Guide to Shaker details

w
THE BEST OF

Shaker
furniture
12 great projects
and plans
Cabinets and dressers
Tables for every room
PLUS:
sSkill-building
techniques
sExpert design advice
sOnline extras
and videos

Shaker Furniture – Spring 2018

you
yo ur
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wooodwo
dworrk
kiin
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FASTENER GUIDE TRUSS HEAD OVAL HEAD

FLAT HEADS TRUSS

Lower, wider head
for functional OVAL
hardware For hinges &
hardware with
curved surfaces
FLAT FLAT WITH NIBS BUGLE UNDERCUT FLAT
Used in a wide range of applications that require the head
to countersink into the material and sit flush
ROUND WASHER HEADS
PAN HEADS L
ROUND WASHER LARGE ROUND LOW PROFILE
HEAD WASHER HEAD ROUND WASHER
HEAD
Can be used in any application where the head
PAN MODIFIED PAN LOW PROFILE does not need to be countersunk & pulls the
PAN material together creating a tight joint
Used in a variety of components that do
not require the head to countersink

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www.f i newoodwor k i n g.com SHAKER FURNITURE 3

 w
THE BEST OF

Shaker
furniture
Techniques and projects from the editor s of F ine Woodwor king

6 On the Web
8 Introduction
60 ONE TABLE.
TWO WAYS

By Christian Becksvoort

10 Quick Tips

Design
14 Classic Shaker
Discover the difference
between the masterful
and the near-miss
BY CHRISTIAN
BECKSVOORT

22 Elements of the
Shaker Style Techniques Small Projects
A working pro reveals the
authentic details that help
him stay true to the form 26 Keep Your Doors 40 Step Stool
BY CHRISTIAN Closed Durable design
Handmade latches add function will last a lifetime
BECKSVOORT
and flair to your furniture BY CHRISTIAN
BY CHRISTIAN BECKSVOORT
BECKSVOORT

46 Lap Desk
30 Turn Pulls Celebrate pen and ink
Without a Lathe with this quintessential case
Create custom knobs using BY CHRISTIAN
your drill press BECKSVOORT
BY CHRISTIAN
BECKSVOORT 54 Shaker Boxes
68 ICONIC
SIDE TABLE 34 Rediscovering
Master the basics,
and you’ll be building
these in bunches
Milk Paint
BY PETE BAXTER
Get a rich, traditional look
or break out of the bag
for a wide range of effects
BY NANCY HILLER

Photos:
 Shaker furniture
Issue Art Director Michael Pekovich

Issue Copy Editor Elizabeth Healy

Contributing Designer Kelly J. Dunton

Editorial Director Thomas McKenna

Creative Director Michael Pekovich

Deputy Editor Jonathan Binzen

Deputy Art Director John Tetreault

108 BUILT-IN
CABINETS
Special Projects Editor

Associate Editor
Matthew Kenney

Anissa Kapsales

Associate Editor/ Barry NM Dima

Social Media
Tables Cabinets Managing Editor/ Elizabeth Healy
Production

60 One Table, Two Ways 84 Simple Hanging Administrative Assistant Betsy Engel

Choose your favorite version Cabinet Contributing Editors Christian Becksvoort

of this classic Garrett Hack
The Shakers had this Roland Johnson
BY CHRISTIAN diminutive design pegged Steve Latta
BECKSVOORT Michael Fortune
BY CHRISTIAN BECKSVOORT
Chris Gochnour

68 Iconic Side Table 90 The Enfield Cupboard,

FineWoodworking.com

Build a delicate version Web Producer Ben Strano

of this rare round stand Updated Manager, Video Studio Jeff Roos
BY CHRISTIAN Historic Shaker cabinet Video Director Colin Russell
gets a face-lift
BECKSVOORT
B Y M AT T K E N N E Y Executive Editor, Books Peter Chapman

76 Trestle Table
98 Classic Cupboard
Form meets function
Handsome storage cabinet
in this timeless design
is comfortable in any room
BY CHRISTIAN
BY CHRISTIAN BECKSVOORT
BECKSVOORT
108 Built-in Cabinetry
Add charm to any home with
customized storage cabinets
BY CHRISTIAN BECKSVOORT
116 Chimney Cupboard
An original piece with classic
looks and easy joinery
BY MICHAEL PEKOVICH
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VIDEO
A Shaker Staple
Milk paint (p. 34) is more than just a traditional
finish—it’s a hallmark of Shaker design. Learn how
to lay on a super-smooth coat of this 19th-century
staple in our step-by-step video. Independent publishers since 1975
Founders, Paul & Jan Roman

VIDEO President & CEO Dan McCarthy

CFO Mark Fernberg
Redesigning Furniture Classics
CTO Brian Magnotta
Build beautiful furniture reproductions that aren’t
SVP, Consumer Marketing Paula Backer
beholden to old-world anachronisms. Listen to our
in-depth interview with Fine Woodworking special VP, Controller Robert Caldaroni
projects editor Matt Kenney (p. 90). VP, Human Resources Carol Marotti

VIDEO: Turn a Shaker Leg SVP, Home & Construction Renee Jordan
Breeze through this elegant turning (p. 60) with SVP, Fine Cooking John Boland
expert guidance from Christian Becksvoort.
Publishers of magazines, books, videos, and online
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VIDEO WORKSHOP
Chimney Cupboard Fit for a Shaker
Build the traditional Shaker chimney cupboard featured on p. 116,
with step-by-step video instruction. Furniture maker Michael
Pekovich highlights a variety of construction techniques, including:

● A simplified face-frame method

● Traditional dovetailed drawers
● Straightforward frame-and-panel joinery

6 FINE WOODWORKING
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Turning
THE NEW

WOOD
© 2017 The Taunton Press

with
Richard Raffan

www.f i newoodwor k i n g.com SHAKER FURNITURE 7

introduction
A LIFETIME OF INSPIRATION
When the Shakers made furniture and built-ins, they placed function at the
fore. As a matter of fact, they were the first to state: “That which has in
itself the highest use, possesses the greatest beauty.” That was almost a
century before Louis Sullivan declared that “form follows function.” Though
highly functional, Shaker furniture is also defined by its clean, simple lines
and superb craftsmanship—all reasons why the style remains popular today.
I’ve been building and restoring Shaker furniture for more than 40 years.
My infatuation with Shaker design started in college, during an architectural
appreciation course. It continued a few years later, when I saw actual
examples of Shaker furniture at the Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Little did I realize that years later, a few of those very pieces would end up
in my shop in Maine in order for me to make accurate reproductions.
As with other furniture styles,
Shaker furniture evolved over time.
Early Shaker pieces were of wide
board construction, with raised-panel
doors, face-mounted hinges, wide face
frames, and frequent use of a variety
of milk paints. After 1820, classic
Shaker designs reached their zenith,
with utilitarian forms, more frame-and-
panel construction, flat or “pillowed”
panels, slender chair elements,
understated moldings, simple turnings,
mushroom knobs, and a combination
of paints and natural finishes. After
1860, Victorian influences crept in, with designs that featured arched doors,
more complex and ornate moldings, scrollsawn gingerbread details, and
more clear finishes as opposed to the bright paints.
In this special collection of Fine Woodworking articles, you’ll find some of
the best information on Shaker and Shaker-inspired furniture. We’re hoping
it will spark in you a similar infatuation to the one that has captivated me
for all these years. In today’s world, design fads come and go. In my opinion,
Shaker design, having survived over two centuries, will continue to be valued
and much appreciated.
—CHRIS TIAN BECKS VOOR T, f ur nit ur e mak er, F i n e Woo d w o r k i n g c o n tri b u ti n g e d i to r,
a n d e x p e r t i n Sh a k e r d e si g n

8 FINE WOODWORKING
 42 Years
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SHAKER FURNITURE 9
 quick tips Wood block
Steel rule
Back is angled at 45°
so rule faces up.

Handy holder saves turning time

Which tool do I use—and lose—most often while wood
turning? It’s my favorite 6-in. steel rule, the one I use to
set my calipers. It usually ends up buried under a pile of
wood chips. I solved this problem by mounting the rule on
a hardwood block, which I attached to the front side of the
lathe bed. I used double-sided tape for both tasks, thin tape
for the rule and the thicker type with the foam core for the
block, which keeps it secure on the irregular surface. The
back of the block is angled at 45° so the rule faces up. 3
⁄8-in.-dia. hole
While I was at it, I drilled a hole into the end of the holds pencil.
block to hold a pencil, the tool I lose only slightly
less often. The block has saved me a lot of time
digging through curly shavings, and having the
rule fixed in place leaves both hands free for Fixed rule makes
it easier to set Block is attached to
adjusting the calipers. lathe with foam-backed,
calipers.
—BILL WEL L S , Olymp ia, Was h. double-sided tape.

Turn pipe clamps into support stands

When my pipe clamps aren’t working as clamps, they double as versatile shop stands.
To create a broad, stable base, I glue up a stack of 12-in.-dia. disks of 3⁄4-in.-thick MDF
and screw a 3⁄4-in. pipe flange to the top. I then remove the fixed jaw from the pipe
and screw the end into the flange, with the sliding jaw facing upward. To make the
cross arms, I drill a 11⁄8-in.-dia. hole through the middle of a board for the pipe, and
a shallow 1-in. hole next to it for flush-mounting a 1-in.-dia. rare-earth magnet. This
powerful magnet grabs the adjustable clamp jaw firmly, keeping the arm level. This
Sliding pipe- setup lets me easily raise, lower, and pivot the cross arm to the optimum height for
Support arm, clamp jaw,
wood the job at hand. I use the stand to support the ends of long boards at my drill press
facing upward
or miter saw. I also use it to hold work lights, as well as a dust-collection hose at my
lathe, drill press, and workbench. You can add more than one cross arm, so one stand
can hold multiple items, which saves space in a small shop.
3
⁄4-in. pipe with —B O B MI T C HE LL, Ma di s o n , W i s .
Light stand threaded ends

Work
support

3
⁄4-in. pipe
flange

Drill hole 1-in.-dia. rare-earth

slightly bigger magnet, epoxied
than pipe. into shallow hole,
grips clamp jaw.

Stack of MDF disks

10 FINE WOODWORKING Drawings: Dan Thornton

 Fence is a sandwich of
1
⁄2-in. and 3⁄4-in. plywood,
11⁄4 in. thick by 21⁄2 in. wide
by 26 in. long (same length
Clamping knobs as table).

Hold-down

Top plate rides top of fence to

T-track accepts
1 keep stop square to workpiece.
⁄4-in. T-bolts.

High-low drill-press fence does it all

When using my drill press, I find that some workpieces need
to be held down firmly, while others benefit from a stop block
for repeat positioning. This two-position drill-press fence does
both jobs perfectly. I can use it upright with a stop block or
down low with a hold-down—either one positioned anywhere
along the fence’s length. The fence attaches and adjusts
quickly in both positions by means of T-tracks in the table.
The fence is a plywood sandwich that I dadoed for the
T-track and bolts. For the T-bolts that secure the fence to the
table, I just drilled holes.
The hardware is from Rockler.com. Sliding stop
— DEA N M . VA NDE GR IEND, S t or y C i ty, I o w a

Candy tin stores small rag for oiling hand tools

I avoid corrosion on my hand tools caused by finger oil or
moisture in the air by wiping them down with oil after I
use or sharpen them. But sometimes I can’t be bothered to
Small rag wet
with jojoba oil
put oil on a new rag or clean the wood chips off my old
one. So recently I cut up a few rags to fit in the rectangular
tins that Altoids mints come in. I wet the rags with jojoba
oil, my favorite rust preventer. Now I have oily rags clean
and ready to go in a few key spots in the shop. I’m aware
Oil hand tools after
of the danger of oily rags spontaneously combusting, but I
sharpening and use. haven’t noticed these tins getting even slightly warm in the
six months I’ve used them.
—D E A N VA N D E G R I EN D, S t o r y Ci t y, Io w a

Editor’s note: Jojoba, like mineral oil, evaporates and

dries very slowly, so its potential for generating heat is
Store rag in
an Altoids tin. lower than the oils and oil blends more commonly used for
finishing.

