Upper Case Internal Components

author-gravatar millerseth Sep 04, 2019

The first step in installing the internal components is to mark out the depth and position of the sliding dovetails for the back divider. The depth is marked out at 3/8" with a marking gauge. 

The position of the sliding dovetail is marked with a center line. 

With the depth marked on each side, the divider can be set between the two marks and marked for its final length.

The divider is then cut to size at the crosscut sled. This takes a couple tries to get perfect with each cut sneaking up on the perfect size. 

The sliding dovetails are cut in the case sides by clamping them together with the tops touching, and the inside of both pieces facing up. The dovetail is then cut straight across both pieces at the same time. Clamping them together like this ensures perfect alignment of the two cuts. 

The case bottom receives a dado rather than a sliding dovetail. 

Before cutting the dovetails into the ends of the divider, I use a test piece (the cutoff from the divider) to adjust the router table fence to create the perfect fit. 

Once the fit is dialed in, the dovetail is routed into the ends of the divider. 

The next step is to create the tongue that will sit in the dado cut into the bottom. This is done at the table saw with a dado stack. 

Next up is the sliding dovetails for the drawer dividers. I use the same method of clamping the upper stretcher to the front of the case bottom to cut matching dovetail slots in the top and bottom. 

The case is dry assembled and the final width can be measured for the drawer dividers. 

The drawer dividers are cut to size at the table saw. 

The marking gauge is set to the depth of the dovetail slots. This should still be the same setting as when the sides were marked out, but it is better to double check. 

The top and bottoms of the drawer dividers is marked on each side. 

The router table is still set up from cutting the dovetails in the back divider, and the drawer dividers can be run through to cut dovetails on both the bottom and top sides. 

The drawer dividers are dry fit into the case

The back of the top stretcher is marked on each divider. The sliding dovetail is not needed behind this point. 

The sliding dovetail is trimmed off the top of the dividers back to the mark. Removing the extra length makes installation easier. 

Next up is the bottom stretcher across the back of the cable channel. It is cut to size, but is still slightly long. 

The fit is perfected with a shooting board. 

I'm using loose tenon joinery for this piece. The mortises are cut at the slot mortiser.  

The case sides also receive matching mortises. 

With all of the major pieces fit, my attention can turn to the front curve. I mark a center mark on the case bottom, and then mark 1 1/2" back at that point. A this piece of scrap is then bent between the case sides back to the 1 1/2" mark and traced.

The curve is rough cut at the bandsaw. 

The curve is cleaned up at the workbench with a spokeshave...

...and sanded with a flexible sanding strip. 

The front upper stretcher is clamped under the case bottom to trace the curve. 

The curve is again rough cut at the bandsaw, and cleaned up at the workbench. 

The last detail is to add a face to the drawer dividers. They receive the same sliding dovetails as the dividers. 

The grain on these pieces runs up and down, hiding the end grain of the divider. 

The caps are left oversized to be cleaned up later. 

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