Power and hand together: Building a pair of nightstands

[derekcohen]

If you want more visual separation between the corner of the box and the top of the legs consider rotating the brackets 180 degrees in the Z axis, then 90* in the Y or X.

In your last pics the bracket goes up, then in at 45*, then over to get deeper under the box.

Instead, let the bracket go in, then up to get under the box. The simplest shape of this bracket is 1/4 of a ring but you’ll probably want to customize it.

It might look less strong but it really isn’t, especially after all the screws are secured. The box still rests on four screws in sheer at/in the legs.

Thanks Michael

I literally woke up in the middle of the night (it happens when one is 73) and considered what would happen if the construction was tipped over on its side. The strength of the bracket is weak in lateral movement - perhaps not these, but in design. Consequently, this is not the connection I want to use, and I will go back to Plan A.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[derekcohen]

The Power of the Press

Drill press, that is.

This is one of those machines I do not want to be without. It has many uses, and today it was used to shape the ends of the risers for the floating cabinets. Not much in the way of hand skills here today.

I purchased the Nova Voyager about 5 years ago courtesy of a Black Friday special and a kind-hearted wife. This replaced a close-to-entry-level 12-speed Taiwanese press I had for about 25 years. For those unfamiliar with the Voyager, here is one feature that I find  so amazing about this machine.

In all the time I have used this drill press I have yet to burn a blade or wood. A few buttons to push, and you can set any type of drill bit, of any size, to turn at the ideal speed for different densities of wood (or metal).

I needed to cut quarter-circles at the end of the support for the cabinet. One could do this with a bandsaw/jigsaw and spindle sander. I do not own a spindle sander .... but, wait, the drill press can become a spindle sander!

Here is the Voyager ...

Select the drill bit. In this case, a hole saw ...

Set the size - 54mm ...

Choose hardwood ...

Confirm the speed, and it is ready to go ...

The workpiece is on the left, with a stop block on the right ...

Flip the workpiece for the second cut ...

And so on until all four supports are completed.

Easy peasy.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[derekcohen]

A Better Skyhook

The aim is to float the drawer cases above the bases.

There are two stretchers running across the top, and these join the sides with sliding dovetails ...

The sides, and hence the sockets, are angled at approximately 3 degrees, and the mating dovetails need to be angled to match ...

The ends are sawn away ...

... dovetailed ...

... and fitted ...

These stretchers are made lower than the aprons to hide them from sight.

The stretchers require a raised section, and these are finished with curved ends made by a hole saw bit on the drill press ..

... and sanded ...

The completed rests for the drawer cases ...

Later, all will be glued and screwed together.

Checking the effect ...

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[squall_line]

What's to keep the sliding dovetailed stretchers from loosening up over time from jostling back and forth with the usage of the drawer and eventually sliding out of the sides?

 

[derekcohen]

What's to keep the sliding dovetailed stretchers from loosening up over time from jostling back and forth with the usage of the drawer and eventually sliding out of the sides?

You mean that it is not enough to have a perfect fit and chewing gum?  [big grin]

So, besides glue - which should make the joint strong enough to stand on - I did think the same as you and add toe nails (at the rear of the stretcher). Here shown from the underside at the rear  ..

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Looks good! all that left is some finish and a couple of pulls

 

[derekcohen]

Fiddling all the way to the end

Time to put this build to bed ... or at least next to a bed.

The Jarrah bases are complete with two coats of hard wax oil ...

The plan is to bolt each drawer case to its base. The reason for this is it will make it possible to transport the nightstands more easily should this be in the future (there is a possibility I may enter them in the furniture competition put on by my club, which takes place in about 6 weeks - I doubt that anyone would take nightstands seriously). Transferring the holes to the case ...

Inserts are sunk into the case for the M6 bolts ...

... and bolted down ...

Time to make drawer pulls. My wife suggested going without anything to retain the clean lines. That would have been nice, just not possible. So the next best idea was to try and make the pulls blend in and be as unobtrusive as possible.

The Tasmanian Oak drawers receive a similar pull. Here the plan is drawn out ...

The underside of the pull receives a "dimple" for grip ...

Before cutting out the shape of the bandsaw and shaping with rasps and files, the tenons are pared away ...

Here the tiny drawer is being morticed for its tiny pull ...

This is repeated with the larger drawer ...

Before the pulls can be fitted, they each need to coped to match the curve of the drawer. But finally ...

Note that the pulls are the same diameter as the top of the legs.

The pull on the tiny drawer is a tinier version ...

Inside the drawer, I finalised the mechanism. This doubles as a guide and a drawer stop.

Closed ...

Open ...

The back can now be closed up. Each has a book-matched panel (mainly because I had run out of wood scraps), and is screwed down at the ends. Movement across the grain is permitted by the outer screw holes being elongated.

And, last but not least, two completed nightstands ...

I hope that you have enjoyed the journey with me.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Crazyraceguy]

They turned out great!
Why do you think they won't take nightstands seriously? Are the other projects way bigger or more involved? Like highboy dressers and the like?

 

[luvmytoolz]

As always, beautiful work Derek!

 

[derekcohen]

They turned out great!
Why do you think they won't take nightstands seriously? Are the other projects way bigger or more involved? Like highboy dressers and the like?

I agree with you, but generally the judges appear to like large, veneered sideboards, and similar. I have won once in the past, and had numerous seconds and thirds for smaller pieces. There appears to be less focus on joinery and method and more on pure looks.

Regards from Perth

Derek