cabinetmakers

workbench
Drawers
Add plenty of storage space with this
easy-to-build, slip-in drawer cabinet.
The workbench in Australian DRAWER CASE sides and form the openings for
Woodsmith 80 (page 40) offers a The drawer cabinet consists of the drawers. Figure 1 gives you a
lot of storage space on the shelf an outer case that slips into the starting point for the dimensions,
underneath. To make better use of opening under the bench. Youre but you may need to make some
that space for storing smaller items, going to build the case from the minor adjustments so the case fits
you can build the drawer cabinet inside out, starting with the drawer your workbench. I made my case
shown in the photo above. frames. These frames connect the about 4mm narrower and shorter
than the opening.
1 REAR RAIL DRAWER STOP
(#/75
4" x 19
#/4"x-19
3")
Frames. The two side stiles and
the centre stile of each frame are
(#/4" xx 65
880 3" -x35")
19 C STILE
H (#/
3744" x 3"
65- x20!/2")
19 connected with front and back
D
CENTER GUIDE
CENTRE GUIDE rails. I used radiata pine for all of
475
(#/4" xx 1"
25- 25")
x 19 D
the frame components except for
E the front rails. For these, I used
Oregon to match the bench.
8g
#8x 32mm c/s
x 1!/4" Fh
5&/8
152 WOODSCREW Front & Rear Rails. To start on the
frames, I cut the front and rear rails
19#/4 to size. The length of the rails and
ATTACH CASE BACK
NOTE: WITH GLUE the 14"-deep trenches and rebates
TRENCHES
DADOES AFTER DRAWERS ARE
AND FITTED AND STOPS in the case sides will determine the
REBATES
RABBETS ARE INSTALLED
ARE !/6mm
4" 152
5&/8
final width of the assembled cabi-
DEEP A net. As I mentioned earlier, size the
AND
SIZED TO CASE SIDE rails so that the cabinet will slide
FIT FRAMES (18#/8"
630 xx475
25" x- 19 Ply.)
#/4"ply
easily into the workbench opening
F EDGING (right photo, next page). To finish
(#/4475
" x #/x4"19
- 18#/8")
x 19
GUIDE BLOCK up the rails, cut a centred groove
(!/2"
90x x#/419
" -x3!/2")
12 C B
FRONT RAIL G along one edge for the 10mm stub
(#/4" x x3"65
880 - 35")
x 19 CASE BACK tenons on the stiles.
(18#/8"
906x x36"
475- #/x419
" ply.)
Short Stiles. The only thing
a. FRONT !/4 b. TOP VIEW c. 8g
#8x 32mm
WOODSCREW
c/s
x 1!/4" Fh
STOP
special about the side and centre
VIEW !/64
!/64 stiles is the stub tenon on each end.
A dado blade makes quick work of
cutting all the tenons. At this point,
19
#/4 WEB 12
!/2 GUIDE you can glue up the four frames
FRAME BLOCK 1
25 REAR
8g#8
x 32mm
x 1" Fh c/s SIDE RAIL before adding the centre guides.
6 WOODSCREW
!/4
VIEW

www.australianwoodsmith.com.au Australian Woodsmith No. 80

 Centre Guides. After the glue dries, just takes a few test cuts to
you can add the centre drawer get a perfect fit. The goal
guides. Theyre centred and at- is to end up with an even
tached to the underside of the gap at the top and sides of
top three frames with screws, as the drawer front. Once all
shown in Figure 1. of the basic joinery is done,
Case Sides. With the frames assem- there are a couple of things
bled, the case sides come next. The left to do.
sides have trenches and rebates to Grooves & Notches. Cut-
accept the frames. But before cut- ting a groove for the ply-
ting these, I added an Oregon trim wood bottom is pretty
along the front edge to hide the simple. Just remember
plywood or MDF. to cut the 6mm groove
Assembly. At this point youre on the inside face of all
ready to assemble the sides and the drawer parts. And Sliding Case. The
drawer case slips into
frames. The key is to keep every- before you can assemble
the workbench frame and is
thing square while the glue dries. the drawer, you need to
secured with screws.
I didnt attach the back panel cut a notch in the drawer
until later. Leaving it off makes it back. Size the notch for a
easier to add the drawer stops after smooth, sliding fit along screwed to each side of the case.
the drawers are in place. the centre drawer guide. To size them, I fastened them with
Assembly. Finally, you can as- double-sided tape. I start out by
DRAWERS semble the drawers, making sure making them a little thick. This
The three large drawers are identi- theyre square. While the glue way, you can sand them down
cal in size and construction. The dries, you can cut the stiffeners later for a perfect fit of the drawer.
sides are joined to the front with a that are glued to the bottom. A Hardware and Fitting. Adding the
locking rebate joint and to the back little glue and a clamping caul are drawer pulls now makes it easier
with a tongue and groove joint. Fig- all you need to attach it. to fine-tune the drawers for a
ure 2 gives you the details. You can Guides Block. As shown in Figure smooth fit. I used a drilling jig to
cut these joints on the table saw. It 1, there are small guide blocks help locate all of the holes.
Like I said, you may need to sand
or plane the guide blocks while fit-
2 ting the drawers. And a little wax
NOTE: CUT
CUTAACENTERED
CENTRED on the frames and drawer parts
NOTCH SLIGHTLY LARGER
DRAWER BACK
THAN CENTER GUIDE goes a long way to help the large
(#/825
4" x x5"130
- 32#/
x 194") drawers slide easily. Then you can
K
permanently attach the blocks.
Now you can add the rear
drawer stops to position the drawer
DRAWER BOTTOM fronts flush with the case. Finally,
818 xx600
(23&/8" 32!/2"x 6mm ply
- !/4" Ply.)
KNOB L its time to attach the case back with
glue. After that, simply slide the
125
5
60
2!/4 cabinet into the bench and fasten it
in with screws. Then all youre left
I with is the task of filling the draw-
DRAWER FRONT
(#/ " x 5" -
864 x 130 x 19
4 34#/8") J ers with your tools. W
DRAWER SIDE STIFFENER
(#/
6304" xx5"
130- 25")
x 19 (!/4 " x x3"65
588 - 23#/8")
x6
M
DRAWER a. 3
BOTTOM

