Replies

1. 
   Samson | Feb 27, 2009 06:44pm | #1

   There are lots of suggestions I could make, but I'm curious as to whether the side is to be perfectly flush to the edge of the front or whether some portion of the edge of the front will be proud?  My suggestions would vary depending.

   Rather than suggest for every possibility, can you tell me more about the aim.

   Thanks.

   Here is a small drawer i did recently where I left the first 1/8th inch or so of the front edge proud:

   View Image

   This is easily accomplished by letting the pins be proud and then just trimming them with a chisel slicing/paring operation.

   
   

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   Edited 2/27/2009 10:48 am ET by Samson

1. 
   bones | Feb 27, 2009 07:03pm | #2

   Thanks for the reply.  I am completing (finally) the hutch plans from FWW. My goal is a 1/32 reveal all the way around The opening left & right will be adjust by battens or runner boards (hard to explain) placed against the sides of the drawer to control left right movement and I plan on undercutting the front of the draw face by a 32nd to provide the bottom reveal.  So basically a flush side is what I'm going for.  I've made it all out of cherry and currently debating about making the drawer sides & bottoms out of maple for that nice contrast on the DTs'.  The customer(wife) is still leaning all cherry for the drawers.  Here is a link where you can see a picture of only the front

   http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/Gallery/GalleryImage.aspx?id=27981Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

1. 
   Samson | Feb 27, 2009 07:35pm | #3

   Okay, if you want a flush side, and plan on leaving the tails proud, why not just make sure that the sides are oriented in a way so that the grain is oriented to be planed most cleanly (no tearout) from the front to the back?  You can clamp a waste board tot he end of the back so that it tears out, if tear out occurs.  You can also simply plane or chisel a small chamfer at the back edge of the side as this will prevent tear out as well.  In short, you will have no risk of tearout on the show side as you will be planing in to the front as you bring down the sides.  

2. 
   philip_r | Feb 27, 2009 07:51pm | #4

   Hi Bones.  I am working on a project and I will be doing the DT's this weekend.  I cut the birdseye maple drawer front to the exact dimension of the opening and I set the maple drawer runners 1/32" above the drawer opening (bottom stretcher).  This method keeps the top of the drawer stretcher from wearing - as you operate the drawer.

   From there, I plan on using my bevel-up Jointer, #4  and a block to dial in the fit.  If all else fails... a hammer and some filler.  I think a jack and a block would be better... but I don't have a jack :0(

   Cherry planes wicked-easy so I don't think you'll have any problems with any method.

    

     

1. 
   Samson | Feb 27, 2009 07:58pm | #5

   Cherry planes wicked-easy so I don't think you'll have any problems with any method.

   Obviously you've never gotten any curly cherry.  It's right up there with fiddleback and birdseye maple as far as tearing out from any angle of attack.  Even cherry that looks fairly tame can have reversals that make it somewhat of a challenge.

1. 
   philip_r | Feb 27, 2009 08:11pm | #6

   Em, yea...I seriously doubt he is using curly cherry for is drawer sides.  Bones is a smart guy, he would have mentioned that.

   Bones, if you are using curly cherry - use a hammer, the fibers compress easily.

2. 
   bones | Feb 27, 2009 08:51pm | #7

   Nope, don't plan on it.  There's a lot of good cherry in this piece but not for the sides(curly).  Im hoping to have enough rift to do the sides. I'm still hoping to convince the wife to go with the hard maple.  I think the contrast would be nice. 

   Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

   Edited 2/27/2009 12:52 pm by bones

3. 
   Samson | Feb 27, 2009 08:52pm | #8

   Look, no offense.  I was responding to your generalization that cherry is easy to plane.  For what it is worth, that is not my own expereince with the wood, which I have used a lot. 

4. 
   philip_r | Feb 28, 2009 12:27am | #9

   Bones, I agree with the contrast comment.  My current project is a Pie Safe, made of cherry with resawed Birdseye maple panels.

   Samson, no offense taken.  There are a million ways to "skin a cat"... but there are ten-million ways to work wood.  We all have our opinions :0)  Someday, you'll get the hang of this hand plane thing (JK).

   Regards,

   T 

   Edited 2/27/2009 4:28 pm ET by Tbagn

2. 
   roc | Feb 28, 2009 09:23am | #10

   Search FWW previous threads. Lots of recent discussion on this. Plane doesn't matter as much as moistening the wood end grain. I used water, others here recommend mineral spirits or denatured alc.

   I tried most kinds of planes. Low angle is good held at a skew. No big improvement though. Moistening is the big improvement.

   roc

   Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

1. 
   bones | Feb 28, 2009 05:07pm | #11

   Thanks to all for the ideas! The wife brough home 4 replacemt light kits for our new house that she liked better that the ones that came with the house, so now my weekend is honeydo.  Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

3. 
   WillGeorge | Mar 01, 2009 10:16am | #12

   best plane for 1/2b dovetails finishing..

   A router bit set very carefully!