SHAKER FURNITURE 11
quick tips continued

Invisible repair for splintered corner Insert paper in

crack, then smear
When a splintered edge grows to a dagger, on glue, working it
back and forth.
well beyond what can be easily rounded
over, it can be hard to glue back down,
mainly because it’s hard to get glue in the
crack. Prying open the splinter risks making
the crack bigger or, worse, having the piece
break off. At some point I realized that a Use painter’s tape
piece of paper is the perfect tool for getting to clamp splinter
glue into that small space. in place.
First slide the paper under the splinter
as far as it will go, and apply a generous
amount of glue to the paper on one side of
the crack. Then work the paper back and
forth to pull the glue under the splinter.
When most of the glue is removed from the
paper, pull it out and stretch several strips
of blue painter’s tape across the splinter to
clamp it down. It creates an invisible repair.
—MARK ED MU NDS ON, S and p oint , Id aho

Drill out waste between dovetail pins

When making through-dovetails, I find it laborious to chisel out
all of the waste between the pins, and cutting it out with a
coping saw is only slightly better. With the saw I’m anxious not
to cross the baseline while making the long cut, so I leave a lot
on the waste side of the line to be chopped and pared. And for
half-blind dovetails, the coping saw isn’t an option.
Nowadays, what I do in both cases is remove the bulk of the
waste with a Forstner bit in a drill press, set at a slow speed for
good control. On through-dovetails this leaves a small amount
to cut out with the coping saw, with a natural spot in the
middle for starting the cut in each direction. For half-blinds, it
leaves far less chisel work to do. I set a depth stop for drilling
those. Obviously when you choose the drill bit, you need to
measure on the narrower side of the waste.
—H U G H SA X T O N , Sto c k b ri d g e , Ha m ps h i r e , E n g l a n d

Pins board
Natural starting
place for the
coping saw,
making it easy
to control
Choose Forstner
bit that just fits
between pins.

Place scrapwood
Narrow side of below for clean
pins faces up. exit holes.

12 FINE WOODWORKING
 t e n t o
Liysour passion

Expert, lively
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devoted to
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SHOP TALK L VE

SHOP TALK L VE
Tom McKenna, Mike Pekovich, Matt Kenney and The Fine Homebuilding Podcast digs deep into
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© 2017 The Taunton Press
 DESIGN

Classic Shaker

14 FINE WOODWORKING
Discover the difference between the masterful and the near-miss

B Y
C H R I S T I A N B E C K S V O O R T

M any furniture makers are inspired to build

Shaker pieces. I can see why. After all,
Shaker design embodies all you’d want in
a piece of furniture. The style is defined by clean
lines and excellent craftsmanship, and more impor-
tantly, the pieces are highly functional. But it can
be hard to distinguish a piece that’s truly Shaker
from one that’s diluted by non-Shaker influences.
Like any other seminal furniture style or move-
ment, Shaker style experienced different periods.
Initially, the Shakers were influenced by the fur-
niture they found in New England. Then, around
1820, Shaker design came into its own. For the
next 40 years, the Shakers produced their finest
furniture. The worldly influences found in earlier
furniture were gone and their work took on that
classic and unique look the Shakers are famous for.
After 1860, Shaker communities began to decline
and outside influences, particularly Victorian, crept
back into Shaker work.
Shaker pieces are abundant, and you can copy
any that strike your fancy. But to build in the truly
classic style, you need to know its forms and de-
tails. I’ve been around Shaker furniture since the
1970s, helping to restore and even build pieces for
the Sabbathday Lake Shakers in Maine, and I’ve
gained an insight into what makes a piece quintes-
sentially Shaker. This guide was drawn from two
New England Shaker villages: Sabbathday Lake and
Hancock. I’ll show five types of furniture, pointing
out details that arose from outside and those born
in the movement that make the pieces classic.

Christian Becksvoort is a longtime furniture maker

and designer in New Gloucester, Maine, and an expert
on Shaker furniture.

Online Extra
See the water-powered machinery
at Hancock Shaker Village at
FineWoodworking.com/shakerfurniture.

SHAKER FURNITURE 15
 Candle stands
Candle stands are among the most diverse
and creative designs of any Shaker furniture.
But within all that diversity there is a uniquely
Shaker spin on the form.

PRIMITIVE
Simple and unrefined. Early stands like
this one, built in 1820 at Sabbathday Lake
Shaker Village in Maine, have the least
ornate posts and legs. The post has a long
swell-taper that ends in a small cove above
a cylinder. The legs are really slightly tapered
dowels fit into drilled mortises in the post.
The rectangular and square-edge top is
another indication of early design.

QUEEN ANNE
Snake in the garden. The most
prominent features on this stand
are the Queen Anne snakefoot
legs, an obvious worldly influence.
The post’s shape has become
more ornate. The top has been
dressed up as well, having an
undercut ovolo edge profile.
QUINTESSENTIAL
Reminiscent of a wine
bottle, the post starts at the
top with a tulip-shaped swell
that flows downward through
a stretched out S-curve and
ends in a cylinder with a
slightly reduced diameter.
The beautiful “spider” legs Every detail counts.
taper in thickness from Tapered in thickness and
top to bottom and dovetail beveled on the edge, even the
into the post, where their brace under the top (rarely,
curve creates a seamless if ever, seen) is elegant. The
transition from leg to post. post’s tulip-shaped swell is
The round top has a slightly another perfectly executed
radiused edge profile. but mostly unseen detail.

16 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: staff

Sewing desks
One of the hallmarks of classic Shaker
Mixed but not
design is purpose-built furniture, matched. This
embodied beautifully in the highly desk probably
utilitarian sewing desks used by the started life as a
women, or Sisters, of the community. side stand, with
the six-drawer
gallery added to
repurpose it for
sewing. Both parts
Ad-hoc isn’t classic. This early sewing show the excellent
desk, built around 1815 at Sabbathday craftsmanship and
Lake in Maine, seems to have started design typical of
life as a small bureau, with the top Shaker work, but
gallery added later. The legs, with their they don’t work
whale-tale shape, and faux panel sides together to form
were likely borrowed from furniture the a single, coherent
Shakers found around them at the time. IMPROVISED design.

PURPOSE-BUILT BEAUTY
Although built in 1890 by Elder Henry
Green of Alfred, Maine, this matched set of
sewing desks retains the classic features
of crisp, unadorned lines, frame-and-panel
construction, large drawers on the bottom,
and stepped back gallery. And they were
clearly built as sewing desks, with pull-out
work surfaces. Almost every community
had similar desks.

SHAKER FURNITURE 17
 Trestle tables
The Shakers didn’t invent the trestle
table, but they refined its design and
adapted it for communal life.

THE BEST SHAKER LEGS ARE TURNED

Although the foot design of this trestle table is similar to the one
on its larger cousin (below left), the arch is not as high and there
is a chamfer on the top edges rather than a roundover. But what
really sets it apart is the turned leg with moldings, making this
a more pleasing table and an excellent example of the Shakers’
finest work.

TOO FLAT TOO FANCY

A step behind. At 20 feet in length, this communal dining table was definitely Worldly details. The Victorian influence is clear in this trestle
purpose-built. The high arched feet are attractive and the slight radius on the table built by Brother Delmer Wilson at Sabbathday Lake around
toes carries up the legs and onto the curved supports. But the legs are flat, 1920, notably in the molded edge of the top. It also lacks the
making it a less-refined design. breadboard ends of the classic table and has square feet and legs.

18 FINE WOODWORKING
 Dressers
The best Shaker chests are strictly functional.
Carvings, veneer, and ornamentation are absent
and moldings are used only sparingly.

NEAR-MISS

Something missing. This tall chest of drawers,

built in 1806, is a near-perfect design, but it also
is a great example of how one missing detail can
throw off the entire design. It has a bracket base
but no top molding, so it looks a just a bit bottom
heavy and incomplete.

NOTHING LEFT TO CHANCE

Topped with a small half-molding that counters the simple
details below, this cupboard over a chest of drawers is a
fully resolved design. The top molding ties into the quarter-
round molding on the frame-and-panel doors, and the
center stile is twice the width of the outside stiles.

Restraint at the floor. Don’t forget the

The sides have elegant, middle. This half-round
understated feet cut into molding separates the
them, a detail carried top and bottom, and
around to the front echoes the moldings
by the addition of two on top and around the
small pieces of wood door panels.
cut to match the shape
on the sides. This style
suits the overall design
better than the bracket
foot found on the earlier
dresser.

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 19

 Built-ins
The Shakers were ever
mindful of order and
efficiency: “A place for
everything and everything
in its place” became their
motto. So, virtually every
building in a Shaker village
had built-ins. They’re found
in attics and knee-walls, next
to chimneys, in corners, and
under stairs.

NOTHING NEW
Early built-in hasn’t
broken free. This is one of
the earliest examples of a
Shaker built-in. Found next
to a post in the Sabbathday
VICTORIAN
Lake Meeting House (built
in 1794), its construction is Outside creeps back in. When the Trustees Office at Hancock,
similar to techniques used Mass. was refurbished in 1895, its built-ins were also updated to
in New England at that time. a Victorian style. The door frames have stopped bevels on their
It has raised, beveled door inside edges and the doors are surrounded with a walnut bead, a
panels and surface mounted detail picked up in the walnut cock beading on the drawers. The
H-hinges. porcelain knobs are a Victorian touch, too.

Shakers
weren’t shy
with color
Most of us think of cherry’s
warm glow when we think of
Shaker furniture. However,
the Shakers often painted
their pieces. The exteriors
of these built-ins at Hancock
Shaker Village show just
how bold the original paint
colors were. An analysis of
the faded original paint (still
present inside the cabinets)
allowed conservators to
remake it accurately and
return the cabinets to their
lost vitality.

20 FINE WOODWORKING
UNDERSTATED BEAUTY
Located in the dwelling house at Hancock Shaker
Village in Massachusetts, this built-in has door panels
that appear flat, even though they have soft bevels.
The rails and stiles have a quarter-round molding
on their inside edges that echoes the quarter-round
thumbnail profile on the lipped drawer fronts.
 DESIGN
Elements of the
Shaker Style
A working pro reveals
the authentic details that help
him stay true to the form
B Y C H R I S T I A N B E C K S V O O R T
I grew up in a house full of Danish mod-
ern furniture, which was, it turns out,
heavily influenced by Shaker designs.
Like the Danish furniture makers, I fell un-
der the sway of Shaker furniture the mo-
ment I discovered it—in my case, during
a slide lecture in an architecture apprecia-
tion course in college. The simplicity and
utility of the furniture stunned me. In the
late 1970s, I began restoring Shaker furni-
22 FINE WOODWORKING
ture, and much of my own work has been
in the Shaker vein ever since.
To make a Shaker-looking piece, adopt
a Shaker attitude: Keep it simple in de-
sign and materials, make it functional, and
incorporate authentic details. The details
shown on these pages were commonly
used by the Shakers until about 1860, af-
ter which their furniture began to show
the worldly influence of the Victorian style.
The Shakers believed “that which has in
itself the highest use possesses the greatest
beauty.” It took the rest of the world nearly
a century to come to the same conclusion,
when, in the early 20th century, Louis Sul-
livan declared “form follows function.” But
KNOBS ARE MUSHROOM-SHAPED
Shaker craftsmen continued the theme of simplicity
right down to the knobs. Prior to the 1850s, most
Shaker knobs were shopmade, although some early 1 in.
pieces had commercially manufactured porcelain knobs
in either white or agate, a marbled brown color. After
1860, manufactured knobs became more and more 1 in.
common.
The typical Shaker knob was a variation of the
mushroom form. Sizes ranged from 3 ⁄ 8 in. dia. on tiny 1
⁄4 in.
3
desk drawers to 2¼ in. dia. on large built-ins. Knobs up ⁄4 in.
to 1½ in. dia. were typically spindle turned, with either
a plain tenon (glued and wedged through the door or drawer front) or a threaded tenon.
Larger knobs were usually face turned and attached with steel screws from the inside.
Shop-built Shaker knobs were always made of hardwoods, often of a contrasting species
to the rest of the piece.
Furniture courtesy Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield, Mass; photos, except where noted: Scott Phillips
 TABLETOP EDGES ARE FRIENDLY TO THE TOUCH
A fair number of Shaker tabletop edges were square or only slightly eased.
A square edge, however, was by no means the only profile used. Shaker
craftsmen realized that a simple, shaped profile was not only less prone to
damage than a square edge but also less painful when bumped. Rule joints
were used on drop-leaf tables. The joint looked crisp and was less likely to
lodge crumbs or pinch items hanging over the edges.

