Exotic Hardwood, Personally Sourced Worldwide. Inspected at Origin. Shop Rare Stock.
Articles Forums Gallery Marketplace Videos

WoodCentral Forums

Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge

Rare Exotic & Domestic Hardwoods, Milled In-House in Oregon. Browse Unique Stock.

Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

Posts

Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#1

Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

Time to put this build to bed ... or at least next to a bed.

The Jarrah bases are complete with two coats of hard wax oil ...

M1.jpg



The plan is to bolt each drawer case to its base. The reason for this is it will make it possible to transport the nightstands more easily should this be in the future (there is a possibility I may enter them in the furniture competition put on by my club, which takes place in about 6 weeks - I doubt that anyone would take nightstands seriously). Transferring the holes to the case ...

M4.jpg



Inserts are sunk into the case for the M6 bolts ...

M5.jpg



... and bolted down ...

M6.jpg



Time to make drawer pulls. My wife suggested going without anything to retain the clean lines. That would have been nice, just not possible. So the next best idea was to try and make the pulls blend in and be as unobtrusive as possible.

The Tasmanian Oak drawers receive a similar pull. Here the plan is drawn out ...

M8.jpg



The underside of the pull receives a "dimple" for grip ...

M9.jpg



Before cutting out the shape of the bandsaw and shaping with rasps and files, the tenons are pared away ...

M11.jpg



Here the tiny drawer is being morticed for its tiny pull ...

M12.jpg



This is repeated with the larger drawer ...

M13.jpg



M15.jpg



Before the pulls can be fitted, they each need to coped to match the curve of the drawer. But finally ...

M16.jpg



M17.jpg



Note that the pulls are the same diameter as the top of the legs.

The pull on the tiny drawer is a tinier version ...

M18.jpg



Inside the drawer, I finalised the mechanism. This doubles as a guide and a drawer stop.

Closed ...

M19.jpg



Open ...

M20.jpg



The back can now be closed up. Each has a book-matched panel (mainly because I had run out of wood scraps), and is screwed down at the ends. Movement across the grain is permitted by the outer screw holes being elongated.

M21.jpg



And, last but not least, two completed nightstands ...

M22.jpg



I hope that you have enjoyed the journey with me.

Regards from Perth

Derek


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#2

Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

Beautiful result!


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#3

Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

Thanks for the documentation of the build. I enjoyed each post.


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

Edited #4

Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

I always love following your builds, Derek! as usual, you work to a level that is truly inspirational to the rest of us mere mortals.


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#5

Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

I've always enjoyed your posts and your designs. However, I wonder how durable are the drawer pulls? They seem fragile compared to their more robust metal counterparts.


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#6

Drawer pulls will never fail....

The grain direction is perpendicular to the drawer fronts...you could stand on them without fear of failure!

Beautiful work Derek!


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#7

Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

Just wonderful stuff.......of course, I've enjoyed this journey.......and so well documented and presented.......thank you.

And an interesting tool in picture 5........a type of compass......never seen one like that before.


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#8

Re: Drawer pulls will never fail....

Dave, Brian has it right. The grain direction ensures that there is strength here. I am not about to test this by standing on them ... :) ... but that may work!

Regards from Perth

Derek


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#9

Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

Thanks Roger. 

I purchased this compass a year or so ago, and this is one of the few occasions I have had to use it. Made by Makers Cabinet, and called the Iris. I think it is something out of Stargate :)


 


 

Regards from Perth

Derek


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#10

Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

Unique......brass......and shiny.......is a combination that tool makers know we find hard to resist.


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#12

Re: Drawer pulls will never fail....

Brian, if you want to trust your face to what appears to be a 1/8" tenon, go ahead, stand on it. Apparently it's strong enough for a small pull, else Mr. Cohen wouldn't use it. I simply wondered if it performed as well as metallic knobs.


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#13

Re: Drawer pulls will never fail....

Dave, a metal pull will always be stronger. The criteria, when I build a pull:

1. Will it compliment the design?

2. Will it be strong enough?

3. Will it be durable/reliable?

The Tasmanian Oak used is quarter sawn and straight-grained. The grain is orientated for maximum strength. While the tenon/mortice is 3mm (1/8") wide, in the drawer drawer it runs 15mm deep. 

This is about as strong as I can make it. 

It is also not the first time I have used this design (I think it lends itself to a curved cabinet fronts), so I have some experience of its reliability. My wife uses this cabinet a few times a week, and has does so for 4 years so far ...

Regards from Perth

Derek


 


 


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#14

Re: Drawer pulls will never fail....

This conversation is bringing back memories of my working days. Engineering always wanted to improve the design. Management hated that. The design worked and met the specs but engineering always wanted to make it better. 


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#15

Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

i posted this to the new forum and just learned that messages from there do not also get here -

looks great - must admit that as i watched the build i was a little worried about the contrasting wood tones - but came together beautifully - spot on.

thanks for the build tour

jc


Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#16

looks great - must admit that as i watched the build i was a little worried about the contrasting wood tones - but came together beautifully.
thanks for the build tour
jc

Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#17

Ellis Walentine

Beautiful job, Derek. Any qualms I may have had about contrasting hues have been resolved. The rose shading in the Tas oak picks up the Jarrah nicely, and the airspace provides a fine transition. I always get worried about lights and darks next to each other without a transitional element of some sort. 

The little drawers are sweet. What treasures do you plan to hide in there?

Cheers,
Ellis

Re: Nightstands: Fiddling all the way to the end

#18

johannaj

Those are great, Derek.  I particularly like the wee drawer in the back of the case.  It makes me want to make something that has such a nice little feature.  

The wood pulls unify the contrasting drawer fronts - nice touch!

👍 This page answered my questions

Your vote helps other woodworkers quickly find the answers and techniques that actually work in the shop.