| Cherry and Maple Medicine Cabinet -- Dovetail Joinery and Case |
From "Wood Works"
episode WWK-208 |
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In this episode of DIY Wood Works, host David Marks employs classic dovetail joinery techniques in the construction of a medicine cabinet made from solid cherry and bird's eye maple. Form and function come together in this handcrafted variation on a standard bathroom accessory. The door corners are highlighted with contemporary accents in the form of purple-heart splines. A maple-plywood back panel glued into a rabbet in the back of the case adds strength and rigidity. This solid piece of wall furniture will enhance a number of decorating designs and styles. This project can be divided into two main parts: the case and the door. To begin work on the case, solid cherry stock was pre-milled to size. The initial task is to create the dovetail joinery. After the joinery has been cut, the case is assembled and the door is added. The dovetail joinery provides a classic handcrafted touch, as well as a remarkably strong joint that's ideal for supporting weight. To make the intricate cuts of the dovetail joinery, a dovetail jig (figure A) is used in conjunction with a dovetail bit on a hand-router (figure B).
Materials:
Cherry stock
Maple plywood stock
Scrap plywood for jig
Table saw
Hand router; dovetail bit
Dovetail jig
Table router; spiral carbide bit
Cordless drill
Counter-sink bit
Yellow wood-glue
Clamps
Dead-blow hammer
Cabinet scraper
Sharp chisel
Block plane
Measuring tape
Carpenter's pencil
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, saws, drills, routers, etc.
Dovetail Joinery
Steps:
- For the dovetail joinery, cut the dovetails in the sides(figure C) first, followed by the pins. The dovetail jig acts as a template for the size and layout of the dovetail cuts (figure D).
- Joinery Tip: In order to accentuate the handcrafted look, vary the spacing of the dovetails rather than spacing them all uniformly.
- Flip the jig over and use a two-flute carbide bit in the router to cut the pins on the top and bottom of the case (figure E).
- The jig is adjustable, allowing you to adjust the thickness of the cuts by moving it in or out. The adjustment makes the pins tighter or looser as needed. As you cut the pins (figure F), remove wood gradually to reduce stress on the bit.
- Joinery Tip: When making intricate joinery cuts, make some test cuts on a piece of scrap wood to get the best possible fit.
- With the dovetails cut, the holes can be drilled in the case sides to accommodate the pins that will later hold the horizontal shelves inside the cabinet. Once you determine which sides of the stock you want facing outside, mark a triangle on the edges of the side stock (figure G) to serve as a reference to remind you of where the top, bottom, outsides and insides are located with respect to the individual components.
- To drill the holes on the inside of the cabinet, fashion a jig from scrap plywood to ensure that the holes are placed precisely and uniformly. The jig references off of the back and the top of each side-piece (figure H). Position the jig on the first of the two sides, clamp it into position and drill the holes. Then flip the jig over, clamp it into position on the other side-piece, and drill the corresponding holes.
- Use a hand-drill with a 3/16-inch bit and a spacer block (figure I) to drill two sets of three holes on each side of the cabinet. The spacer block helps control the depth of the cut.
- Use a counter-sink bit (figure J) to clean up any rough edges on the holes by hand.
- Once the holes are drilled, dry-clamp the case together to ensure that the dovetails fit together precisely (figure K).
- With the assembly dry-clamped (but not yet glued), make the marks on the back of the case for the rabbet that will hold the back panel.
- To cut the rabbet on the side pieces, use a spiral carbide bit on the table router (figure L). Cut the rabbet 1/2-inch deep by 3/8-inch wide to accommodate a back panel that is1/2-inch thick.
- A stop block is clamped to the fence on the table router (figure M) to stop the cuts 3/8-inch from each end, to avoid cutting through the dovetails.
- To avoid chip-out, cut the rabbet on the router by making incremental passes of 1/8-inch each until the rabbet is complete (figure N).
- Next, move the position of the stop-blocks to cut a rabbet into the top and bottom pieces. Again, raise the bit gradually (figure O) and make incremental passes to avoid chip-out.
- Use yellow wood-glue to glue up the case.
- Though dovetails are a self-squaring joint, a few taps with a dead-blow hammer (figure P) will help ensure a nice, snug fit.
- Once case has been glued and assembled, clamp it securely (figure Q) to allow the glue to dry.
- Clean up any glue squeeze-out at the joints using an old toothbrush and water.
- With dovetails, there may be a fair amount of glue squeeze-out. Once the case has dried, a cabinet scraper can be used to remove any remaining glue that may have dried, and to level the pins.
- Once leveled, smooth the joints using fine-grit sandpaper.
- At the back of the cabinet, use a sharp chisel to square up the corners of the rabbet (figure R).
- With the case complete, take exact measurements at the back (figure S) for cutting the plywood back panel.
- Cut the back panel to proper dimension using the table saw. The back panel is cut from 1/2-inch maple plywood to ensure adequate strength for wall-mounting.
- Once the panel is cut, check it for fit in the completed case (figure T). If necessary, you can fine-adjust the fit of the panel using a block-plane.
- Glue the panel into the rabbet in the back of the case using yellow woodworker's glue.
In the segment that follows, the cabinet door-frame is made from beautifully grained bird's-eye maple.
Sponsored Resource
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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 Woodworker's Companion
Author: Roger Holmes
Publisher: Watson-Guptill
ISBN: 0823008665
The Complete Book of Wood Joinery
Author: Robert J. Decristoforo
Publisher: Sterling Publishing Co.
ISBN: 0806999500
Popular Woodworking
F & W Publications, Inc.
Website: www.popularwoodworking.com
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