13
!/2
b. #/8 DRAWER #/8 DRAWER
BOTTOM
SIDE
1#/16
29 NOTE: DRAWER SHOWN
!/6
4 9.5 UPSIDE DOWN
9.5
DRAWER
GUIDE NOTE: FRONT
BLOCK CENTRER AND
CENTER AND
FRONT VIEW TOP VIEW GLUE STIFFENER TO
10
#/8 3
!/8 3!/8 10
#/8 DRAWER BOTTOM

www.australianwoodsmith.com.au Australian Woodsmith No. 80

C DRWR. FRAME F/B RAIL (8) 3/4 x 3 - 35
D DRWR.FRAME SIDE (12 ) 3/4 x 3 - 20 1/2
E DRWR. CENTER GUIDE (3) 3/4 x 1 - 25
F DRWR. SIDE GUIDE (6) 1/2 x 3/4 - 3 1/2

cabinetmakers
G DRWR. CASE BACK (1) 18 3/8 x 36 - 3/4 PLY.
H DRAWER FRONT (3) 3/4 x 5 - 34 3/8

workbench
I DRAWER SIDE (6) 3/4 x 5 - 25

Drawers
J DRAWER BACK (3) 3/4 x 5 - 32 3/4
K DRAWER BOTTOM (3) 32 x 23 7/8 - 1/4 PLY.
L BOTTOM STIFFENER (3) 1/4 x 3 - 23 3/8
M DRAWER STOP (3) 3/4 x 3/4 - 3

Materials & Hardware

A Case Sides (2) 630 x 475 x 19 Ply.
B Edging (2) 475 x 19 x 19
C Front/Rear Rails (8) 880 x 65 x 19
D Stiles (12) 374 x 65 x 19
E Centre Guides (3) 475 x 25 x 19
F Guide Blocks (6) 90 x 19 x 12
G Case Back (1) 906 x 475 x 19 Ply.
H Drawer Stops (3) 75 x 19 x 19
I Drawer Fronts (3) 864 x 130 x 19
J Drawer Sides (6) 630 x 130 x 19
K Drawer Backs (3) 825 x 130 x 19
L Drawer Bottoms (3) 818 x 600 x 6 Ply.
M Stiffeners (3) 588 x 65 x 6
(6) Drawer Pulls

Cutting Diagram
#/4" x x6!/2"
1800 140- x72" DOUGLAS FIR (3.3 Bd. Ft.)
19 Oregon
C C
C C

#/4" x x6!/2"
1800 140- x72" MAPLE (3.3
19 Radiata Pine Bd. Ft.)
C C
C C

#/4" x 6!/2"
2400 x 140- x96" MAPLE (2
19 Radiata Boards
Pine @ 4.3 Bd. Ft. each)
(2 Boards)
D D D M
D D D

1800 x 191
#/4" x 6" x 19DOUGLAS
- 72" Oregon FIR (4.0 Bd. Ft.)

I I

B
#/4" x x6"191
1800 - 72"
x 19DOUGLAS
Oregon FIR (4.0 Bd. Ft.)
E H F F
I
M

#/4" x 6!/2"
2400 x 140- x96" DOUGLAS
19 Radiata PineFIR
(3 (3 Boards @ 4.3 Bd. Ft. each)
Boards)
K J J

2400
48" x x96"
1200
- !/4x"6mm Ply or Masonite
PLYWOOD 2400
48" x x96"
1200
- #/4x"19mm Ply
PLYWOOD

A A
L L

www.australianwoodsmith.com.au Australian Woodsmith No. 80