Cherry Oxbow Chest - Drawer Locks, Top and Back - Build Complete

I am getting to the completion of the cabinet, there are not too many steps remaining to complete the building process.

Now that the drawers are complete and planed to fit smoothly, I installed drawer stops.  I used small pieces of wood and glued them to the front on each side of the curve.   This stops the drawer just were I want them.   If I put the drawer stops in the back, then the drawer face can move in and out depending on the weather since they shrink in the winter.

 In the piece that I am copying, there are drawer locks in each drawer.  A lot of reproductions don't put in the locks but put on the escutcheon plates.  This time I want to be more correct and put the locks in all four drawers.

I purchased half mortise locks from Horton Brasses.  Traced the lock dimensions on to the back of the drawer and started to chop the mortise.  You can see that I am still using the cut offs to support the curved drawers so I can work on them.

My router plane comes in handy here to make a nice flat bottomed mortise.

I made the inside mortise first, then work on the outside mortise.  The line on the top of the drawer is the center line, you will want the key to be in the center of the drawer.  The mortise for the lock is offset because the pin for the key is not in the center of the lock.  

I drilled a small hole from the back where the key pin is, so that the center of the key hole will be marked on the drawer front.

 

With the two mortises cut the lock fits in pretty well, but because of the curve I need to do a little extra paring to make it fit tight.  You can see how the lock is offset from center because of where the key hole is located.

Now I drilled a larger hole in the front from where the small pilot hole was drilled.  The lock pin is in the center of the hole.  I mark on the drawer front where the key shape is to be extended. 

I don't have a key hole saw, so I made a simple handle and used a jig saw blade to work in the small opening.  It cuts on the pull stroke.

After completing the first lock mortise and key hole, I made cardboard templates to be used on the next three.  It made it much easier to setup and cut.  There was one for the inner mortise and one for the outer mortise.

Now with the lock mortises out of the way, I turned my attention to the top.  I had resawed an 8/4 piece of cherry that was 12 inches wide and glued it up.  This made the 21 3/4 that I needed for the top.  Made a nice book-matched grain pattern.

I cut out the front of the top to match the curves of the drawer fronts using the pattern that I had for the drawers.  Then I added an ogee shape to the underside of the the top.  This is the first time I have put a molded edge on the underside of a top.  The piece that I am copying is pictured on the wall behind and I am following it.

I made some half lap pine boards for the back.  These fit into the 1/2 inch groove that I made around the inside of the case.  I used small nails to hold them in place.

I left small gaps between each of the pieces to allow of the expansion of the boards.

All done with the build.  Now I need to attach the hardware, then remove it to begin the finishing.

Here is today's video:

Cherry Oxbow Chest - Making the Drawer Bottoms - Step 12

At this point I could go to the big box store and buy some 1/4 inch plywood and cut it to fit in the drawer bottoms, but that would not be period like....  When I first started making furniture that is what I did based on the fact that if period furniture makers had plywood they would have used it.

Today, I make solid wood bottoms, it takes a little longer but a solid panel bottom is what people expect.  The bottoms are often made of pine but I don't have enough to make all of them and obtaining clear pine is not easy or cheap.   Soft maple is inexpensive and I always have plenty on hand.

The drawer bottoms are 32 1/2 x 18 1/2 inches with the grain running parallel to the front.  This allows for the expansion of the bottom out the back of the drawer.  I decided to make the drawer bottoms 7/16 inch thick so I can resaw the maple and not get a lot of waste.

Each of the boards is about 8 inches wide, so it will take 3 boards to glue up to get the required width.

I try to keep them as flat as possible when I glue them up by using culls.

After the glue dries I'll use my wide belt sander to flatten and clean them up.

I traced the curve from the inside of the drawer front on to the drawer bottom and then cut out  the pattern on the band saw.  I cleaned up the edge after sawing with the spindle sander.

Next I have to add a bevel to the bottom of the panel so that it will fit into the 1/4 inch grove in the sides and the front.  The straight edges could be done with a panel raising plane but the curved edges need to be done another way.   I have a large router bit that is a horizontal panel raiser.  I use it at a low speed and make several light passes to get it to the thickness that I want.  It does a nice job on the curved front.  

Below is the finished bevel.  I test fit it into the grove to make sure it is thin enough.  

For the straight groves on the drawer sides, I use my plow plane.  I could have used a dado blade or router bit to cut the grooves but I like to use hand planes too and they are quieter.  There are 8 sides to do.

For the curved drawer fronts, I go back to the router with a 1/4  inch slot clutter.  It makes quick work of the curved slot.

I cut off a 1/2 inch on the drawer backs to make an opening to slide in the drawer bottom.  If everything is correct it slips right in.

Look's like a good snug fit.  The back is slightly proud but that is the way it was done in the 18th century.

The bottom bevel fits well into the groove.  I will nail the bottom to the back with a couple of small brads after the drawer is glued together.

Now I have to glue up the drawers and make the chest top.  I ordered the hardware yesterday so it should be here very soon.  Once the top is made, I need to make a back and the chest construction will be complete.   Then on to finishing.

Here is today's video: