Popular Woodworking 2009-06 № 176, страница 23

I heir final length. hui it 's wise to Wave cach of the four boards of the skin an inch longer than needed - jus* incase.

I've dimensioned this chest so that lire broad (expensive) side hoardsand top panel canbegottenoutofasingk 10" plank of pine or poplar. This Rives you a c hest 30* long by 18* wide, but if you want your 32"-longrip saw to fit inside, adjust accordingly.

Dovetail the Sides Dovetails are strong in one direction and weak in the other, so it makes sense to orient them to resist the greatest kwd. Inatool chest that gets lifted and pulled along from the ends, the pinsmtght logically go on the end boards. This also orients the attractive sloping face of the dovetails to the front of t he chest. These days, t he approved sk>pe of dovetails has become beige and unthre.it-ening- one in six (1:6) or so. But look at an old chest and the angk can be bold - up to a frightcningly steep one in three (1:3). For a conservative l:6sk>pe.noone will object

if you make the pins equal to half the V»* thickness of the wood at their widest point and the tails a bit kssthan twice the thickness of the wood. Astcep slope will require bigger pins, because t he slopes would con -verge before t raversing I he thickness of I ne wood. No matter the slope and spacingof the dovetails on the skies, treat the edge of the chest's interlock groove (whkhjoins the skirt)ax if it were the edge of the board,ending with half-plns as custom demands.

Ill assume you know how to cut lie through-dovetails for the broad boards of the sides. If not. you can readily find this information elsewhere or derive my preferred method when we get to the skin.

You may not need four people to lift (his chest, but that'sagood number to have around when you glue the sides. First, though, dry-fit the dovetails, pushingthem at least halfway home. Pay close attentionto the edges of the boards - the half pins are easily split away by a fat fit. Make any shims youll need to fill mis-cutsand place themat

the ready at each comer. Before you call in your helpers, set a box of doughnuts at the other end of the shop. Have everyone take a corner of tire chest and paint on tire glue. Squeeze upihe sides wtthhar clamps, testing for equal diagonals to square the corners. Thank your helpers and send them off toeat the doughnuts- otherwise, they'll all want to help you tap in the shims. That is a job you need todobyyounetf.

The Skirt

In a painted tool chest where the dovetails will not show as prominently, you might

choose to orient the dovetails in the skirt counter to t he ones in t he chest sides. This is not pretty, but it's stronger and better resists the outward thrust of an expanding bottom. In a varnislred chest of nice wood livinga less rough-and-tumMe Ilk. however. I'don-ent the dovetails of the skin and sides in the same direction.

Tire skill-board stock already has one groove plowed intott forthe interlock. It now

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