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Thursday, December 31, 2015

19th Century Clerks Desk - Drawers & Top - Step 7

With all of the holidays, I have not had much time in the workshop but I have made a little progress on the desk.

I milled some 5/8 inch figured maple for the drawer fronts and 1/4 pine for the sides, backs and bottoms.



Chopping out  the small dovetails on the drawer sides. Tails first is the way that I do it.



One side done.


Fitting them to the half blind pins in the drawer front.  I made through dovetails in the back.


Here is one of the drawers assembled. I put a 1/8 inch groove in the bottom edge.  I beveled the bottoms with a router bit so they would fit in the groove. Then slid the bottom in from the back.


I left the bottoms proud in the back so I could trim them so they would fit flush in the front.


Trimming the back of the bottom with a block plane and then test the fit.

All fitted and with little pulls.


The scalloped shape that I added to the top of the pigeon hole was from 3/8 in stock and cut out on the band saw, then glued in.



Not sure what to call it but I added a return piece to the top.  I guess that it to prevent pens and pencils from rolling off the desk.  I milled 5/8 inch stock and dovetailed the corners. I also scalloped the ends so that they would not interfere with the lid when it is open.


I thought it might be a bit fragile and could get knocked off, so I reinforced the mounting by using dowel pegs.  Then I glued it on using yellow glue instead of old brown glue.



Then I made a book stop to attach to the lid, this prevents books or papers from sliding off the slopped lid.

I pegged and glued it to the top.

I turned a wooden pull on the lathe with the face grain on the end. This was done to match the grain on the front on the drawer.  I mounted it with a single screw from the inside of the drawer.  But countersinking the screw was a problem since my electric drill would not fit.  So I used my eggbeater hand drill.


The construction is complete. Now to start on the finishing.  I will mount the desk on the frame and apply the waist molding after the desk has been stained.



Here is today's video:

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