Chest of drawers

[estesbubba]

Shane your project is looking fantastic. Can't wait to see it with finish on it. 

[shaneymack]

Shane your project is looking fantastic. Can't wait to see it with finish on it. 

Thanks Mike! I can't wait either!

[Eric.]

Thanks Eric. Cmon man, you don't get pumped to build dust frames? Lol. Anytime i can use a power tool or work with wood I'm pretty happy. I guess it gets me out of the crazy house. With 4 young kids ones always, crapping, or puking or crying or screaming or fighting, i could keep going. All to say, its a nice relaxing time, the short times i get in the shop, even to do dust frames. I am pretty excited to get to the drawers though. I was going to buy one of Rob Cosmans saws and knock out all the dovetails by hand but i want to be able to get this thing sprayed outdoors before its -64c outside so i might pick up a leigh or omnijig....

Oh trust me, I get it.  I've only got half the craziness in my house that you have.  But if I had four kids instead of two, I imagine the only thing I'd be building in my shop is a pointy, whittled stick so I could stab myself in the brain and put myself out of my misery. LOL

[Mick S]

Thanks micks! I hope you do a project journal so we can follow along with your chest of drawers build as well!

If I can remember to pull out my camera now & then, I just might!

[shaneymack]

Oh trust me, I get it.  I've only got half the craziness in my house that you have.  But if I had four kids instead of two, I imagine the only thing I'd be building in my shop is a pointy, whittled stick so I could stab myself in the brain and put myself out of my misery. LOL

Hahaha!! Its definitely not that bad, I just need to disconnect from the madness every now and then. :D

[TerryMcK]

Thanks Terry! My assembly table is a little under 36" and so is my workbench. With the chest of drawers on it which is about 48" tall it's about 7' to the top. I'm 6'-3" tall so its not too much of a stretch. Being tall, I prefer stretching than bending over. Anything higher than this chest could start to get uncomfortable. I guess ideally, one would have an adjustable height assembly table! That sounds nice. How high is your assembly table Terry?

It's roughly 24" when on top of my modular saw horses. The saw horses can have different "legs" made to suit any height though (the saw horses are made from 3/4" plywood) and the design is below. It doesn't look very strong but looks are deceptive it easily taking my bulk and is very stable when loaded.

I have the build of the saw horse here http://www.woodtalkonline.com/topic/16909-knock-down-saw-horses-and-low-assembly-table/#comment-170038. I also use it without the torsion box top as a platform to break down sheet goods. 

And the torsion box assembly table here http://www.woodtalkonline.com/topic/18676-a-low-assembly-table/

The thing I find good about having the top of the project a little lower is it makes fitting parts like drawers, scraping glue squeeze out from what was previously way in the air and lots of other related things a lot easier. The down side (no pun intended) of course is anything on the project needing finessing 2 feet off the ground means having to sit at a chair (or stoop) but I thought lowering was the better of two evils. I have found that I get less upper body problems, no more back ache and more productivity.  

BTW the contrast between the two woods you have chosen looks awesome Shane. When you get some finish on it'll look superb.

[shaneymack]

It's roughly 24" when on top of my modular saw horses. The saw horses can have different "legs" made to suit any height though (the saw horses are made from 3/4" plywood) and the design is below. It doesn't look very strong but looks are deceptive it easily taking my bulk and is very stable when loaded.

I have the build of the saw horse here http://www.woodtalkonline.com/topic/16909-knock-down-saw-horses-and-low-assembly-table/#comment-170038. I also use it without the torsion box top as a platform to break down sheet goods. 

And the torsion box assembly table here http://www.woodtalkonline.com/topic/18676-a-low-assembly-table/

The thing I find good about having the top of the project a little lower is it makes fitting parts like drawers, scraping glue squeeze out from what was previously way in the air and lots of other related things a lot easier. The down side (no pun intended) of course is anything on the project needing finessing 2 feet off the ground means having to sit at a chair (or stoop) but I thought lowering was the better of two evils. I have found that I get less upper body problems, no more back ache and more productivity.  

BTW the contrast between the two woods you have chosen looks awesome Shane. When you get some finish on it'll look superb.

Nice assembly table Terry. Now I remember seeing that thread as you built it. If I had space, I would like to have a low assembly table In addition to the one I have. It's a great idea. Sent from my XP7700 using Tapatalk

[Tom Cancelleri]

Looks great Shane! I have the guild build DVD set. It looks like a fun build. Have you thought about what you're going to use as finish yet?

[shaneymack]

Looks great Shane! I have the guild build DVD set. It looks like a fun build. Have you thought about what you're going to use as finish yet?

Thanks Tom. It is a fun build, i'm having a blast!

I am going to use some waterbourne pre cat laquer 25 degree made by becker acroma. My only issue is I'm afraid the waterbourne stuff will leave the walnut looking cool and greenish. Maybe I will have to put something on it first to keep its warmth. 

Any sugestions?

Edit: it is their akva line 212 pre cat i believe   www.acromapro.com

 

 

Edited August 3, 2015 by shaneymack

[Tom Cancelleri]

Thanks Tom. It is a fun build, i'm having a blast!

I am going to use some waterbourne pre cat laquer 40 degree made by becker acroma. My only issue is I'm afraid the waterbourne stuff will leave the walnut looking cool and greenish. Maybe I will have to put something on it first to keep its warmth. 

Any sugestions?

You could do an oil and let it fully cure before spraying with the lacquer. It'll add to the amount of time the finishing will take, but the oil will give the wood great warmth.