5
⁄8 in.

Round Eased edge Ovolo Bullnose

Chamfer Double chamfer

13⁄8 in. LEGS: TAPERED AND OFTEN TURNED

Shaker table legs were, for the most part, quite simple. The
double-tapered square leg was by far the most common
form. The tapers were cut only on the two inside faces
to give the leg a wider, sturdier stance and appearance.
Another favorite leg was the straight-turned taper, most
Cherry single
8 in. often seen on drop-leaf tables. These legs are often splayed
drop-leaf desk
a few degrees, because turned tapered legs attached at
Top: 141 ⁄2 in. by 30 in.;
90° to the top appear pigeon-toed. Swell tapers were also
leaf: 12 in.
popular. This form started a bit narrow under the shoulder,
Carcase: 123⁄4 in.
11⁄4 in. then swelled to a maximum diameter at one-quarter to one-
by 201 ⁄2 in.
half of the way down.
Canterbury,
Shaker craftsmen handled the transition from the square
New Hampshire
area at the top of the leg to the turned portion in several
Circa 1850-1900
1
ways. Frequently, they cut the shoulder perfectly square,
⁄8 in.
11⁄8 in. a 90° cut with a parting tool. An easier, more common
transition was the 45° cut, resulting in a rounded shoulder.

1. Double-tapered
square
26 in. 2. Straight-turned
taper with straight
shoulder
11⁄4 in. 3. Straight-turned
taper with round
shoulder
4. Taper with small,
flattened ring below
square shoulder
1 2 3 4 5
5. Swell taper with
12 in. three scribes
6. Swell taper
7. Swell taper with
long, round shoulder
8. Telescope
or double taper
9. Straight taper
with rings

1 in. 10. Swell taper with

rings and pear foot
6 7 8 9 10

SHAKER FURNITURE 23
these dictums alone do not lead inevitably
to a particular style, much less to a specific
set of elements and details. In addition to
being inspired by their beliefs, the Shakers
and the furniture they made were influ-
enced by their historical context.
In short, the Shakers took the furniture
they were familiar with, the local styles
from New England to Kentucky, and
stripped it of superfluous ornamenta-
tion. The Shaker craftsman Orren Haskins
(1815–1892) perhaps said it best:
“Why patronize the outside world? … We
want a good plain substantial Shaker ar-
ticle, yea, one that bears credit to our pro-
fession & tells who and what we are, true
and honest before the world, without hy-
pocrisy or any false covering. The world at
large can scarcely keep pace with it self in
its stiles and fassions which last but a short
time, when something still more worthless
or absurd takes its place. Let good enough
alone, and take good common sense for
our guide in all our pursuits, and we are
safe within and without.”
Shaker furniture, especially from the clas-
sic period of 1820 to 1850, contains little
in the way of excessive moldings and vir-
tually no carving or veneer. The Shakers
favored native materials and were dead set
against materials they felt were decadent,
such as brass. The Western communities
tended to follow the local vernacular style
to a much greater degree than their Eastern
counterparts. So the Shaker furniture from
Ohio and Kentucky appears more ornate.
Some forms of furniture were never
built by the Shakers. You will never see
Shaker coffee tables, tea tables, highboys,
pencil-post beds or upholstered pieces.
Some companies market these items “in
the Shaker style,” but mostly the Shakers
built desks, chests of drawers, and built-in
storage pieces.
Certain elements appear over and over
in Shaker furniture. In striving for a de-
sign that remains faithful to the Shaker
style, be mindful of their approach. Just
as you wouldn’t build Queen Anne out
of poplar, you wouldn’t build Shaker out
of rosewood. Shakers traditionally used
cherry and pine. And pay close attention
to the details. □ ⁄8 in.
CROWN MOLDINGS CREATE
CLOSURE
3
⁄16 in.
7
⁄8 in.
Moldings along the tops of
Shaker case pieces are hard
to justify as anything but
decorative. Most styles of
furniture (and architecture)
incorporate moldings or
some type of overhang
at the top. To the eye, a
crown molding or overhang
denotes an ending; it is
much like a period at the
end of a sentence. The
Shakers, presumably, were
not immune to this near-
universal need for closure.
BASE MOLDINGS
DEFLECT DINGS
Shaker craftsmen used
base moldings and profiled
bracket bases for protection,
not decoration. A rounded or
shaped edge is far less prone
to splintering or chipping
than is a sharp corner. This
is especially true near the
floor, where base molds
and brackets are likely to
encounter brooms and mops
or shoes and boots.
3
⁄16 in.
7

Christian Becksvoort is a longtime furniture

maker and designer in New Gloucester, Maine,
and an expert on Shaker furniture.

24 FINE WOODWORKING Drawings: Michael Gellatly

 DOOR FRAMES USUALLY MOLDED, BUT PANELS FLAT
The doors on early Shaker pieces usually had raised, fielded panels. Over time,
however, the raised panel fell out of favor, perhaps because it appeared too
decorative or possibly because the shoulder was seen as just another dust
collector. In any event, the flat panel ultimately replaced the more traditional
raised panel as the first choice of Shaker cabinetmakers. In the transition, the
pillow panel, as I call it, was sometimes used. Instead of having a well-defined,
shouldered field, the panel was planed on all four edges to fit the groove in the
frame. The result was a field that was barely noticeable.
Although square-shouldered door frames were used on occasion, more
often than not, the frames featured a quarter-round thumbnail profile along
their inside edges. To me, this represents a perfect example of a utilitarian, as
opposed to a strictly decorative, molding. Rounded edges along the inside of
the door frame are much easier to keep clean than straight, square shoulders.

1
⁄4 in.

3 in.

Raised, fielded panel “Pillow” panel Flat panel

with thumbnail and with thumbnail with square
3
square frame frame frame
⁄4 in.

Flat panel with

thumbnail frame

DRAWERS: INSET, OR MOLDED LIP

Shaker craftsmen built both flush and lipped drawers. Flush drawers had square
edges and fit fully into their openings. Lipped drawers, although more difficult to
make, covered the gap around the drawer front to keep out dust. The lips, however,
were usually on the top and two sides only. A lip on the bottom was considered
too fragile, should the drawer have to be set on the ground. The quarter-round
and thumbnail profiles were commonly used on all four edges of lipped drawers.
Neither the Shakers nor their worldly contemporaries used the bevel-edged, raised
door panel as a drawer front. That design fiasco was perpetrated on consumers by
the kitchen-cabinet industry.
1
⁄2 in.

3
⁄8 in.

3
3
⁄4 in. ⁄8 in.

Cherry cupboard Thumbnail, lipped Flush

80 in. by 44 in. by 19 in.
Quarter-round, lipped
Canterbury, New Hampshire
Circa 1850-1900

SHAKER FURNITURE 25
 TECHNIQUES

Keep Your
Doors Closed W ooden spinner latches for
doors are fun and straight-
forward to make, yet they
exemplify the finer details of handmade
furniture. In their most rudimentary
form, spinners are mounted on the out-
Handmade latches add function side of case pieces; for a cleaner look,
they can be placed inside the door and
and flair to your furniture operated by twisting the door knob.
I’ve always preferred the interior, back-
mounted variety, but over the years the
B Y C H R I S T I A N B E C K S V O O R T spinners on my cabinets have evolved
from very basic to more sophisticated.
Many of my ideas were borrowed
from Shaker pieces I’ve had the plea-
sure of restoring. One of my first cabi-
nets had the simplest form of interior
spinner, a pointed oval. It worked, but
since you could turn it 360° as you
twisted the knob, you had to “feel”
when the spinner actually engaged be-
hind the cabinet frame.
To solve that problem, I added two
small dowels on the inside of the door
stile to act as stops for the open and
closed positions. Then it dawned on me
that if I left one square corner on the
TWO OPTIONS spinner, a single dowel could serve as
Both mortised and stop for both open and closed. I used
interior spinner this method of keeping doors closed
latches operate with for many years. Then I chanced upon
a twist of the knob, a small Shaker cabinet with a spinner
and disappear when mortised into the edge of the door stile.
the door is closed. Quite a bit more work, but so elegant,
The interior spinner so understated, so clean and clever.
(right), which engages Soon I was putting that type of spinner
the inside of the face
on many of my cabinets.
frame or a slot in the
Whichever type I’m making, I first
cabinet side, is simpler
to make. The mortised
create the knob, giving it a 1⁄2-in.-dia.
spinner (above), which or 3⁄8-in.-dia. tenon, depending on the
requires a deep mortise size of the case. I start by cutting the
into the edge of the tenon with a tenon-cutter on the drill
door, rewards the extra press. (For tips on making knobs, with
effort with elegance. or without a lathe, see pp 30–33.)

Christian Becksvoort is a longtime furniture

maker and designer in New Gloucester,
Maine, and an expert on Shaker furniture.

26 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Jonathan Binzen; drawings: Kelly J. Dunton

 Interior spinner
A n interior spinner is easy to make and install. Make the knob, then drill
a knob hole for it through the door stile with a bit 1⁄64 in. larger than the
diameter of the tenon. Then, using 1⁄4-in.-thick stock, make a rectangular
blank about 1-1⁄4 in. wide and 4 in. long. The extra length makes the blank
easier to handle on the drill press and bandsaw. Drill a hole in the
Dowel, 1⁄4 in. dia., serves as stop for blank that’s a snug fit for the knob tenon, centered in the width of the
Square corner both open and closed positions.
hits stop. blank and about 3⁄4 in. from one end. Draw the spinner by eye, bandsaw
it out, and fair the edges on the disk sander.
Washer
To find the location for the stop dowel, dry-fit the spinner and turn it
to the open position (up), then make a pencil mark on the door stile
along the back edge of the spinner. Turn the spinner to the closed
position (out), and mark along the top edge. Drill a 1⁄4-in. hole centered
on the vertical line and just above the horizontal one. After gluing in
the dowel stop, reinsert the knob tenon, apply some glue to the inside
of the hole through the spinner, and push it onto the knob tenon.
Pin reinforces
glue joint. In closed position, the spinner fits behind the face frame. If the
Spinner, 1⁄4 in. thick by Knob
7
⁄8 in. wide by 2 in. long tenon cabinet has no face frame, cut a slot into the case side to receive the
tip of the spinner.

Dry-fit the knob. The hole through the spinner Mark out the spinner. With the knob tenon Don’t cut that corner. As you bandsaw out the
blank should be a snug fit. But the hole in the inserted in the stile, Becksvoort draws the shape spinner, leave one of the inside corners square.
door stile should be 1⁄64 in. oversize to ensure of the spinner by eye. The overlong blank he uses This provides the surface that contacts the
smooth action. is easier to control on the drill press and bandsaw. dowel stop in the closed position.

Shopmade washer. To reduce

friction between the knob and
the door stile, Becksvoort uses
a slippery washer. He makes
his own from very thin nylon
weatherstripping—or, in a pinch, the
lid of a yogurt container—using a
hole punch and a pair of scissors.
Add the stop dowel. To establish the location
for the stop dowel, dry-fit the spinner on the
knob and trace its flat side in both closed and
open positions. Then drill a hole centered on
the vertical line and just above the horizontal
line.
Glue and pin. After gluing the stop dowel in place, glue the
spinner to the knob tenon, carefully applying just a small
amount of glue inside the hole in the spinner. Then clinch the
joint by drilling a hole through the edge of the spinner and
into the tenon to receive a metal pin made from a brad.

