The loose base is of simple construction but adds a dramatic touch to this piece, being one of the only places where dovetails are visible at all times (left).
With the face frame clamped against the case, I can carefully locate the partition position to ensure the drawer runners will fit in place with little or no problems (below).
The construction techniques I use in this piece require a lot of mortise-and-tenon joints. I use a shop made tenoning-jig (see Popular Woodworking Issue #112 for construction details) to make the job less time consuming.
The Base
Starting from the bottom up, the first step is to build the stand-alone base. The top of it is a simple flat frame, biscuited at the mitered front corners and mortise and tenoned at the rear joint. Form the feet by cutting eight feet halves and milling dovetails to join the corners. The profile for the six visible feet is shown on a drawing later in the story. With the feet corners formed, glue them to the base frame and add corner blocks inside to support the corners. Complete the
SCHEDULE OF MATERiALS: PENNSYLVANIA STEPBACK CUPBOARD
SCHEDULE OF MATERiALS: PENNSYLVANIA STEPBACK CUPBOARD
|
Base Cabinet |
|
|
|
No. |
Ltr. |
Item |
Dimensions T W L |
Material |
|
2 |
A |
Sides |
3/4" x l83/8" x 265/8" |
P |
|
1 |
B |
Bottom |
3/4" x l75/8" x 52'/4" |
S |
|
2 |
C |
Long stretchers |
3/4" x 2" x 513/4" |
S |
|
3 |
D |
Short top stretchers 3/4" x 1 '/V' x !53/4" |
S |
|
2 |
E |
Interior partitions |
3/4" x l75/8" x 253/8" |
S |
|
2 |
F |
End stiles |
3/4" x 27/8" x 265/8" |
P |
|
2 |
G |
Top & mid. rails |
3/4" x 1 '/4" x 48'/2" |
P |
|
1 |
H |
Bott.rail |
3/4" x 1 '/2" x 48'/2" |
P |
|
2 |
I |
Intermediate stiles |
3/4" x 1 '/8" x 257/8" |
P |
|
2 |
J |
Intermediate dividers3^" x ' '/8"x '3'/2" |
P |
|
2 |
K |
Interior shelves |
3/4" x 10" x l95/8" |
S |
|
1 |
L |
Base front rail |
3/4" x 2'/2" x 55" |
P |
|
2 |
M |
Base sides |
3/4" x 2'/2" x 20'/2" |
P |
|
1 |
N |
Base back rail |
3/4" x 2'/2" x 52" |
S |
|
6 |
O |
Front & side feet |
3/4" x 53/4" x 8'/4" |
P |
|
2 |
P |
Rear feet |
3/4" x 53/4" x 8'/4" |
S |
|
1 |
Q |
Base trim |
'/2" x 7/8" x 96" |
P |
|
2 |
R |
Drwr runners |
3/4" x 2'/4" x 16" |
S |
|
2 |
S |
Drwr runners |
3/4" x 1 '/2" x 16" |
S |
|
8 |
T |
Drwr runners |
3/4" x 1 '/V x 18" |
S |
|
2 |
U |
Rear drwr supports |
3/4" x 3" x l95/8" |
S |
|
4 |
V |
Door stiles |
3/4" x 2'/4" x l95/8" |
P |
|
2 |
W |
Door top rails |
3/4" x 2l/4" x l5" |
P |
|
2 |
X |
Door bott. rails |
3/4" x 2'/2" x l5" |
P |
|
2 |
Y |
Door panels |
5/8" x I3'/8" x l51/2" |
P |
|
2 |
Z |
Drawer fronts |
3/4" x 37/8" x I7|/a" |
P |
|
1 |
AA |
Drawer front |
3/4" x 37/8" x I2'/4" |
P |
|
1 |
BB |
Drawer front |
3/4" x 5" x I2'/4" |
P |
|
1 |
CC |
Drawer front |
3/4" x 57/8" x I2'/4" |
P |
|
1 |
DD |
Drawer front |
3/4" x 65/8" x 121/4" |
P |
|
No. |
Ltr. |
Item |
Dimensions T W L |
Material |
|
l |
EE |
Top |
3/v |
x 203/4" x 54'/2" |
P |
|
6 |
FF |
Drwr sides |
|
x 3'/2" x 16" |
S |
|
2 |
GG |
Drwr sides |
|
x 45/i6" x 16" |
S |
|
2 |
HH |
Drwr sides |
|
x 5'/2" x 16" |
S |
|
2 |
II |
Drwr sides |
|
x 6'/»" x 16" |
S |
|
2 |
JJ |
Drwr backs |
|
x 23/4" x I63/8" |
S |
|
l |
KK |
Drwr back |
|
x 23/4" x II '/l" |
S |
|
l |
LL |
Drwr back |
|
x 37/8" x II '/2" |
S |
|
l |
MM |
Drwr back |
|
x 43/4" x II '/2" |
S |
|
l |
NN |
Drwr back |
|
x 5'/2" x II '/2" |
S |
|
2 |
OO |
Drwr bottoms |
5/8" |
x I6'/4" x I53/4" |
S |
|
4 |
PP |
Drwr bottoms |
5/8" |
x I6'/4" x I07/8" |
S |
|
|
QQ |
Back boards* |
5/8" |
x 51" x 261/2" |
P |
|
Upper Cabinet |
|
|
|
|
2 |
RR |
Sides |
3/V |
x II '/4" x 47'/2" |
P |
|
4 |
SS |
Shelves, top & bott. |
3/V |
x I0'/2" x 50" |
S |
|
2 |
TT |
Face frame stiles |
3/V |
x 23/8" x 47|/,2" |
P |
|
l |
UU |
FF top rail |
3/v |
x 33/8" x 48 '/»" |
P |
|
l |
VV |
FF bott. rail |
3/V |
x I3/4" x 48'/»" |
P |
|
2 |
WW |
Center frame stiles |
3/V |
x 1 7/8" x 347/8" |
P |
|
2 |
XX |
Center frame rails |
3/V |
x I5/8" x 8'/2" |
P |
|
4 |
YY |
Door stiles |
3/V |
x 2'/8" x 35 ^^2" |
P |
|
4 |
ZZ |
Door rails |
3/V |
x 2'/8" x I67/8" |
P |
|
6 |
AAA |
Glazing dividers* |
'/V |
x '/2" x 33" |
P |
|
6 |
BBB |
Glazing flats* |
'/V |
x 3/4" x 33" |
P |
|
l |
CCC |
Top moulding* |
3/V |
x 35/8" x 90" |
P |
|
l |
DDD |
Crown moulding* |
W |
x3"x90" |
P |
|
l |
EEE |
Bead moulding* |
3/8" 5/8" |
x '/2" x 84" |
P |
|
|
FFF |
Back boards* |
x 50 x 47" |
P |
Key: P=maple, S=secondary wood, such as poplar;* Cut to fit
Key: P=maple, S=secondary wood, such as poplar;* Cut to fit
