Classic Shaker Side Table - Popular Woodworking Magazine

Simple & Fast Rabbeted DrawersIt takes only one setupon the table saw to cutevery joint you need to makea solid drawer. Without adoubt, this is as easy as it gets.AAlong the road to comfortably referring toyourself as a “woodworker,” there are a few importantmilestones you must reach. One of theseis building your first drawer. For some reason,this project causes more antacid-popping thanalmost any other project.A drawer is just a box. The tricky part is thatthe box must fit accurately into a hole and movesmoothly. There are three steps to a successfuldrawer: precise measuring, accurate joining andcareful fitting. This article shows you the tricks weuse to successfully complete all three steps.Measuring Like a ProLet’s say you’re building an end table with adrawer. Knowing the size of the drawer’s holeis the first critical piece of information. Seeinghow that space is made and understanding howthe drawer will “run” in the table is the next step.In traditional case construction, the drawer is justslightly smaller than its hole (which is the techniquewe’re showing here). In modern cabinets,the drawer is considerably smaller than its hole tomake room for mechanical slides or glides.In our traditional case, the drawer hole mustbe clear of obstructions or corners that the drawercan hang up on. For that reason, the sides of thedrawer are traditionally kept in check by “drawerguides,” which are simply pieces of wood insidethe carcase that are parallel to the sides of thedrawer. Essentially, the guides create a smoothsleeve for the drawer to run in and out of.With the guides in place, you’re ready to measurethe opening for the drawer. You want to builda drawer that fits the largest part of its opening.First measure the height of the drawer openingat the left side, right side and in the middleto make sure your case is square. The drawer forthe “Simple Shaker End Table” on page 16 is an“inset drawer,” which means the drawer frontdoesn’t have a lip that covers the gap between thedrawer and case. (Drawers with a lip are called“overlay” drawers, by the way.) Because this is aninset drawer, you should end up with a small gapall the way around the drawer front, called the“reveal.” The reveal must be equal on all four sidesof the drawer front. Next, measure the width ofthe drawer opening at the top and bottom. Finally,measure the depth of the drawer space.Now comes a tricky decision: Do you buildthe drawer to fit the space exactly and then trim itdown with a hand plane to allow for proper movement?Or do you trust yourself to build the drawerso that there is exactly 1 ⁄ 16 " of space between thedrawer and its guides?We like to err on the side of caution. Buildyour drawer to fit the opening exactly and trim itto fit. If your drawer opening happens to be out ofsquare, trimming the drawer is the easiest way tocompensate. So build to fill the space, then workdown to a smooth operational size.PHOTO BY AL PARRISH24 ■ woodworking magazine Autumn 2004