[wdwerker]

Try natural Watco Danish oil, a very thin coat !  You also might try a Natural stain. Or a coat of shellac. I would make test boards ,Watco, Nat stain, shellac and just the raw walnut. Sand all the same then oil/ stain etc , let dry  then give it a couple of coats of your waterbourne finish.

Don't use BLO it can take forever to dry and most waterbourne's don't like to stick to it. If you insist the let it fully cure a few weeks and give it a coat or 2 of shellac

[shaneymack]

Try natural Watco Danish oil, a very thin coat !  You also might try a Natural stain. Or a coat of shellac. I would make test boards ,Watco, Nat stain, shellac and just the raw walnut. Sand all the same then oil/ stain etc , let dry  then give it a couple of coats of your waterbourne finish.

Don't use BLO it can take forever to dry and most waterbourne's don't like to stick to it. If you insist the let it fully cure a few weeks and give it a coat or 2 of shellac

Thanks Steve. I've never experimented with multiple finishes. I've always been a spray it and leave it kind of guy for big projects and ARS or danish oil alone on small stuff. I will try a coat of danish oil and then the pre cat and see what it's like. When I met the sales rep for this product he said it does give a slight greenish tint to walnut so I want to avoid that at all costs for obvious reasons. Sent from my XP7700 using Tapatalk

[Tom Cancelleri]

+1 for the Danish oil

[moonjam]

Looking great!

[Janello]

Lookin great shaney! 

[shaneymack]

***WARNING*** Following post contains some serious router porn. Proceed at your own risk.

Time to dado the side panels and back divider to accept the dust frames. Super important these are all perfectly inline for obvious reasons. I marked the centers of each dado while dry fit. I then took it apart and layed the 2 side panels and the rear divider next to each other with the center mark of each dado in line. I routed the 3/4" dados with my new toy.

Enter stage left, the baddest a** router ive ever used I used the rail to guide the router. Used the offset base for rail use. Set my depth Lined up router center with dado center line. Made a guage to set the opposite side of the rail. Brought gauge to opposite side to center router Locked and loaded. Ready to go to town on some cherry. First dado complete. I repeated the process on the other center lines. Result; Put humpty back together

Everything is perfectly in line and ready to receive the dust frames.

The of2200 router is one of the most impressive tools i have ever used. Heres my quick review;

Dust collection 10/10

Power 10/10

Ergonomics 11/10

Slow start 10/10

Motor brake 10/10

Depth/ turret stop 10/10

Accesories 10/10

Use on the rail 10/10

Im in love with another festool.

 

Edited August 7, 2015 by shaneymack

[..Kev]

Looks awesome!  What's the plan fort the corners?  Notching the frames or mortising the corners?

[shaneymack]

Looks awesome!  What's the plan fort the corners?  Notching the frames or mortising the corners?

Thanks Kev! They will be nothced. I cant mortise the legs because it would be visible on the front legs. Need to be real careful making those front nothches.

[Tom Cancelleri]

***WARNING*** Following post contains some serious router porn. Proceed at your own risk. Time to dado the side panels and back divider to accept the dust frames. Super important these are all perfectly inline for obvious reasons. I marked the centers of each dado while dry fit. I then took it apart and layed the 2 side panels and the rear divider next to each other with the center mark of each dado in line. I routed the 3/4" dados with my new toy. Enter stage left, the baddest a** router ive ever used uI used the rail to guide the router. Used the offset base for rail use. Set my depth Lined up router center with dado center line. Made a guage to set the opposite side of the rail. Brought gauge to opposite side to center router Locked and loaded. Ready to go to town on some cherry. First dado complete. I repeated the process on the other center lines. Result; Put humpty back together Everything is perfectly in line and ready to receive the dust frames. The of2200 router is one of the most impressive tools i have ever used. Heres my quick review; Dust collection 10/10 Power 10/10 Ergonomics 11/10 Slow start 10/10 Motor brake 10/10 Depth/ turret stop 10/10 Accesories 10/10 Use on the rail 10/10 Im in love with another festool. Edit: Another tapatalk issue: No paragraphs. Post looks like crap. Sorry. I did have paragraphs but it jammed everything together. Hopefully this will get worked out.

 

it is badass, awesome doesn't describe it well.

[shaneymack]

 

it is badass, awesome doesn't describe it well.

Assuming you would rate this thing similar to how i did. I cant find any negatives.

[Tom Cancelleri]

Assuming you would rate this thing similar to how i did. I cant find any negatives.

The only negative is that taking it out of the systainer is a pain because there is no good way to really grip it Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk

[wnaziri]

I have been lurking lately and have been following this thread as I am also building a chest of drawers.  I am making it all out of mahogany and I am almost finished.  One more hand cut dovetail drawers and I will have all the drawers done.

Shaney, you are making it look very easy.  Your build is looking great!

By the way, everyone blames Tom C. but I should blame you as I have, sadly, started buying Festool products.  You guys are costing me lots of money lately.

[..Kev]

Looks like another victim of the green Koolaid!

[shaneymack]

I have been lurking lately and have been following this thread as I am also building a chest of drawers.  I am making it all out of mahogany and I am almost finished.  One more hand cut dovetail drawers and I will have all the drawers done.

Shaney, you are making it look very easy.  Your build is looking great!

By the way, everyone blames Tom C. but I should blame you as I have, sadly, started buying Festool products.  You guys are costing me lots of money lately.

Haha! Good job man! Good place to put your money! Thanks for the comments. When you are finished post some pics in the project showcase area. Id love to see it. Make sure you get a few pics of your new festools in there as well!

[shaneymack]

Looks like another victim of the green Koolaid!

Once you pop, you just can't stop!!