Might be the Dr. Feelgood?    Got a wild-arsed idea last night.    To take the dresser build system I was using in the late 1980s,  and tweek it  just a bit.   Back then, I could start at 0800 on a Saturday morning, and by 2000 that night, have a 5 drawer Chest of Drawers standing in the shop, awaiting a finish.    Haven't quite the room that I had back then.    Thought about doing a little step-by-step of how those were made, back then.    They usually sold @$20 per drawer, BTW.

 

Back then, lumber supply was about five 2x4x8's,  a 1 x 6 x8' or 1 x 8x8's one for each drawer.   At least one sheet of 1/4" Luann plywood ( because it was cheap), and not a whole lot more.   One 2 x 4 x 8 was reserved for the top's frame.   Two more were ripped into 3/4" thick strips.    And the last two ( and the best of the bunch)  were cut for the 4 corner posts.   Each 1x provide the four sides of a drawer.   Drawers were 3/4 overlay, dovetails at the front, dado for the backs.   I got to be very good at changing tablesaw blades.   Sides were frames, with some of the 1/4" plywood as panels....insides of the case were smooth and flat, to guide the drawers.   Webframes were made from the ripped down 2 x 4 x 8....and some of the wider face frame parts were also ripped.  

 

Usually began by figuring out the spacing of the webframes, to find out how long the corner posts needed to be.   had to allow for the top frame to be a tad wider, and the bottom face frame piece at 3-1/2" wide..

I could either mill, assemble and stack 6 webframes, with kickers, or work on the corner posts.   usually the frames were done first...as I didn't slow down much doing the posts.

 

Corner posts.....Used to be, not much else was done, decided to thin things done a bit, one day....both edges were ripped off.  Leaves a nice straight, square 3" wide post....most 2 x 4s have a good face, and a not-so good face....I would rip the not-so good off, to make the posts 1" thick......much better than a lumpy 1-3/8" x 3-1/2" with rounded corners. 

 

Post got a bit more work, back then it was on the tablesaw I set the 4 posts, to see which would be the best for the front.  Marked them as to where the inside was.   Couple of cuts to make a rebate down the back edge of the two back posts ( holds the plywood back) Then all got a rebate along the inside edge.  1/4" x 3/4" wide.   A foot detail was sawn...usually started about 5" about the foot, and tapered to 1" square at the foot.....thinner posts could get a fancier curved cut out, 

 

The second rebate was to house a series of rails, and plywood panels....and the rails needed a few cuts.   a rebate to house the plywood panel...each edge as needed ( top and bottom rail only got one), and a dado on each end, to sit flush in the post's rebate.   Usually, a cove bit was used on the "show" edges...cove on the posts were even with the outside of the rails.

 

Well, that be a start, was lunchtime, anyway...

 

IF anyone wants, I could keep this write-up going....IF and when I get back to the shop, I might try this build....slowly. 

I'm following along!

 

Sounds like an interesting build- especially your choice of materials!

29 minutes ago, steven newman said:

.IF and when I get back to the shop

Take your time, heal first.  By the way, the 80's were almost 40 years ago, we ain't spring chickens anymore.  Getting it done in a week would be fantastic time these days.

Maybe at least another week or so...waiting on these dang stitches.  

 

Choice of wood.....if anyone wants to "build along"  choice of the wood is up to them.   

 

I think the "headcount" on chest of drawers built is at almost 140.....with over 130 sold?    3 drawer up to 10 drawer chest on chests....

 

Speed was more about setting on a stack of parts, make a cut that is needed, adjust the saw for the next cut...while staging parts for the following cuts.  Instead of chopping a mortise on the ends of the webframes,  two rips were made, run each rail through, turn the part end for end, and make the other 1/2 of the groove.    Tenons for the grooves were just a series of passes on the saw, flip over, and complete the tenon...all 24 of them. 

 

I get yelled at for how fast I work now.....imagine way back when

The Boss has agreed to this Project......need the rest of this week to draw up a plan of some sort....maybe even a cut-list? 

 

maybe by next Saturday..I may try to get a start.....maybe keep things to just a couple hours at a stretch , and see how i do....good thing there is a new blade for both the tablesaw and the bandsaw...

 

Will see how things go...no rush

 

Will need to start a build thread?.....

 

Have been working on a shopping list...may get to do a "lumber run" tomorrow....plywood from Lowes....not paying Menard's price.     Menard's for the rest of the lumber....can sort all day long, looking for the best....here we go....still part of the "Plan" stage, right..

 

Need a pair of the best 2 x 4 x 8' boards I can did up/out....These will become the corner posts...

Need a couple 1 x 3 x 8'...wider parts of the face frame and the top and bottom rails on the sides...depends on the "selection" may use 1 x 4s instead..

Need 8 sticks of the best 1x 2 x 8' I can drag out of hiding.....olden days, I'd just rip a 2 x 4 into 3/4" thick strips...use the best of the mess for the skinny rails on the sides, and to build 6 webframes...leftovers for kickers...

Need a pair of 1 x 6 x 8' planks.....top two drawers.   each will provide a front, two sides, and a back. 

 

Need three 1 x 8 x 8' planks.....bottom 3 drawers, and

One  1 x 10 x 8' plank, two crosscuts, flip around, and glue up a panel for the top.  Kickers will be from leftovers.  

 

Plywood, one 1/4 x 4' x 8' sheet of decent looking Luann plywood....5 drawer bottom, and the back of the case...leftovers, plus what I already have...5 panels on each side. 