SHAKER FURNITURE 27
Mortised spinner
Spinner, 1⁄4 in. thick by
11⁄8 in. wide by 2 in. long
MAKE THE
MORTISE
Rotating layout.
With the knob
dry-fitted to the
spinner and
resting in the hole
in the door stile,
turn the spinner
to the open and
closed positions
Mortise for to establish the
spinner top, bottom, and
back edges of the
mortise that will
house the spinner.
Washer

Pin locks Create the

spinner to knob. spinner mortise.
Knob tenon, 1⁄2 in. dia. Becksvoort uses a
Slot to receive or 3⁄8 in. dia., depending
on size of door and knob
doweling jig (left)
tip of spinner
to guide his drill as
he hogs out most
of the waste in the

T he mortised spinner may be a lot more work, but

it’s a marvel to behold and a pleasure to use. To
make it, begin by making the knob and then drill a
spinner mortise.
He follows up with
chisels to chop
and pare the sides
hole in the door stile. Make the hole 1⁄64 in. larger than clean (below).
the diameter of the knob tenon. Then drill a snug hole
through the spinner blank to receive the knob tenon.
After bandsawing the spinner to shape, insert the
knob tenon through it and into the hole in the door.
This enables you to lay out the mortise in the door
that will house the spinner. I use a drill to rough out
the mortise and clean up with a chisel.
Other spinners can be glued to the knob, but with
this one that’s not possible. In place of glue, I use a
pin. With the spinner in the vertical position, I drill a
1
⁄16-in. hole through the edge of the spinner, through
the tenon, and about 1⁄8 in. into the other side of the
spinner. Using nippers, I cut a 16-gauge brad to the
right length, and then use needle-nose pliers to force
the brad into the hole. That locks the spinner onto
the shaft. I leave the head of the brad proud so I can
remove the pin in the future if need be.

28 FINE WOODWORKING
 PIN THE SPINNER
Pinned, not glued. It’s not possible to glue the mortised spinner to the knob tenon, so Becksvoort Trim the tenon. After the spinner is pinned in
uses a pin. He drills through the spinner and into the knob (left), then cuts a brad to length and place, saw the tenon flush to the inside face of
pushes it home with needle-nose pliers (right). To make it removable, he leaves the head proud. the door stile.

SLOT THE CASE

Mark and cut out the spinner slot. To lay out the slot in the cabinet
side (or face frame) for the tip of the spinner, close the door and mark the
farthest points the spinner reaches (top). Use a slotting cutter to make the Soften that sharp tongue. Sandpaper eases the edges of the spinner,
mortise (bottom), following the layout lines on the edge of the cabinet. allowing it to engage the mating slot more easily.

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 29

 TECHNIQUES

Turn Pulls Without a Lathe

Create custom knobs using

your drill press
B Y C H R I S T I A N B E C K S V O O R T

30 Photos: Jonathan Binzen

Make the tenon
A simple jig with a toggle clamp and an L-shaped fence
holds the blanks for tenoning.

Quick, clean
tenons. Make
the tenon at least
11⁄2 in. long, so
there’s plenty of
tenon for the chuck
to grip and 1⁄4 in.
below the chuck
for clearance while
you’re shaping.

Positioning. To locate the tenoning jig, put a brad-point bit in

the drill press and align its tip with the center of a pull blank.

W hen I started making furniture on my own, I

had only a tablesaw, bandsaw, jointer, and drill
press—no lathe. One of my earliest projects
was a seven-drawer chest. What to do about knobs? I
wanted authentic-looking Shaker mushroom knobs in
graduated sizes to match the drawers. But commercial
Shaker knobs were available only in small and large, and
they were crude approximations of the real thing. By
necessity, I soon discovered how to make good-looking
knobs without a lathe. All it takes is a drill press, a tenon
cutter, and a few rasps and files.
The process is simple and surprisingly quick. Start by
making square blanks 21⁄2 in. long and 1⁄8 in. to 1⁄4 in.
thicker than the largest diameter of the knobs you’re
making. The only critical dimension is the tenon, which
must be precisely 1⁄2 in. dia. to fit a 1⁄2-in. hole snugly.
I don’t recommend making knobs with tenons smaller
than 1⁄2 in. on the drill press, because they could snap
under the pressure of rasping and filing. Saw off the square
collar. Four quick
cuts liberate the
Tenon first, then the cylinder
tenon (above). A
The fastest way to make a clean tenon is with a tenon notched scrap of
cutter in the drill press. If you’re making a series of plywood serves
knobs, it’s worth building a jig to hold the blanks in as a fence and a
place for tenoning (see photo, top right). The jig is sim- stop, making the
ply a flat plywood base with two upright fences creat- bandsaw cuts easily
ing a 90° corner. To position the jig precisely beneath repeatable. To speed
the shaping work
the quill, draw diagonals on the end of a blank, put a
on the drill press,
brad-point bit into the chuck, and center the tip of the knock off the four
bit on the blank. Then clamp the jig to the drill-press corners with a chisel,
table and replace the brad-point bit with a tenon cutter. creating a rough
Set the depth of cut to about 11⁄2 in. and drill. You’ll octagon (left).
want an inch or so of tenon for the chuck to grip, and
at least 1⁄4 in. exposed below the chuck—clearance for
your tools while you’re shaping the knob.

SHAKER FURNITURE 31
Turning with
a drill press
Set the drill press to its
highest speed and use rasps
and files to shape
the pull.

SHAKER MUSHROOM KNOB

Cap, 1 in. dia.

3
⁄8 in.

3 Waist,
⁄4 in. 3
⁄8 in. dia.

Base,
11⁄2 in. 3
⁄4 in. dia.
Start with a cylinder. Turn the rough
octagon to a perfect round with a flat,
coarse rasp (left). Check the diameter with
Tenon, 1⁄2 in. dia. a pair of calipers (above).

Shape the waist.

Use a coarse
round rasp to
remove most of
the material from
the waist (right),
then follow with a
flat rasp to reduce
the diameter of
the base (center).
Finally smooth the
transition between
the waist and the
base (far right).

Cap it off. Rough

out the shape of
the cap with a
coarse flat rasp,
beginning with a
chamfering cut at
the perimeter. Then
follow the rasp
work with a flat
file to perfect the
rounded shape of
the cap.

Critical work in tight quarters. Use a small file, either flat or triangular,
to clean up the shoulder of the base. The shoulder must be smooth and
flat to seat tightly against the drawer front or door.

32 FINE WOODWORKING Drawings: John Tetreault

 To remove the collar of waste around the
tenon, make four shallow cuts on the bandsaw.
If you have a batch of blanks to do, make a
Final smoothing
quick jig by notching a piece of plywood and Sand by hand. Beginning with
120-grit paper and running up
clamping it to the bandsaw table so it cuts
through the grits to 320, sand
at the right length and to the right depth. To the cap, waist, and base.
begin “turning” the business end of the knobs,
first chop off the four corners with a chisel,
creating a rough octagon.
Now insert the tenon into the drill-press
chuck, leaving about 1⁄4 in. of the tenon ex-
posed, and tighten. Set the drill press at its
fastest speed and use a coarse, flat rasp to
smooth the octagon into a cylinder. Too much
pressure can break the tenon, so start with a
light touch, stopping frequently to clear chips
from between the teeth of the rasp. Leave the
cylinder slightly larger than your desired final
diameter to allow for shaping and sanding.
With the cylinder finished and the drill press
still running, use a pencil to mark the transition
points in the knob’s profile.

Shape the mushroom

Next, using a coarse 3⁄8-in.-dia. round rasp, form
the waist of the knob. Once you’ve reached
the desired depth, switch to a 1⁄4-in.-dia. round This belt fits the waist. Bend a sheet of Steel for smoothing. With the drill press still
rasp to shape the tighter radius where the edge-sander paper to a curve that mates with running, buff all the surfaces except the tenon
waist meets the cap. Then use the flat rasp to the waist. Or roll sandpaper around a dowel. with 0000 steel wool.
reduce the diameter of the base. Next, with
the 3⁄8-in.-dia. rasp, smooth the curve between
the waist and the now-smaller base. Last, use
a flat rasp to shape the cap.
At this point the knob needs only minor
smoothing with a set of flat and round files (or
80-grit sandpaper). Go over the base, waist, and
cap, then switch to 120-grit sandpaper. To sand
the waist of the knob, I fold paper from my
edge sander to present an appropriately curved
face. Alternately, you can roll sandpaper around
a dowel and use that. Continue sanding to at
least 220- or 320-grit, doing all the work with
the drill press running.
The surface of the shoulder between the
base and the tenon is likely to be rough, so
smooth it with a small flat or triangular file.
The shoulder must be perfectly flat and have
a crisp edge in order for the knob to sit tight
against the drawer front or door stile. If it is
difficult to achieve that with the file, you can
always undercut the shoulder surface with a
chisel after you’ve removed the knob from the
chuck. Before you turn off the drill press, pol-
ish the pull with 0000 steel wool. □

Christian Becksvoort is a longtime furniture maker

and designer in New Gloucester, Maine, and an expert Clamp it home. Apply glue to the mortise in the drawer or door and use a hand-screw clamp to
on Shaker furniture. press the knob into place.

SHAKER FURNITURE 33
 TECHNIQUES

Rediscovering Milk Paint

Get a rich, traditional look
or break out of the bag
for a wide range of effects
B Y N A N C Y H I L L E R

M ilk paint has been around at least 20,000

years. The Egyptians used it, and it has been
found decorating ancient cave dwellings.
Woodworkers who specialize in Colonial and Shaker
furniture are familiar with it, as milk paint was a com-
mon finish on both types of furniture. But milk paint
offers interesting possibilities for all woodworkers,
from makers of period reproductions to those who
prefer contemporary furniture and cabinetry. And it
contains no toxic ingredients. This durable and ver-
satile finish comes in a variety of colors and can be
used with different topcoat treatments to create unique
effects. Opaque surfaces, color washes, layering, and
decorative painting are just the beginning.
Many woodworkers are reluctant to try milk paint,
concerned that it may be difficult to use. Nothing
could be further from the truth. This finish is so easy
to mix and apply that you can’t mess it up, and slight
imperfections will only enhance the finished look.

34 FINE WOODWORKING Photos, this page and across bottom: Michael Pekovich
 Milk paint
101
Powder first. To reduce
clumping, add some
water to the powder,
and then stir to a paste
before adding the rest.
Alternatively, you can add
all of the water, cover the
mixing container tightly,
and shake vigorously for
several minutes.

What is milk paint?

Milk paint’s durability comes from its ingredients. Ca-
sein, a protein found in milk, is extremely hard when
dry and adheres to a variety of substrates, including
solid woods, plywood, and medium-density fiber-
board (MDF). Manufacturers mix casein with lime.
When combined with water, the lime and casein react Work in the first
to form a natural coating that cures over time, some- coat. Milk paint soaks
into the wood as it is
what like concrete. If you want to apply milk paint
applied. Reapply paint
over some other type of finish, be sure to follow the to the brush often, and
manufacturer’s instructions. You’ll usually have to scuff push the paint into the
up the existing finish with sandpaper, and then clean wood (above left). The
the surface with water or vinegar and water. Finally, second coat glides on
use a bonding agent (supplied by milk-paint manu- more smoothly, like
facturers) mixed in with the water and powder of the regular paint (above).
After two coats, scuff-
first coat when refinishing.
sand lightly with 220-
Supplied as a dry powder, milk paint has a limited grit paper (left) and de-
shelf life once it is mixed with water, so you should cide if you need more.

Endless color
WAX palette. You can buy
TOPCOAT dozens of milk paint
colors, and those
colors can be mixed
to achieve unlimited
variations. Mix colors
in small batches,
keeping track of the
DANISH ratios so you can
duplicate the color
OIL
in a larger portion.

Photos, except where noted: Anissa Kapsales SHAKER FURNITURE 35

Topcoats make a big difference
STEEL WOOL AND WAX DANISH OIL

Wax is simple
and easy. After
scuff-sanding with
220-grit, Hiller bur-
nishes the milk paint
with 0000 steel wool
(right) and uses the
steel wool to work in
a fairly heavy coat of
paste wax (below) for
a natural look.

