Ordered some transtint blue dye. Going to try dye on drawer fronts. The blue should accent the top.

Looking good Gunny !

Paul

Too little too late but I was just struck with and idea that would have saved a lot of time. Just build a small box to go on top of the old and match the other DP. Ok I know should have said that three weeks ago. Hey! I've been busy.

43 minutes ago, Gerald said:

Too little too late but I was just struck with and idea that would have saved a lot of time. Just build a small box to go on top of the old and match the other DP. Ok I know should have said that three weeks ago. Hey! I've been busy.

 

For the smaller 8 inch that was the plan. The taller 12 inch DP was 6 inches too high.  

Okay here is where the pace gets Glacial.  Each of the 4 drawers has been assigned what goes in them before the build.  So we have 3 drawers at 3 1/2 inches tall with 3 inches of usable height.  Inside usable space is 24 inches wide and 22 1/2 deep.  Bottom drawer is 7 inches deep, nothing to organize there it gets drop cloths put in it.  The top drawer will be all 1/4 x 20 nut, bolts, nutzerts and small handles and such.  That stuff currently is in two drawers on other side of shop and uses up 35 bins 3 inches square.  Did some mapping out and figured out I can have 7 small boxes across at 3 1/2 sq and 7 deep at the same with the last 7 being slightly deeper say 4 1/4 x 3 1/2 inches.  Total is 49 bins to work with.  Bit of room to grow, but rarely does this last.  try as I might I could not get all the 1/4 x 20 stuff in one drawer.  My threaded rod collection will have to go in the drawer below as will any bolts bigger than 4 inches.  Thankfully I never believed I could get everything in one drawer so the drawer below is left unassigned.

 

Why mention this?  Well organizing takes alot of time, for a production shop this is not really profitable as it eats time.  For the average home shop it still eats time, alot of it.  Is it worth it?  That only you can decide for your shop.  For me, yes.  I am thinking longer term and know organized bins that can be removed individually will make it easier to do my various projects. Time invested now is saved later.  Plus I can see what I have not guess.  

 

I put these parts bins in this drawer to provide a visual of how much space is available, yet quickly gets eaten up when you consider 35+ bins are already filled before we get started.  They will not be used for this project as they do not allow each bin to be removed.  A criteria I determined was a must for this drawer.

 

 

Drawers have been assigned what goes in them, via tape while I wait for the drawer fronts to get done in the finishing room.  Won't be able to dye the fronts till at least Sunday.

 

Great job.  And, you answered my question before I got to post it.  I was going to ask how you are going to open those drawers without pulls.  Looking forward to the final product.  

Will be using this handle style I came up with few years back.

 

22 hours ago, Gunny said:

Like this.

 

What is that finish on the top?  I think I've seen it in other pics of your projects.

2 hours ago, JimM said:

What is that finish on the top?  I think I've seen it in other pics of your projects.

 

Years ago I did some Formica work at a job.  Kept all the scraps.  This was the last big piece.  

Dyed the drawer fronts and handle mounts. Painted handles as well.

 

 

 

So the drawer fronts and handles pieces are done with finish, just need few days to cure well.  Moving on I need 40 small parts bins made.  Got this idea from a magazine someone gave me in Iraq.  Don't remember which one but I do remember the guy used this method.  Having used this before I am familiar with how to set up, and that it takes time to get from start to the final product.  I am patient man, it will get done, someday...

 

They will be 3 inches by 3 1/2 inches and 2 1/2 inches tall.  Made 12 pieces 24 inches long of two sizes, one 3 1/4 inch, the other 3 3/4 inch.  Took them to finishing room and gave them 3 coats of poly.  Once done I cut 45 degree angle on them all.

 

 

Next I set some tape out face up and laid the pieces into it.  Then applied glue to the 45 degree edges.  Next step was to carefull fold each piece until I had a tube, and pray it stays square, okay square "ish" we shall say.

 

 

Next step once glue is dry is to cut each tube to 2 1/2 inch pieces.  24 inches yields 9 pieces.  Then I made a jig to hold them as I stacked 5 high and glued the bottoms on.

 

 

So now we have the bottoms glued on and ready to hit the router with a flush bit.

 

 

 

Next step is off to the other router for rounding over the bottom edges.

 

 

 

Dry fitted to see that it all fits as planned.  Still need more, next batch was in clamps waiting on glue to dry.  All is good here.  I have a row on the very back that will be 3 inches by 4 1/4 and a couple will be down bins.  Those are in finishing room waiting on poly to dry for next step of cutting and gluing up.

 

 

 

Meanwhile now begins the tedious process of painting them.  This will take some time.  Yes there is a reason they are red.  They go to the 1/4 x 20 drawer which is Imperial so red is proper color.  AND they will go back to that drawer each time because no other drawers have bins that are red.  

 

Looking good Gunny. What if you cut a piece of wood equal to the inside dimensions and slipped it in the ends to help keep it square during glue up, just a thought.

29 minutes ago, DuckSoup said:

Looking good Gunny. What if you cut a piece of wood equal to the inside dimensions and slipped it in the ends to help keep it square during glue up, just a thought.

 

I used cardboard like inside a hollow core door.  First time I tried this year's ago I was messy with glue and when tape was removed I had a nice solid tube.

I was thinking something 3/4" thick just on the ends. I can see were the cardboard would be easier to remove.

Just now, DuckSoup said:

I was thinking something 3/4" thick just on the ends. I can see were the cardboard would be easier to remove.

 

Glued one of those in as well.

 

Having learned that lesson I use a piece like that and cut out the corners.  If I was using higher grade plywood this would work better.  The edge left when cutting the 45's is not the smoothest or dead straight cut. So the middle part usuallly is issue. The longer the tube the worse the issue.

 

Now if I do it out of 3/8 ply this stays square with the blocks in the ends and cardboard.  But that kills the useable space.  

5 hours ago, Gunny said:

 

 

Now if I do it out of 3/8 ply this stays square with the blocks in the ends and cardboard.  But that kills the useable space.  

Looked back and did not see. What is the thickness ply you use for these?

2 hours ago, Gerald said:

Looked back and did not see. What is the thickness ply you use for these?

Shy under 1/4.  Neighbor gave me 3 sheets of it.  

Moral...make the boxes first...then the drawer they fit in. 

Work continues.

Drawer fronts installed with my shop version of handles.