Simple drawer boxes....

[Neal]

I got some quality shop time in today and got to use some new toys and learn some new skills.

My project is two simple drawer boxes to use with the repurposed sink base from my old kitchen cabinets.

Firsts for me today....

1. A stack dado on my bt3000. Other than putting it on the arbor wrong things went well. I put them on with the outsides in. Instead of a 1/4" groove, I got a 3/8" groove. I figured it out and made the corrections.

2. Using the incra gauge. I saw this tool somewhere and thought it would be a good thing to own. Thing is very accurate and improves setup over anything I've ever used. Certainly beats the tape measure.

3. Micro jig push blocks. I saw these online somewhere and thought they would be useful. I was pleased with these as well.

So I got to cut dados and tennons and stuff.

I hadn't used my bt3000 much in a while and it was nice to make some sawdust again.

[LCHIEN]

have fun!

Be careful!

Share with us! (pictures, links to tools)

[Neal]

Incra ic32 gauge

http://www.microjig.com/products/grr-ripper/index.shtmlmicro-jig grr-ripper

Freud sd208 stack dado.

I'll get some pics later. They are far from pretty. Using scrap shelving and scrap 1/4" ply to build them.

Thanks

[LCHIEN]

that's what I'm talking about!

How did you use the Incra gage... as a fence positioner? or just as a glorified ruler?
I bought one once but have never found the right use for it.

Thanks

[Neal]

I used the incra guage Both as a fence posiTioner and a depth gauge for the blade in the saw. I like the fact you can set it for a specific measurement and it locks in place using the meshing teeth. The biggest drawback to it is the blade needs to be raised higher to work as designed. It works great form depth gauge.

[Neal]

Pictures of the finished goods...

About two years ago, my wife and I remodeled our kitchen, which included the installation of new cabinets. We had all of the old cabinets, which I have repurposed into workshop cabinets. I put casters on them, so they can be moved around throughout the shop as mini work tables. And since they are all the same height, I can use them as a larger work surface for other things, too.



These were the base cabinets, they included a simple 18 inch one drawer box, a 4 drawer box, and a sink base. (the wall cabinets are also used, but do not really show up in the photo). The sink base, had drawer blanks because there was a sink in it.

One of my bright ideas was to build some drawer boxes and get some slides to add storage space to this sink base.

So, I used some scrap 1x8's (which were already painted and used for shelving somewhere). And created 14x20x3 drawers. I had some scrap 1/4" ply so I pieced together some pieces for the bottoms (thus the seam). Total cost was the drawer slides ($10) and some screws. The drawers are constructed with toungue and groove joints. While not super tight, they were tight enough to not have much play, and were a good start for learning some things with my saw.



I simply reattached the false fronts to the drawers to match the other cabinets and now I have more funcional storage for my shop.



I'm going to upgrade the slides for the other drawers (and those in my new kitchen cabients). THen it is on to my next major project the Ulitmate tool stand to replace my existing workbench.

[JimD]

There are many ways to make things like shop drawers that don't have to be "pretty". I recent gave the first couple dressers I made to Goodwill because there wasn't space in the new house for them. Both had drawers that had fronts glued and screwed to the sides. The screw holes were plugged but quite visible. The backs were screwed to the sides through the sides (so those screws were in shear). These dressers were about 30 years old when I gave them away and still functioning fine. They had been loaded with paper for the last 10 years or so - not the lightest contents. I would make drawers like this again but probably not for furniture. Dovetails look better and are easy with the right jig. But screwed together butt joints will hold up fine in my experience.