Oils offer more

protection. Ap-
ply a generous
amount of an oil
finish and allow
it to penetrate
for about 30
minutes (above).
Wipe off the
excess with a
clean, lint-free
cloth (right) to
give the surface
more protection
than wax as
well as a subtle
sheen.

make up only as much as you can use in a day. Unused powder,
however, can be stored indefinitely in an airtight, sealed container.
Moisture makes the powder unusable, so the trick is to keep out
humidity. You can purchase many different colors. The paint dries
lighter than it looks when it’s wet, so test colors on scraps.
Close-grained species such as pine, poplar, and maple will give
the smoothest finish under milk paint. While you can use it on
open-pored species such as oak or ash, the grain structure will be
pronounced and must be considered part of the design.
Applying milk paint is easy but different from other paints
To prepare the surface, sand to 180-grit and remove dust using
a vacuum or tack cloth. Milk paint is not like premixed latex
and oil-based paints that form a layer on top of the wood’s sur-
face. It’s thinner and, when used on clean, unfinished surfaces,
is self-priming: The first coat is partially absorbed by the wood
and, when cured, forms its own bond coat. This makes applying
the first coat very different from applying the first coat of a pre-
mixed paint. The wood will absorb the milk paint as you apply
it, so don’t expect it to glide on. Compensate for this by reap-
plying paint to the brush more often and dabbing the paint into
the wood.
The most common approach is an opaque finish, which ob-
scures the figure of the wood and covers your piece with the
intense, velvety color that is milk paint’s hallmark. Mix equal
parts warm water and powder in a nonmetallic container and stir
briskly. Let the paint slake for about 10 minutes. An opaque ap-
plication is between two and four coats. Although some people
recommend raising the grain with a light spray of water before
applying the paint, I don’t. I find this step to be redundant. Since

36 FINE WOODWORKING Photos, this page (top and bottom right): Michael Pekovich, facing page (bottom): Dirk Bakker
 POLYURETHANE

BLUE MILK
PAINT WITH
OIL-BASED
POLY

For a tough topcoat, go

with poly. Oil-based poly- BLUE MILK
urethanes darken and warm PAINT WITH
the color of milk paint (left), WATER-BASED
but they also can change
POLY
the color, as shown above.
Water-based finishes give a
colder, brighter appearance,
a plus for bright colors and
contemporary designs.

I am applying multiple coats of milk paint, I’m not worried about
sanding through the first coat.
With an inexpensive natural-bristle brush, apply a generous
first coat with the grain. Stray bristles or small chunks of undis-
solved paint can be picked off the surface as you go. Applying a
second coat of base color before the first has fully dried seems to
help even out the coverage. When the first two coats have dried,
scuff-sand with 220-grit paper to a smooth surface and decide
whether you need subsequent coats. You can tell a coat is dry by
the characteristic papery appearance. Drying time is quick—you
can usually recoat in one to two hours—depending on humidity.
Apply as many coats as needed to produce the opacity you
want. There is no rule about how many coats to apply. If you
want a very smooth finished surface, sand each time between
coats. I don’t always do this (sometimes I want to achieve a more
imperfect-looking surface), but I always sand before applying the
topcoat in order to create optimal conditions for adhesion. Let
the milk paint dry completely—at least over-
night—before protecting it
with clear topcoats.
such as a kitchen or a bathroom will need more protection than
a keepsake box, picture frame, or wall shelf. Waxes, shellac, and
oils provide less protection than polyurethanes.
Whether water-, alcohol-, or oil-based, topcoats will alter the
final look, making it darker. Whichever topcoat you plan to use,
prepare the painted surface by sanding with 220-grit paper along
the grain, then remove the colored dust.
Wax, alcohol, and oil-based topcoats—These topcoats all tend
to leave the paint color warmer and darker. Because visually the
end result is almost the same, you should consider the level of
protection when choosing between them.
Wax, like oil, will darken milk paint. While it is one of the
traditional coatings used over milk paint, it won’t afford sub-
stantial protection from common household substances. Shellac
will create a clear, glossy look but give only limited protection
against damage by water and oils. Boiled linseed oil and Danish
oil are two traditional protective coatings. Apply as many coats

Topcoats: different
looks and levels
of protection
Topcoats add protection but alter the color of the
paint. The bare finish has a distinctive shaded look Polished and modern. On
the clean lines of his contem-
with subtle imperfections that can be left natural
porary designs, Jose Regueiro
or burnished to a soft sheen using 0000 steel wool. brings milk paint out of its tra-
Milk paint is compatible with almost any topcoat, ditional role. This dining table
but topcoating is not required; the paint itself is has four coats of milk paint
hard and stands up to normal wear on furniture. followed by two coats of satin
However, if left unfinished it will quickly pick up polyurethane.
and show oils from fingers. A high-traffic area

SHAKER FURNITURE 37
 as necessary to build up the luster you desire.
Weathered from the These oils will darken the paint’s color as well
start. Milk paint is the as give the piece a subtle sheen and moderate
logical finish for this protection. For a more durable finish—neces-
traditional cupboard. To
sary in the case of kitchen or bathroom cabi-
achieve the distressed
look, D. Andrew Kates
nets, for example—use oil-based polyurethane.
layered different colors Like oils, it will darken the paint’s tone and give
of milk paint (scraping colors a warmer look. It is important to take this
through layers) over ambering effect into account if you are working
dark brown aniline dye with blues, which will shift toward green under
and completed oil-based polyurethane. If you are concerned
the finish with a
about yellowing, you can always use a water-
dark brown glaze
and wax.
based polyurethane instead.
The availability of matte and glossy finishes
adds yet another dimension to consider.
Water-based topcoats—Unlike oil-based topcoats, water-based
topcoats can make a finish look colder and give it an artificial ap-
pearance. This can be a problem over warm colors such as reds
and browns. However, this effect can be a positive if the design of
the piece calls for a starker look.
Once dry, milk paint forms a coating that is nonsoluble, so it
won’t dissolve when water-based topcoats are applied. In days
past, water-based finishes were not resistant to damage from oil,
so you couldn’t rely on them to protect a milk-painted surface
from such common hazards as a pastry baker’s buttery fingers
opening cabinet latches in the kitchen. But these days, many
water-based finishes are as good as, if not better than, their oil-

Layer for an aged effect

Simulate centuries.
Hiller applies a coat
of black as a second
color over two coats of
red and finishes with
a coat of green. When
the final coat dries,
she sands through
the layers to simulate
years of wear and
tear (far right). When
figuring out where
to sand through the
layers, try to find a
similar piece of old
furniture and imitate
wear in the same
areas.

38 FINE WOODWORKING Photos, this page (top left): D. Andrew Kates; facing page (bottom right): Phil Harris
 Go halfway with a washcoat SOURCES
Keep grain but O F S U P P LY
add color. Thinning
the paint mixture at THE OLD FASHIONED
a ratio of about 1:4 MILK PAINT CO. INC.
allows you to see milkpaint.com
the wood’s figure
through the milk THE REAL MILK
paint. PAINT CO.
realmilkpaint.com

based counterparts and offer full protection from oils, water, and
alcohol. Some even mimic the warm yellow cast of the oils.
Breaking the mold: special effects
In addition to the opaque finish, you can get a variety of looks
with milk paint, depending on how the film is applied.
Layering—Layering different colors and then sanding through
in spots so that the base hues appear is a good way to age a
piece instantly. When you layer different colors, you should use
two coats of the base to ensure that the buildup will be adequate.
And whenever you switch colors in layering, be sure to let the
paint dry well to prevent the wet colors from mixing together.
Washcoat—A wash made from a dilute solution of paint adds
color while allowing the figure to show. Because the finish be-
comes more opaque with each coat, I use one washcoat only.
My wood of choice for washcoating is cypress because it’s close-
grained yet has pronounced figure that shows through under the
color. It isn’t always accessible at local lumberyards, but I have
found a great mail-order source, paxtonwood.com. Other woods
that could work well with a washcoat are yellow pine, furniture-
grade Douglas fir, and maple.
Decorative painting—To paint intricate pictures and
graphics, mix milk paint as you would any other artist’s paint.
To cover a large surface, mix larger quantities of dry powder,
adding more of particular colors to obtain the look you want.
For small designs, you can blend small batches of color on a
ceramic plate just as you would on a painter’s palette, adjusting
hues as you go.
Because the first coat of milk paint soaks into the wood, it’s
best to decorate on a background that has already been coated
at least twice. The consistency should be thicker when you are
decorating than when you are covering an entire surface with one
color. Test it on a sample piece that matches the piece you’ll be
painting. Experiment and have fun. □
Nancy Hiller owns and operates NR Hiller
Design Inc. (nrhillerdesign.com)
in Bloomington, Ind.

Decorative painting
Release your inner artist. Milk paint is
simple to use as a decorative paint. Mix
colors to a thicker consistency and apply
them with small artists’ brushes.

Deep textures. Using

his furniture as a can-
vas, Michael deForest
paints in layers, sanding
through to reveal the
colors underneath when
necessary. The topcoat
is sprayed lacquer.

39
 SMALL PROJECTS
Step Stool
Durable design will last a lifetime
B Y C H R I S T I A N
T he Shakers designed and built a great variety of useful
stools and benches. Most had through-mortise-and-tenon
joints to prevent racking and help support the top. Some
had central stretchers and a few had industrial metal-strap braces.
My favorite, for both looks and strength, adds four dovetailed
corner braces to the through-tenons. This sturdy, versatile design
can be sized for use as a footstool, a bench, or even as a side table.
Maybe the best part is that it can be made using hand tools only.
I make this bench from 3⁄4-in.-thick white pine, with contrasting
cherry or walnut wedges to help fasten the through-tenons. I’ll
show you how to build it using hand tools, but I’d suggest using
a jointer and planer to flatten the stock and mill it to thickness (or
you can start with stock that is premilled at the lumberyard). To
40 FINE WOODWORKING
B E C K S V O O R T
save time and increase accuracy, you might also use a tablesaw to
cut parts to length and width. If you do mill the stock by hand, be
sure to work both faces to make the parts a consistent thickness.
Through-tenons attach the legs
Start by making the legs. Each one has a pair of tenons at the top
and a decorative arch sawn at the bottom. First use a compass to
lay out the arch, which is about 2 in. high at its peak, and starts
about 11⁄2 in. from each edge. Cut out the waste with a coping
saw and smooth the surface with a file and sandpaper. Gluing or
stapling a strip of sandpaper to the waste piece and sliding it back
and forth works well to fair the shape and smooth the surface.
Once the arch is done, turn to the tenons. To lay them out, use
Photo, this page, and drawings: Kelly J. Dunton
 Make the legs first

Arched cutout creates two feet. Stay close Scribe the tenon length. Set a marking gauge Then mark the width. Measure in from each
to the layout line with the coping saw, then to the thickness of the top and use it to create edge to mark the width of each tenon. Use a
fair the curve with sandpaper attached to the a baseline for the tenons on both faces and square to carry the layout lines from each mark
curved offcut. ends of each leg. across the top edge and down to the baseline.

Saw the Chisel in

tenons. Use between. Use
a dovetail saw a coping saw
to cut all four to remove the
marks down waste between
to the scribe the two tenons,
line before then pare to the
cutting the end scribe lines with
shoulders as a wide chisel.
shown.

22 in. 91⁄2 in.

3
⁄4 in. 11⁄8 in. 21⁄2 in.

11⁄2 in. Top, 3⁄4 in. thick

Dado,
1
⁄8 in. deep
Braces, 3⁄4 in. thick by 93⁄4 in.
11⁄2 in. wide by 81⁄2 in. long

Leg, 3⁄4 in.

thick
To purchase expanded
plans and a complete 2 in.
cutlist for this Shaker
Bench in Two Sizes, go
to FineWoodworking 11⁄2 in.
SIDE VIEW .com/PlanStore. END VIEW

Photos, except where noted: Steve Scott SHAKER FURNITURE 41

Mortise the top
SHALLOW DADOES FIRST

Scribe the edges.

Mark the dado’s
outer wall using a
gauge set to 11⁄2 in.
(right). Align the
leg’s face with
this line and mark
along the opposite
face for the inner
wall (far right).
Mark the top this
way, too, to start
the mortise layout.

Excavate the
edges. First, use
a marking knife
to deepen the
scribe lines on the
bottom side of the
top to about 1⁄8 in.
(right). Then make
a series of angled
cuts with a chisel
(far right) to reveal
the vertical wall
created by the
knife.

Clean between.
Angle the chisel,
bevel down, to plow
out the remaining
waste and flatten
the dado’s bottom.
A router plane also
works well for this
task.

42
MORTISES FIT IN THE DADOES

Lay out the ends.

Lay the leg flat on
the top face, with
the edges of the
two pieces flush
and the tenons
resting between the
lines you scribed
earlier. Use a pencil
to mark the ends
of each mortise
(top). To mark the
mortises on the
bottom face, place
the tenon ends in
the dado and use
a square to align
the two pieces
(bottom).

Chop from both sides. Start from the underside, removing about half
the waste. Then, to prevent blowout, flip the board and finish the mortise
from the top. Check the walls with a straightedge, and test-fit the tenons.

a marking gauge to scribe the thickness of the top on both faces
(because the tenons will sit in a dado, they will protrude from
the top so you can plane them flush later). Then mark the tenon
width on the top and both sides of each leg—at 1 in. and 31⁄4 in.
from both sides. Cut the tenons and remove the waste as shown.
To keep track of the parts, mark the legs for their orientation in
the finished piece: right leg, right side, left leg, left side.
Because the wide pine legs might cup, I seat them in a shallow
dado in the top’s underside. You can use the legs themselves to
help lay out the dadoes and the mortises. Use a marking gauge
to scribe a line 11⁄2 in. from each end above and below the top.
Now place the leg on this line and knife along its edge to finish
marking out the dado. Deepen the scribe lines on the underside
to about 1⁄8 in. using a sharp knife. Next, chisel out the bulk of the
waste. You can flatten the bottom and get the dado to a consistent
depth with careful chisel work, but a router plane is quicker.
Next, use a pencil to mark the tenon locations on the top and
bottom face of the top. I lay the leg flat on the top so the tenons
are directly over the scribe marks. Make sure that each piece is
oriented correctly, and that the edges of the top and legs are flush.
Mark the tenon locations between the scribe marks, then flip the
top and stand the tenons in the dado to mark their outlines.
When cutting the mortises, start by chopping vertically, setting
the chisel’s back flat against the dado wall as you chop along the
length. Next, set your chisel in the middle of the waste area and,
with the bevel down, make a series of angled cuts toward each
scribe line to define the long mortise walls. To prevent blowout
on the opposite side, chisel halfway through, then flip the piece
and finish the work from the other side. Again, define the mortise
walls first, being careful to stay within the scribe lines. When I’m
done, I use a small square or the edge of a chisel to check for
high points on the mortise walls. These should be pared down.
Orient the legs and dry-fit them. Look for a snug fit that holds
against gravity but doesn’t require brute force to seat.
Corner braces add strength
Each corner brace is mortised into the leg and top, and notched
to prevent racking even under heavy loads. With a dovetail saw,
cut the brace stock to length with opposing 45° ends. Leave each
about 1⁄16 in. longer than finished length, so the ends can be

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 43

Make and fit the braces planed flush after assembly. On the short edge of each piece, lay
out a pair of 90° notches whose depth is 1⁄32 in. greater than the
thickness of the leg and top stock so the ends will stand proud
for trimming. Cut out the notches as close to the lines as possible.
Each brace gets I start the cut at the corner with a knife to give the saw some
two notches. purchase. Afterward, pare with a sharp chisel. Each brace will fit
Miter the ends, perfectly in only one corner and in only one direction, so label
then clamp the
each brace and its corresponding corner.
piece at an angle
to cut a right- The next step is to mark and cut the notches that will house
angle notch at each brace. Reassemble the stool. Position a brace on one of
each end. Cut the corners so that the horizontal cut at its top is flush with the
each notch 1⁄32 in. underside of the stool’s top, and the vertical cut at the bottom of
deeper than the the brace is flush with the inside edge of the leg. Mark the loca-
thickness of the tion of the brace at the edge of the top and edge of the leg. Then
mating piece.
use a square and pencil to carry the layout lines onto both faces
25
⁄32 in. of the top and leg. Set a marking gauge to the thickness of the
braces and scribe the depth of the notch between the pencil lines.
Use a dovetail saw to cut slightly inside the pencil lines down to
45°
the scribed depth mark. Disassemble the stool and use a coping
saw to clear the waste between the sawkerfs, then pare to the lay-
89⁄16 in. out lines. Dry-fit, adjust, and repeat with the other three corners.

Mark the brace Glue-up is simple

locations. Dry- Hand-sand the underside of the top and the inner faces of the legs
fit the stool and
to remove any blemishes, dirt, or pencil marks. Saw a pair of full-
rest each brace in
place, flush with
depth kerfs about 3⁄8 in. from the end of each tenon to accept the
the inside edges wedges. Now glue the legs into the top and the corner braces into
of the assembly, to their notches. Clamp as needed. While the clamps are on but the
mark out for the glue is still wet, glue and pound the hardwood wedges into place.
mating notches. Once the glue is dry, the protruding tenons, wedges, and braces
Carry the marks can be smoothed with a block plane. Sand all the edges, round-
onto the faces
ing the corners of the top slightly. Hand-sand the entire surface
of the pieces
and then use a
if desired, and wipe on the finish of your choice. ☐
marking gauge to
scribe a baseline Christian Becksvoort is a longtime furniture maker and designer
for each notch. in New Gloucester, Maine, and an expert on Shaker furniture.

Cut the notches. Saw down each pencil line to the baseline
(left), and then remove the waste with a coping saw. Pare
away any high spots with the chisel (above), test-fitting the
brace as you go for a fully seated and snug fit.

44 FINE WOODWORKING Photo, facing page (bottom left): Michael Pekovich

Assembly and cleanup

Glue-up is easy. After sawing wedge kerfs in the tops of

the tenons, apply glue to the tenons and bring the seat and
legs together. Apply glue to the notches and seat the braces,
tapping them home if needed.

Scaling up

Wedges ensure snug tenons. Cut the wedges from 1⁄8-in.-thick hardwood about 6 in.
long. Use a chisel to taper them from 0 at the bottom to full thickness 3⁄4 in. up. Cut off
1 in. and repeat three more times. Apply glue to both sides of the wedge and tap it into
the kerf with a hammer. Trim with a saw when the glue dries.

The stool design is solid and functional in a

variety of sizes. Becksvoort makes a bench
version that is 11 in. deep by 40 in. wide by
18 in. tall. When building to larger scale, sketch
the design until the overhang and foot arches
please the eye. Fine Woodworking creative
director Michael Pekovich built the piece shown
above (which has an overhang of 2-3⁄4 in., 4-1⁄2-in.- Plane everything flush. The tenons will protrude
1
high arches, and a bracket length of 11-1⁄2 in.) in ⁄8 in. or so and the braces a bit less. Use a block
plane to level them (left) and to bring the edges
white oak as an entryway seat. flush, too (above).

SHAKER FURNITURE 45
 SMALL PROJECTS

Lap Desk
Celebrate pen and ink
with this quintessential case
B Y C H R I S T I A N B E C K S V O O R T

T he classic Shaker lap desk, designed two centuries ago to

function as a miniature traveling office, was the laptop of
its time. With room for paper, envelopes, pens, and a small
inkwell drawer, it speaks of an era when pen and ink were king.
These desks continue to draw attention in the digital age for their
precise joinery and elegant practicality, and of course you can still
use one for writing while sitting in an easy chair. But the old design
has kept pace with technology: Open the lid and remove the center
divider and you’ll find space for your laptop; you can coil up power
cords in the pencil till, and ear buds and thumb drives find a snug
spot in the inkwell drawer.
Made in white pine like the original and sporting exposed dove-
tails, breadboard ends with cherry pegs, and an unusual little drawer,
this piece is fun to make, a pleasure to use, and sure to spark many
a conversation.

Start with the carcase

Before cutting the dovetails for the case, mill the parts to 3⁄8 in. thick,
taper the sides, and make the cutout in the right side for the drawer.
Now cut the through-dovetails using your normal approach. The
only wrinkle is at the back right corner, where the cutout for the
drawer leaves space for just two tails. Cutting them is straightforward,
but you’ll need to take care at assembly. That corner will be more
vulnerable than the others until the bottom is in place.
After cutting the carcase dovetails, cut the dadoes for the dividers.
The removable center divider drops into through-dadoes in the front
and back of the case. The L-shaped divider gets glued into a through-
dado in the front and a stopped rabbet just beside the drawer cutout.
I cut the through-dadoes with a dado set on the tablesaw, and I cut
the rabbet with a router, cleaning it up with a chisel.

Get to the bottom of it

Once the carcase is glued and sanded, attach the bottom. Rather
than being set in a groove, the bottom is simply face-glued to the
bottom of the case, adding great rigidity. To deal with this sort of
cross-grain glue-up without cracking, the bottom must be made of
quartersawn white pine—the most well-behaved wood in North
America. Through the seasons that 12-in.-wide bottom will move less
than 3⁄64 in., well below the elastic limit of the wood and glue. Trust

46 FINE WOODWORKING
SHAKER FURNITURE 47
MAKE THE CASE
Front and sides are
rounded under;
back is left square
for hinges.

Panel, 3⁄8 in. thick

by 123⁄8 in. wide by
183⁄4 in. long

Removable center divider,

Bottom, 3⁄8 in. thick 3
⁄8 in. thick by 4 in. wide
by 123⁄4 in. wide by by 115⁄8 in. long
193⁄4 in. long, made
from quartersawn white
pine, glued to bottom
edges of case

Delicate dovetailing. The case gets through-dovetailed in straightforward fashion—

except above the drawer opening, where the side has just two tails. Assemble with
care, knocking home the narrow corner last to keep from stressing the joint there.

Square the
assembly. After
pulling the joints
tight with bar
clamps, check the
box for square.
Elevate the drawer-
Front, 3⁄8 in. thick by
side clamp a 23⁄4 in. wide by 19 in.
couple of inches long
to avoid exerting Dado, 3⁄16 in. deep by
3
pressure at the ⁄8 in. wide
drawer opening.

me, it works—or trust the Shakers, since the desks

they built this way are still holding up fine.
The bottom extends 3⁄8 in. beyond the case and has
a quarter-round profile on all four edges. After routing
Green light for the roundovers I carefully center the case on the bot-
cross-grain tom and use painter’s tape to mark its location. Then
gluing. The I apply glue to the bottom edges of the case and use
bottom, made from two large spring clamps to hold it while I check the
quartersawn white
diagonal dimensions for squareness. That done, I add
pine, which barely
moves during the the rest of the clamps and let it dry.
seasons, can be By the way, even when I make this desk out of
glued directly to the cherry I use quartersawn white pine for the bottom. I
case from below. cut the bottom flush with the outside of the case and
Use colored tape cover the pine with cherry quarter-round molding.
at the corners to
locate the case
during the glue-up.
Dividers come next
Both dividers get a deep curved cutout. Cut the curves
on the bandsaw and clean them up with hand tools
and sandpaper. Both dividers are 3⁄8 in. thick, but the

48 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Anissa Kapsales

 Both outer holes elongated to
accommodate wood movement.

Breadboard end,
maple, 3⁄8 in. thick
by 11⁄4 in. wide by
123⁄8 in. long

Cherry peg, 1⁄8 in. dia.,

Curved cutout makes it
easier to grab items in
the desk.
trimmed flush
Tongue, 3⁄16 in. thick Square of maple, 3⁄16 in. thick by
by 111⁄8 in. wide 13
⁄16 in. wide by 1⁄2 in. long, glued
by 3⁄4 in. long in to create a stopped groove
Hinge
Back, 3⁄8 in. thick
by 4 in. wide by
19 in. long

Stopped rabbet,
3
⁄16 in. deep by 3⁄8 in.
wide by 21⁄2 in. high,
accepts short leg of
L-divider

21⁄2 in.

Drawer opening,
L-divider, short 3 in. wide by
leg, 3⁄8 in. thick 21⁄2 in. high
by 21⁄2 in. wide
by 41⁄16 in. long

23⁄4 in.
Carcase side, 3⁄8 in. thick by
4 in. wide by 12 in. long, tapers
to 23⁄4 in. wide at the front
L-divider, long leg,
3
⁄8 in. thick by 23⁄4 in. wide
by 87⁄16 in. long

To purchase expanded plans and

a complete cutlist for this Shaker
19 in. Lap Desk and other projects, go to
FineWoodworking.com/PlanStore.

3 in.
LIGHT, STRONG, AND VERSATILE
The lap desk isn’t just for paper and pens. With the
center divider removed, the case can hold a laptop.
All the parts are pine except the breadboard ends,
Paper Envelopes Pencils drawer pull, and keeper.
111⁄4 in. 12 in.

77⁄8 in.

23⁄4 in. 4 in.

1
9 in. 5 in. 3 ⁄2 in. 21⁄2 in.

3 in.
TOP VIEW, INTERIOR SIDE VIEW

Drawings: Bob La Pointe SHAKER FURNITURE 49

BUILD THE DRAWER

Stopped slot. At the router table, plunge-cut the guide slot in

the drawer’s long side. Set stop blocks to control the length
of the slot, and be certain to anchor the workpiece against a
stop block when making the plunge.

DIMINUTIVE DRAWER FOR AN Drawer front, 3⁄8 in.

INKWELL—OR THUMB DRIVES thick by 21⁄2 in. wide
Rabbet, 1⁄8 in. wide by 3 in. long
Dado, 1⁄8 in. wide by 1⁄8 in. deep
Long side, 1⁄4 in. thick by by 1⁄8 in. deep
21⁄2 in. wide by 9 in. long

Keeper slot, 3⁄8 in.

wide by 41⁄8 in. long;
chisel ends square
after routing Short side, 1⁄4 in. thick by
5
Keeper, ⁄16 in. thick by Bottom, 1⁄4 in. thick 21⁄2 in. wide by 41⁄8 in. long
5
Back, 1⁄4 in. thick
⁄8 in. wide by 11⁄4 in. Groove, by 23⁄4 in. wide by by 21⁄8 in. wide by
1
long, made of hardwood, ⁄8 in. wide by 4 in. long 27⁄8 in. long
1
also acts as stop ⁄8 in. deep
5 9
⁄8 in. ⁄32 in.
1 1
⁄4 in. ⁄2 in.

Countersink
and clearance
hole for wood 1 1
11⁄4 in. 11
⁄32 in. ⁄4 in. ⁄2 in.
screw

KEEPER/STOP KNOB

50 FINE WOODWORKING
 ASSEMBLE THE INTERIOR
Dovetailed
divider makes a
drawer pocket.
The L-shaped
divider, dovetailed
at its elbow, defines
a space for pencils
and creates the
drawer pocket. The
divider is glued into
a rabbet beside the
drawer opening and
into a dado in the
case front.

Slide stopper. A
T-shaped hardwood
keeper in the guide
slot keeps the
drawer running
straight and acts
as a drawer stop
at both open and
closed positions.

Double up the drawer sides. Although the drawer sides

are mismatched in length, you can stack them to cut the
tails. The short side gets tails at both ends; the long side
gets tails for the drawer front and a dado for the back.

removable center divider should be face-sanded slight-

ly thinner so that it’s easier to take out and put back.
The L-shaped divider creates a till for small items and
provides one wall of the drawer pocket. Join the short
and long legs of the L-divider with through-dovetails,
being sure the legs are square. Then glue the divider
in place, applying glue to its bottom edge and ends.

Make and fit the drawer

Now for the fun part: the tiny inkwell drawer, which
has a double-length side that’s slotted for a keeper, or
stop. The drawer’s scale makes the joinery challenging.
The smallest chisel in your arsenal will be required to
cut these smallest of dovetails. But despite its delicate
proportions, this drawer is anything but fragile.
A typical dovetailed drawer gets half-blind dovetails
at the front and through-dovetails at the back. This
drawer follows that pattern except at the back right
corner, where the back is rabbeted to mate with a dado
in the extralong right side (see drawing, opposite). Divide it or don’t. The scooped center divider, inserted dry, creates spaces sized
Before cutting the dovetails, cut the keeper slot at the for writing paper and envelopes. Remove it and you have space for a laptop.

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 51

PUT A LID ON IT
Dry-fit and drill. With the
breadboards dry-assembled and held
tight with a bar clamp, Becksvoort
drills for the pegs. He uses a guide
block on top for spacing and a scrap
beneath to prevent blowout.

Ovals on the outside.

With a 1⁄8-in.-dia. round
file, elongate the
outside holes to allow
for seasonal wood
movement. Then, after
applying glue to the
center few inches of the
tongue and clamping on
the breadboard, tap in
the hardwood dowels.

router table. Then, at the tablesaw, cut the groove for

the bottom and the dado for the back.
Once you’ve assembled the drawer, put it in place so
the drawer front is flush with the outside of the case.
Then put the keeper in the slot, push it up against the
drawer back, and screw it into place. Pull the drawer
open to be sure it extends fully. If not, you can make
the slot a bit longer.

Stiffen the lid with breadboard ends

Finally, make the lid, a white pine panel with maple
breadboard ends to keep it flat through the years.
Start by making tongues on both ends of the panel.
Using a dado head in the tablesaw, you can make the
centered tongue in two passes, one from each face of
the panel.
Now to the breadboards. Making stopped grooves in Stop those grooves. To turn through-grooves into stopped ones, glue in small squares
such small pieces by plunge-cutting can be dangerous, of maple matching the breadboard ends, then trim them flush.

52 FINE WOODWORKING
ADD HINGES TO CLOSE THE CASE

Placement. Mark out the leaf location on the case with a knife, setting Eyeball the mortise. Using a detail router with a 1⁄4-in.-dia. straight bit,
the hinge 2-1⁄2 in. or so from the end. rough out the hinge mortise. Then clean it up with a chisel.

Top transfer. With the hinge screwed to the case, align

the lid and mark the location for the mating hinge mortise
(above). Make the mortises in the lid, then install the hinges.

so I recommend cutting through-grooves and plugging

the ends with small squares of the same stock.
After trimming the tongues to width, I’ll trim their
faces with a rabbet plane if necessary. With the
breadboards dry-fitted, drill for three pegs. Remove
the breadboard and elongate the outer holes in the
panel’s tongue. Then apply a dab of glue at the center
of the tongue, re-clamp, being sure that the center
holes align perfectly, and drive 1⁄8-in. cherry dowels
through the holes.
After mounting the hinges and doing a final sanding
to 220-grit, I oil the piece with Tried & True Varnish
Oil. After a few days, when the first coat is dry, I pol-
ish with 0000 steel wool and apply two more coats a
few days apart. □

Christian Becksvoort is a longtime furniture maker and designer

in New Gloucester, Maine, and an expert on Shaker furniture.

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 53

 SMALL PROJECTS

Shaker Boxes

Master the basics,

and you’ll be building
A t its best, Shaker design is a harmonious marriage of func-
tionality, simplicity, and elegance. There may be no better
embodiment of that harmony than the oval boxes the
Shakers made to hold everything from sewing notions to seeds.
Thankfully, Shaker craftsmen also had a good eye for simplifying
construction, so the box is not difficult to make. The sides and
these in bunches top are made from thin pieces of straight-grain hardwood, called
bands, soaked in hot water and then bent around a form. After
tacking the box band together, drying forms are pressed into it.
B Y P E T E B A X T E R The lid band is bent around the box band and dried in place,

54 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Matt Kenney; drawings: Kelly J. Dunton

 Bending and drying forms come first
It takes two steps to turn a thin band of wood into a Shaker box. First,
the wet band is bent around a form, called the core. After the ends are
tacked together, two drying forms, called shapers, are put inside the
band. These give the box its iconic oval shape.

Core

Shapers

Cut out the core. The core is sized to match the internal dimensions of
the box. Cut close to the line, and then sand to it. It doesn’t have to be
41⁄8 in. perfect, because the core is just a tool for flexing the band into an oval.
31⁄2 in.
27⁄8 in. Trace the
shaper from the
NO. 2 core. You need
NO. 3 two shapers.
One is inserted
NO. 4 13⁄4 in. from the top, and
21⁄4 in. the other from
the bottom. Drill
Major 23⁄4 in.
axis 1 3⁄4 in
two finger holes
. in each shaper,
Cutout so you can pull
hole 2 1⁄16 i it out after the
n.
band dries.
Start band 2 1⁄4 in
.
here for
bending. Minor axis
100°

*Enlarge 133%
CORE/SHAPER PATTERNS for full-size
The Shakers made oval boxes in eight sizes. The three pattern.
sizes here, Nos. 2, 3, and 4, are neither too small nor
too big—just right for use around the house.

too. Panels are fitted to the top and bottom after the bands have
dried. You need a few specialized tools—a water tray for soaking
the bands and an anvil for peening over the tacks that hold the
bands together—but I’ll tell you where you can get them. Once
you have these tools, you’ll be making boxes in bunches.

Heated plies are easy to bend

At the heart of the Shakers’ technique are the bending form, called The sides are angled. Beveling the sides makes the shapers easier to
the core, and the drying templates, called shapers, that give the insert and remove from the box band. Sand the edges and take care to
box and top their distinctive oval shape. You need one core and create fair curves, as the shapers form the box.

SHAKER FURNITURE 55
Make and shape the bands
Although function always trumped form for the
Shakers, they still knew how to make things
beautiful. Cutting the exposed end of the band
into swallowtails not only minimizes the
chance that the band will crack along
the grain, but it’s also an
elegant touch.

BOTTOM BAND

LID BAND

Mill the band stock. For the boxes shown here, the bands are 1⁄16 in. thick—too thin for a planer.
SOURCE So after resawing the bands, remove the sawmarks with a drum sander or handplane.
O F S U P P LY
Shakerovalbox.com
You can find all of the tools Lay out the swallowtails.
and hardware you need to A master template allows
make Shaker oval boxes you to make several boxes of
at The Home Shop, the same size quickly. Use a
which sells everything mechanical pencil (0.5mm or
from water trays (starting 0.7mm thick) for its consistent
at $38 for a 32-in.-long line, which results in fairer
galvanized steel tray) to curves when cutting out the
cores, shapers, swallowtails. Transfer the tack
copper tacks, locations, too. The holes in the
and pegs.
template should be the same
size as the pilot holes you’ll drill
in the box bands.

SWALLOWTAIL TEMPLATES
NO. 2 NO. 3 Lid band, 1⁄16 in. thick by
*Enlarge 200% for 7
full-size pattern. ⁄8 in. wide by 24 in. long
Lid band, 1⁄16 in. thick by
3
⁄4 in. wide by 193⁄4 in. long 21⁄4 in. 5
⁄16 in.
15
1 ⁄16 in.
1
⁄4 in. 1
⁄4 in.
7
1 ⁄8 in.
1
⁄4 in. Use #1
111⁄16 in. tacks.
Use #1
tacks.
11
⁄16 in.
9
⁄16 in.

3
⁄8 in.
5 7
⁄8 in. ⁄8 in.
1 1
Bottom band, ⁄16 in. thick Bottom band, ⁄16 in. thick by
by 2 in. wide by 19 in. long 21⁄2 in. wide by 23 in. long

56 FINE WOODWORKING
Feather the ends on the inside face. Use a horizontal belt sander. A Cut the swallowtails. Clamp the band between a backer board and
block spreads pressure and produces a more consistent taper. The taper hardwood “holddown.” Use a new blade in a utility knife and move the
makes it easier to cut the swallowtails, too. backer board after each set of tails so that the blade won’t fall into a kerf
already there and get pulled off the layout line.

two shapers for each box size. If you are making more than one
box of the same size (it’s really no harder to make several than it is Bevel the
to make one), you’ll need one additional pair of shapers for each edges. Hold
the blade
box you plan to make. You can use the same core for all of them.
perpendicular.
Finally, you’ll need to make templates for the swallowtail patterns. Believe it or
Now make the lid and bottom box bands. I start with the bot- not, the blade
tom band (you’ll see why later). Cherry and maple are the tradi- will flex a bit
tional woods for the bands. Use straight-grain stock, which bends as you pull it,
the best, and mill it to 1⁄16 in. thick. I choose stock that is wide resulting in the
enough for both bands so there is a nice grain match between slight bevel
(1° or 2°) that
them. Use a template to trace the swallowtail pattern on the end
you want. Be
of the band. Taper the ends of the band on the inside face from careful at the
the main tack line to the end, then cut the swallowtails and drill tip. It needs to
pilot holes for the tacks. Then put the band into the hot water be 11⁄2 times
for a 5- to 10-minute soak. When you pull out the band, quickly as wide as the
tack head.

NO. 4 Lid band, 1⁄16 in. thick by

15
⁄16 in. wide by 28 in. long 23⁄8 in. 3
⁄8 in.

1
⁄4 in.
1 Drill pilot
2 ⁄16 in. 1
⁄2 in. holes. Be sure
to hold the
drill (a Dremel
in this case)
Use #11⁄2 perpendicular
tacks. to the band.