 

May get to go out and shop..tomorrow.  Grandson to drive, and do the lifting.   Need the drawer blanks to help lay out the drawer spacings...

Stay tuned

Sounds like a fun shopping trip 

59 minutes ago, steven newman said:

May get to go out and shop..tomorrow.  Grandson to drive, and do the lifting.   Need the drawer blanks to help lay out the drawer spacings...

Don't get carried away, literally & metaphorically. Ya' still stitched up....you being you, if you have all that material sitting around, you'll be trying to sneak down in the shop just to do a quick layout and will end up with the frame built. Hospitals don't have wood shops for a reason.

 

OK, now that the scolding is over, looking forward to following this one. Can't do a build along now, but I can try to copy later...need a couple for the boys.

Steven, have you not violated one of our cardinal rules here?  Every new project "requires" a new tool!  Even though you have built them before, I think a 20-30 year gap qualifies this as a "new" project... go ahead and make a flea market run while you are out

 

Looking forward to it Steven.

Lumber Shopping for today....Priced the plywood at Menard's..they don't have a panelsaw to cut down panels with....Rest of the Pine boards were picked through, and I got the "Pick of the Litter", leave it at that.    Will do work-arounds for the worst sections.....Nails, a large bottle of glue, and a ten pack (!) of handles.   Will do a drive to Lowes later, tomorrow, and get the plywood....maybe..

 

Need to start layouts for the drawer spaces....due to one 1 x 6 being a bit nasty along one edge...top drawer will be a bit narrower than the next one down....

 

I went with the cheaper "Standard" grade lumber, rather than the stuff that cost 4 times as much....Gold plated Pine?  will spend some time with pen and paper, later....I need a nap...

Along the lines of another topic, I have heard some people call these, "Chester draws"

 

I think I also mentioned, I'm leaning toward Menards #1 SYP 2x8 and ripping them in half to get better lumber than the BORG stud-grade 2x4s at the same or less price.   (This assumes you have a power saw to do the ripping, would not want to hand rip, then plane off the cut edges)

3 hours ago, steven newman said:

Will do a drive to Lowes later, tomorrow, and get the plywood....maybe..

Don't over do it dude...if the stitches let loose, it'll be staples (aka hog rings) next time...those hurt. VOE.

1 hour ago, kmealy said:

Along the lines of another topic, I have heard some people call these, "Chester draws"

 

 

He was in my Senior class.

 

Just saying,

Herb

Didn't he have a twin named Lester?

 

Ok, trying to draw up some plans, with the right hand shaking ( left is fine, but, I;m right handed)  wasn't the easiest thing to do, this morning.  Got about 3 pages of sizes...and other things needed to be figured out....almost ready to crosscut a few skinny boards, to build the webframes...

Not to any sort of scale, of course....

Counting the top, will be almost 45" tall, case will be 26" wide, and 18" deep....tried to figure out the side parts..

Still trying to figure out this new computer's photo editing settings (this too big?)

 

May try a few cuts in the shop....at least cut the worst sections out...

These are two 1 x 4 x 8s...that knot will be heading to the fire pit, at a later date....these get ripped down to either 2-1/2" or 3" wide...some of the other boards..

Some edges are good, some...not so good...

shaky hands.....skinny ones back by the stool, are the 1 x 2s.....will try to get the best parts out of these.....burn the worst. 

 

Almost forgot, used a board to do the drawings on...

All the while, done while sitting on a very sore rearend....been sitting around way too much, including the bathroom....

That may or may not be all for today....we'll see...

 

Stay tuned

Looks like you upgraded to the next version of Sketchup 

Those are my kind of sketches,only W/O the ruler. I made sketches like that for my crew for many years, and they seemed to understand them.

That is some pretty fair looking lumber,Steven, after you cut out the bad spots, you did a good lob of picking the pile.

Herb

Ok, my back, not the belly, was what shut down today's misadventures....but, it did feel good....even used a Junior Jack plane

Enough stiles to make 1/2 of the webframes, other half is sitting there, waiting their turn.  

haul a couple if 1x 2s to the shop ( was on Laundry Detail, anyway) Made a bunch of crosscuts..

12 of them, 24" long, took a couple more 1 x 2 s than I planned on..the 4 laying back there? are a bit too short....cut those down a bit

And kept the leftovers.   Made a push stick for later...right now, needed the rest of these 15" long rails done..

And had two pieces leftover, to start on kickers with, at 17" long.  

One chore today, was to add a new "pad" to the mitre gauge...then set up the rip fence, since the crosscuts were done, for now...then run each stile to make a groove, which is what that plane was leveling, also used a small chisel...

had a sliver down the center to remove.  reset the fence and blade height..

Then took a scrap and made a test tenon....and a test fit

remember, this is only a test.....Have one pair of grooves a bit too wide, rest are tight fits....rather they be a little tight. 

Laundry was done, back was getting sore...I think that will do for today.   Still learning to do photos with this new computer...

 

Will see what I can do...tomorrow

Stay tuned

If'n the boss here wants, he could start this last post as a woodworking thread....Maybe  call it " A Chester Drawer build?

Uhmm nice progress but kinda early to be in shop maybe???

6 hours ago, steven newman said:

Still trying to figure out this new computer's photo editing settings (this too big?)

Nope not for my eyes...good start today but...

7 minutes ago, Woodbutcherbynight said:

Uhmm nice progress but kinda early to be in shop maybe???

...what he said!