Dovetail and Shaping the Drawer Blades - Holds the Case together

The next step after cleaning up the apron is to make the two drawer blades and dovetail them to the case.   The drawer blades are 3/4 inch thick stock and the 2 1/2 width that matches the apron size.  I used the apron to trace the pattern on to both blades.   The top drawer blade uses a flat dovetail which will be hidden once the top is installed.  You can see the dovetail pattern on the end of the top blade.

Sawing out the dovetail pattern

All done with the top blade dovetails.  Just two saw cuts.

Now to put the matching dovetail in the case top. Using my marking knife to mark out where the dovetail should be, making sure that it is square to the case.   7/8 inch dovetail in the 1 3/4 leg.

Sawing and then chopping out the dovetail

Now to work on the center drawer blade.  I measured the length and added 1/2 dovetail to both ends and then centered it on the case.  I clamped it in place making sure it is level. 3 3/4 inches top and bottom.  Then I used my marking knife to mark where the dovetails should be cut in the case sides.

Now I fit the center drawer blade into the sides after cutting out the dovetails in the side and the joinery is done.  

Now I can bandsaw the shapes that I traced from the apron.  I want these to match perfect.  So after sawing I put the three pieces together and used my spokeshaves and files to match the patterns.  So there you have it.  They look pretty good and I am reasonably certain that the blades and the apron match.  This is important since the drawer fronts will have a lip which rests on the blades and there should not be a gap.

The next step is to make and install the vertical drawer dividers.  There are two and they are dovetailed to the top blade and the apron.

Here is today's video: