and stick out from the dado about 1/4" (figure C).

4. Drill holes for the dowels that will join the parts for the hidden drawer together.

   Note: A dowel is a small peg that joins two pieces of wood.

5. Use 1/8" dowels because the front and back pieces are quite thin.

6. Use a jig (figure D), which is basically a drill guide, to insure that the dowel holes line up.

7. First, drill the front and back of the mantel.

8. Reclamp the jig to the top and bottom (figure E) and drill the holes for the dowels.

   Note: When you drill the dowel holes, make sure you drill straight or your dowels will be crooked and the parts won't line up.

   Tip: Place a piece of blue tape on the drill bit (b>Figure F) at the desired depth to insure that you don't drill too deep.

9. With the dowel holes drilled, dry fit the box to make sure everything fits together properly.

10. Make sure the drawer fits inside the box. The drawer needs to slide smoothly, so you will need 1/8" clearance.

11. Using the cross cut sled on the table saw, cut the core to length (figure G).

12. Adjust the fence and cut the core to width.

13. Change out the regular saw blade and put on the dado blades (figure H) to make the grooves on the edge of the core to ride on the drawer guides.

14. Adjust the fence for the first cut.

    Tip: To get the drawer to slide freely on the glides, cut the dado a hair off-center and spin it around and make a second pass through the dado blades. This will make it a little bigger than the drawer guide.

15. Flip the core over and make the second cut on the other edge of the core.

16. With the box apart, glue the drawer glides into the side pieces first using yellow glue.

    Note: Yellow glue sets quicker then white glue and is more resistant to water.

17. Use clamps and a caul to glue the guides and the dados (figure I) and then let it dry for 24 hours.

18. Apply glue along the edge of the bottom piece and on the dowel holes and insert the dowels into the holes.

19. With the glue on the edge of the bottom piece, slide the front of the box onto the dowels and the bottom piece.

20. Repeat this process for the top piece.

21. Let the glue dry.

RESOURCES :

Delta Woodworking Power Tools
Website: www.deltawoodworking.com

Festool
Website: www.festoolusa.com

Gladiator Garageworks by Whirlpool
Website: www.gladiatorgw.com

Stanley Tools Product Group
Website: www.stanleytools.com

Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, Inc.
Website: www.lie-nielsen.com

WMH Tool Group
Website: www.wmhtoolgroup.com

Power Tools (Porter Cable)
Porter Cable Power Tools
Website: www.portercable.com

Hand Tools
Garrett Wade Co., Inc.
Website: www.garrettwade.com

The Peck Tool Company
Website: www.pecktool.com

Biesemeyer
Website: www.biesemeyer.com

Saw Blades
Forrest Manufacturing Company
Website: www.vacupress.com

Jogensen Adjustable Clamp Company
Website: www.adjustableclamp.com

Adhesives, Abrasives and Safety Equipment
The 3M Company
Website: www.3m.com

Klein Tools
Website: www.kleintools.com

Ulmia GmbH
Website: www.ulmia.de

Woodcraft
Website: www.woodcraft.com

Shop Equipment
Eagle Manufacturing Company
Website: www.eagle-mfg.com

Flocking
Donjer Products Corp.
Website: www.donjer.com

Hardwood
Macbeath Hardwood Co.
Website: www.timberproducts.com