Curved Blockfront Lowboy - Drawer Blades & Apron Step 3

I am starting on the apron and drawer dividers (drawer blades).  The most complicated is the apron since it is curved in two directions. Across the front to create the blocking and across the bottom which mirrors the front curves.

I took the drawing off the wall to make sure I had all of the radiuses correct before marking up the stock. The drawer blades need to match the curves of the apron exactly since the lip of the drawers will be touching each of the curves.

I milled some cherry 3/4 thick by 2 1/2 inches wide by 26 1/4 long plus the tenons.  Then I marked out the curves with the template.  I am going to cut this out fist and use them as a template for the apron.  I have tacked the two together so I can cut out both at the same time.

Here is the pair of them cut out. I used a spindle sander to clean up the saw marks and a chisel to make to blocking curves sharp.

The apron is curved in two directions.  The front and the bottom.  I traced the pattern on the top for the cut out of the front and I drew the curves on the bottom using a compass.
I will cut out the bottom first and then cut out the front. The stock is 2 1/2 inches thick by 4 inches high.

Before I bandsaw out the curves on the apron, I want to put the tenons on the ends while it is still square.  I use my table saw and tenoning jig.

Bandsawing the bottom of the apron.

Now that the bottom is complete, I need to band saw the front curves.

Bandsawing complete. Now I have to clean up all the saw marks.

I use my round bottom spokeshave to clean up most of the marks on the concave and convex curves.

I use a card scraper to clean up the marks that I can not get to with the spokeshave.

I fitted the apron into the mortises that I had cut earlier in the front posts.  This joint will be pegged when I glue up the piece.  It is looking good and I like the grain of the apron.

Next I use spacers to position the lower drawer blade or divider. I have already put dovetails on the end of the cross piece.  Then I use my marking knife to trace the dovetails on to the posts.  These dovetail sockets will go all the way through

In preparation for cutting out the through dovetail socket I use a marking knife and bench chisel to create a shoulder or groove for the saw to follow to keep it straight.  Then I cut it out with my dovetail saw.

I use a bench chisel to clean out the material between the saw grooves.

Lastly, I use a hand routing plane to flatten the bottom of the dovetail socket.in the post.

Next I cut a dovetail on the top drawer blade and use my marking knife to trace it on the top of the post.  The size of the dovetail was arbitrary but it looks good.

I cut out the dovetail socket like any other half blind dovetail

After sawing it out, I chopped out the waste.

There are the two drawer blades fitted to the posts. If you are careful when you mark out and saw the dovetails they should slide right in, sometimes it takes a little paring.

With those dovetails in the posts and the apron pegged, I don't think it is going to come apart anytime soon.

In the next post I will work on the vertical drawer dividers and drawer runners.

Here is today's video: