Woodworker's Journal 1992-16-6, страница 37

respectively, and three stopped dovetail slots in each side, to fit the dovetails cut on the ends of the drawer rails (G). As also shown in ihe Case Assembly Detail, these stopped dovetails are 1³/a in. long, or '/2 in. shorter than the width of the drawer rails. Because the drawer rails and runners (J, K) are joined w ith a ^]/2 in. long tenon, ihe dovetails on the drawer rail ends are notched back thai same in. A V2 in. dovetail bit set for a 7b in. deep cut is used for all these dovetails.

Make The Slant Front Slope: Once the rabbets and dovetails are cut. you can cut back the corners of the sides to the 55-degree angle shown in the side elevation (note that the cut starts 25-V» in. from the bottom end of ihe sides). Also, cut back the front edge of the top al a matching 55-degree angle, and rip the bottom edge of the lop to establish the right angle surface into w hich the rabhet on the slant front will fit.

Cut Sliding Dovetails: With the sides and top all cut, next you'll need to establish the sliding dovetails on the ends of the desk surface and bottom. Since these two parts will be a sliding fit into the dovetails in the sides, it's important that you don't make the fit overly tight. The best approach is to first cut the dovetails a little tight, and then make a light trimming cut until the desk surface and bottom dovetails can slide effortlessly into their mating dovetail slots. Don't forget to make certain that the desk surface is '/■» in. less in width than the sides and bottom: this ^l/4 in. allows the case back (W) to fit in place. You can cut and fit the sliding dovetails on the ends of the drawer rails now. but don't worry about assembling the drawer frames just yet.

Case Assembly Secrets: You are now ready to assemble the case. There's a simple secret (see Case Assembly Detail) to gelling the long sliding dovetails that join ihe sides, desk surface and bottom lo go together without a panic. (When we say panic, just remember how you felt the last time a long sliding dovetail thai you were assembling seized up before ihe dovetail had been fully seated!) The secret to an assembly like this is apply glue only to the hack of the dovetail slot length and only to the front of the corresponding sliding dovetail. By using this system you are able to slide the parts half-way together

Nov ember/December 1992

before you begin to encounter any resistance from glue. Work quickly, and don'i let any time pass between the time lhal you apply the glue and start the assembly. The moisture in the glue will quickly swell the wood, and even a sliding dovetail that fit together effortlessly when dry may be impossible to assemble.

Assemble the sides and bottom first, then add the desk surface, and lastly glue, counterbore. screw and plug the top in place. Face grain plugs matched carefully to the grain of the top will help to make this joint all but invisible. If you are a stickler for authenticity, then use half-blind doveiails to join ihe top and sides.

Check Case for Squareness: Before the glue on ihe case assembly sets, you'll want 10 check the assembly for squareness. and make adjustments if needed. Measure across the diagonals on the case

back (from corner to corner). If the measurements aren't exactly equal, use a bar clamp and some blocks (so you don'i mar the wood) to apply some pressure across the longer diagonal. Check the diagonals again and fine-tune the clamp pressure uniil the measurements are equal.

Cm Back Rabbet: Once the case assembly is dry. you can cut the rabbet in the sides, top and bottom for the plywotnl back. You can use a ballbearing guided V« in. rabbeting bit. set for a in. deep cut for most of the

work. However, where the desk surface interferes, you'll need to switch to a straight cutler and use the edge guide to guide ihe router. You can cut and fit the back, hut don't mount it at this time. The back won'i be mounted until after all ihe remaining work on the desk has been completed.

Make and Mount the Drawer Frames

Make three drawer frames, each consisting of one drawer rail and a pair of runners. The bottom two drawer frames are identical, bul the topmost drawer frame has wider runners (K). lo accommodate ihe connecior (I) and guide (L), and to serve as runners for both the slides (N, O) and the narrow top drawer. Note thai a siuh tenon ('/* in. by '/; in. long) is used to join the runners to Ihe rails on all three drawer frames, and that the back ends of the runners are drilled

with slotted holes. These holes arc for screwing the back end of ihe runners to the case sides, and the fact that they arc slotted permits some seasonal wood movemeni in the sides. If the runners were permanently fastened lo the case sides across the full width of ihe sides, there's a danger of the sides splitting should some shrinkage occur across the grain of such a w ide piece.

The full dovetail on the bottom end of the connectors, and its mating dovetail rail slot are both 1³A in. long—ihe same as on ihe rail ends and case—so as to not

37

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