It Works For Me, YMMV

[Lew Hodgett]

Decided to build a chest of drawers.

Decided to use half blind dovetails on all four (4) corners of each drawer.

No good reason, except when I got started with a router and that dovetail jig, forgot to stop.

"Cut all the dovetails the correct way, so it could be assembled", he said as he almost broke his arm trying to pat himself on the back.

The problem is the final glue up while keeping everything square.

Have some old Craftsman picture frame clamps along with adequate pipe clamps for the job.

Decided to glue up the drawers in two (2) steps.

First day, opposite corners were glued together using the picture frame clamps to keep adjacent parts of the drawer square to each other.

Second day, the remaining opposite corners were glued together and clamped with four (4) pipe clamps.

Net results:

All drawers are square within =/- 1/64" across the diagonals.

Close enough for government work and drawer assembly.

BTW, since I had prefinished the parts with shellac, managing to slop some on the pins and tails, used epoxy thickened wit micro-balloons to glue everything together since TiteBond II wouldn't do it.

It worked for me, maybe you will find it useful.

Lew

[Toller]

I just put some clamps across the sides and they come out square. If your wood is prepared properly it pretty much has to.

[nailshooter41]

problem is the final glue up while keeping >everything square.

SNIP

Don't you love it when plan that is supposed to work - actually works?

I'll bet the drawers look great.

Robert

[Morris Dovey]

Lew Hodgett wrote: | Decided to build a chest of drawers. | | Decided to use half blind dovetails on all four (4) corners of each | drawer. | | No good reason, except when I got started with a router and that | dovetail jig, forgot to stop. | | "Cut all the dovetails the correct way, so it could be assembled", | he said as he almost broke his arm trying to pat himself on the | back. | | The problem is the final glue up while keeping everything square.

The boxes I've been building offer some of the same challenges - except that they're a bit larger (I just delivered a pair of boxes that measured 72" x 96") than most drawers. I've managed to achieve the same degree of squareness using face frame clamps.

These critters cost just under $10/ea at Menards and allow gluing all four corners at the same time.

Best of all, they're a 'one size for all jobs' kind of design. I'll post a photo on abpw.

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

[Lew Hodgett]

Yep.

Hard maple construction which worked out; however, was forced to use a stain, in this case a gelled stain to get some uniformity.

Looks like UGLY on an ape, but I'll get used to it.

Lew

[Leon]

If you stain or apply the finish before cutting the DT's you can use regular wood glue and not worry about getting the finish on the mating pieces.

[Lew Hodgett]

Now why didn't I think of that?

Thank you.

BTW, I still think stain SUCKS.

Much prefer natural BUT, sometimes you do what you gotta do.

Lew

[Leon]

Hey that's what we are here for. LOL.

Stain does suck. Too bad I still have to use it a times.