21
⁄32 in.

15
⁄16 in.
1
Bottom band, ⁄16 in. thick by
31⁄16 in. wide by 27 in. long

www.f inewoodworking.com 57
Bend each band
The bands are soaked in hot water so they bend easily. To minimize
breaks when you bend, make the bands from straight-grain, quarter-
sawn stock. Dry the band for a day or two before removing the shapers.

Hot bath. Use distilled

water (to prevent mineral
stains) heated to at least
180°F. It should take
no more than 5 to 10
minutes to make the
band pliable (right). Wrap
the band around the form
(far right). Hold the inside
end at the “start” line and
work from there.

Online Extra
To watch a video on
how to bend the wood
for a Shaker box, go to
FineWoodworking.com/
shakerfurniture.

Mark and tack. Draw

witness marks where
the band overlaps (right).
The marks help you keep
the band aligned in the
oval shape after you take
it off the bending form.
Align the marks to tack
the box together (far
right). A short piece of
galvanized (to prevent
staining) pipe bolted to a
block of wood works fine
as an anvil. Start with the
middle tack line.

Insert the shapers. Depth is important here. Don’t press

them in so far that the band bows out at the rim. The shaper’s
minor axis should align with the band’s main tack line (above).
Bend the lid band around the bottom band (right). To get a
smoother transition at the overlap, bend the lid so that the
ends overlap on the back, with the swallowtails underneath.
Put them on top before you tack the lid band together.

58 FINE WOODWORKING
Add the top and bottom
Make the bottom
panel. To get
the best match
possible between
the band and
bottom, trace each
band individually
(far left) rather
than using a
pattern. Sand it to
the line (left) with
the bottom 90° to
the sanding disk.

No glue needed.
The bottom goes in
dry (far left) and is
held in place with
copper shoe pegs.
After the bottom is
in, drill pilot holes
for the pegs with
a #56 bit. Driving
the pegs flush
with a hammer
eventually results
in a damaged box,
so leave them just
a hair proud and
clean them up with
a small bastard file
(left).

bend it around the core. Put a witness mark where the two ends
overlap (be sure to mark both ends of the band), then take the Add a handle
band off the core. Realign the witness mark and tack the ends with the same
together on an anvil. Now press one shaper in from the top and
one from the bottom. The lid band is made the same way, but
techniques
instead of bending it around the core, bend it around the box
band. After tacking it together, put it back on the bottom band
and let it dry in place.
The Shakers most often made the top and bottom panels
from quartersawn white pine, and that’s what I’ve done here.
After it has dried for a few days, place the band on a piece
of stock, and trace around the inside. Cut out the panel and
sand to the line. Press the panel into the band until it’s
flush with the band’s edge. Drill pilot holes for the cop-
The handle is made the same way
per shoe pegs, then drive in the pegs. Do not use glue.
as the box, but it is bent and dried
If you like the look of natural wood, finish the box
with wipe-on polyurethane. But don’t be afraid to paint on one form. Baxter drills holes in
your boxes with milk paint, as the Shakers were fond the form so he can clamp the handle
of bright colors. □ in place to dry. Like the bands, it
takes a day or two. He uses copper
Pete Baxter of Seymour, Ind., is a professional furniture maker tacks to attach the handle.
who specializes in Shaker oval boxes and rockers.

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 59

 TABLES

One Table, Two Ways

Choose your favorite version of this classic

B Y C H R I S T I A N
B E C K S V O O R T

N ot long ago, a
couple ordered a set of
cherry side tables from
me, one for each side of their
pencil-post bed. I based the de-
sign on a Shaker side table from
Canterbury, N.H., although vir-
tually every other Shaker com-
munity had similar designs. As
a surprise (I don’t recommend
this unless you are very familiar
with your clients), I decided to make slightly different versions:
one with square tapered legs, the other with turned tapered legs.
The overall design is a basic, timeless one that can move from
bedroom to living room. But notice how the simple leg change
alters the whole feel of the table. Tweaking the dimensions or
shapes can make a big difference in the look of a piece of fur-
niture. As far as difficulty goes, the table with tapered legs is a
very good project to tackle if you’re a beginner, and the one with
turned legs adds a bit of a challenge. The rest of the construction
is standard mortise-and-tenon joinery, a dovetailed top rail, and
a dovetailed drawer. I start with the legs, move on to the joinery,
add the drawer, and finish.
Tackle the joinery: mortises, tenons, and a dovetail
Once the legs are finished (see “2 options for legs,” p. 62), the
construction is the same for both tables. The first step is to add

60 FINE WOODWORKING
 Side table with drawer Top, 3⁄4 in. thick
by 16 in. wide by
This little table design, taken from the 24 in. long
Enfield, N.H., Shakers, is rock solid, no
matter which legs it stands on.
Spacer,
1
⁄2 in. thick Kicker, 1⁄2 in. thick by
1
⁄16-in. shoulder on 11⁄4 in. wide by 111⁄4 in.
Rails, bottom of dovetail long, notched for legs
5
3 ⁄8 in. 1
⁄4 in. ⁄2 in. thick by
3
⁄4 in. wide by
Back apron, 3⁄4 in.
151⁄4 in. long
thick by 41⁄2 in. wide
8º TOP EDGE PROFILE by 151⁄4 in. long
Drawer back,
Groove, 5
⁄8 in. thick
1
⁄4 in. by 1⁄4 in.

Side apron,
3
⁄4 in. thick by
Drawer front,
3 41⁄2 in. wide by
⁄4 in. thick
121⁄4 in. long
Drawer bottom,
1
⁄4 in. thick Tenon, 1⁄4 in.
Tenon, 1⁄4 in. thick
thick by 5⁄8 in.
by 31⁄2 in. wide by
wide by 1 in.
1 in. long, with a
1 long 3
⁄4 in. Runner, ⁄4-in. shoulder at
3
⁄4 in. dia. Drawer side, 1
⁄2 in. thick by top
3
⁄4 in. 1
⁄2 in. thick 11⁄4 in. wide
by 111⁄4 in.
1
long, notched TURNED LEG
⁄2 in. dia. around legs
Learn how to make
3 3
⁄8 in. 1
⁄16 in. ⁄8 in. dia. a classic turned leg
with three simple
PULL DETAIL TAPERED LEG lathe tools, p. 63.
Legs, 13⁄8 in.
A simple shopmade square by
271⁄4 in. long
jig (p. 62) makes 13⁄8 in.
To purchase expanded plans quick work of the Miter
and a complete cutlist for Two
a tapered leg design.
Classic Shaker Tables and other
projects, go to FineWoodworking
.com/PlanStore.
1 in.

FRONT VIEW SIDE VIEW 3

⁄4 in.
24 in. 16 in. 1
⁄8 in.
31⁄2 in. 1
⁄4 in. inset

BACK LEG DETAIL

1 1
13 ⁄4 in. 10 ⁄4 in.
1
⁄2 in. 41⁄2 in.
1
⁄8 in.

28 in. 271⁄4 in.

3
⁄4 in.

1
1 in.
⁄8 in.
FRONT LEG DETAIL

Photo, facing page (top): Dennis Griggs; drawings: David Richards SHAKER FURNITURE 61
 2 options for legs A JIG M AKES TAPERS EASY
When building tables, it’s logical
to start with the legs because they 6 in.
tie all the other parts together. Hold-down clamp Two layers of 13⁄8 in.
1
Use a tapering jig on the tablesaw ⁄2-in. plywood
to taper the two inside faces, or
turn the round legs on the lathe.

Use a leg to lay

out the jig. Then
bandsaw the leg
cutout on the top Cork pad
piece.
271⁄4 in.
31 in.
TAPERED LEG
13⁄8 in.

6 in. flat 1 in.

First taper. With

the leg in the jig
and the rip fence
set to the width of
the jig, rip the taper
on the first inside
face of the leg.

271⁄4 in.
T he tapering jig to create these
two-sided tapered legs is simple
to make. Use a piece of plywood 4 in.
to 6 in. wide and 3 in. to 4 in. longer
than the leg. I mark the end of the leg
to see the final dimensions and use
those marks to position the leg on the
plywood. Set the leg on the edge of the Second taper.
Turn the leg blank
plywood with the portion to be tapered
90º in the jig and
flush with the end and overhanging the cut the taper on the
edge. Then, trace around the leg and second inside face.
cut the leg area away freehand on the
bandsaw. Once that’s done, screw that
piece of plywood to a base piece and
add hold-down clamps to keep the leg
stock secure as you run it through the
tablesaw.
After cutting the first taper, turn the
leg 90° in the jig and cut the second
one. The final step is cleaning up the
tapers with a sander.
1 in.

62 FINE WOODWORKING Photos, except where noted: Anissa Kapsales

 S I M P L E T O O L S F O R TU RNIN G Online Extra
For a video of Becksvoort turning this
leg, go to FineWoodworking.com/
shakerfurniture.

Square to round.
Using a 1⁄2-in. gouge, Define the
start to turn the transition point.
blank round from With a very sharp
the line down. Turn diamond-point
it to its widest scraper held on
diameter (11⁄4 in.). edge, carefully cut
in at 90º, clearly
defining the point
where the square
collar ends.
TURNED LEG
13⁄8 in.
A lthough the turned legs aren’t
as easy as the tapered legs, the
turning is pretty basic. There are a few
Create a 1⁄4-in.
ring. Still using
the diamond-point
points to keep in mind: the transition scraper, establish
the bottom part of
where the square top turns round, the
the ring and cut in
53⁄4 in. 1
⁄4-in.-wide ring just under that, the another 1⁄8 in. to
maximum diameter, and the gentle bring the diameter
11⁄4 in. dia. taper down to the bottom of the leg. down a bit more.

Going from the square top portion

to the round at a 90° angle is a little
1
⁄4 in. tricky, since a false move can knock
1 in. dia. off the corners. If you’re not too secure
11 in. on the lathe, you can start with 1-5⁄8-in.-
square stock, and size it to 1-3⁄8 in.
11⁄4 in. dia. after turning to remove any tearout.
First, measure and mark the transi-
tion location on all four sides of the Establish the
leg. Then begin turning with a 1⁄2-in. maximum
1
27 ⁄4 in. diameter.
gouge as close to that point as possi-
ble. Next, with a diamond-point scraper Becksvoort uses
a mortising chisel
held on edge, carefully cut in at 90°. on edge to cut a
Move the tool straight in to slice and thin line where the
clean up the shoulders, cutting in just turned leg is at its
deep enough to form a round. Now widest point.
clean up the round ring to about 1-1⁄4 in.
dia. Just under that, cut in another Form the swell.
1
⁄8 in. to reduce the diameter. Mark With a 1⁄2-in. gouge,
down 5 in. and cut a thin line at the start from below the
transition ring and
maximum diameter (1-1⁄4 in.). Then use
turn a gentle curve up
the diamond-point tool to cut to the to the thin line, then
bottom. To form the swell taper, I use a taper down gently to
gouge and turn from below the transi- the bottom of the leg.
tion ring to the max point, then taper
gently to the bottom. Finish with sand-
paper and 0000 steel wool. Add a light
bevel at the bottom. On all the legs
(tapered and turned), I break square
11⁄8 in. corners with 220-grit sandpaper.
Fast mortises the side and back aprons and drawer rails to the legs. I start with
the mortises for the back and side aprons and the rail below the
drawer. Then I cut the tenons on all of those pieces. The rail above
The basic mortise-and- the drawer is dovetailed into the top of the leg, and I tackle that
tenon construction
after the mortises and tenons.
makes this an easy
project to tackle.
Mortise the legs—I have a dedicated slot-mortiser for this job,
A drill press and but a drill press and mortising chisel also will work. After you lay
chisel are all out the locations for the mortises, waste away the majority of the
that’s needed material on the drill press with a brad-point bit. Then you can use
to create the chisels to clean up the edges and ends.
mortises. Tenon the aprons and lower front stretcher—I cut the apron
tenons on the tablesaw using a dado blade. There are three different
blade-height settings, one for each cheek and one for the top and
bottom edges. By the way, the first cheek-cut height isn’t critical;
it’s the second one that sets the final thickness and fit of the tenons.
Also, on legs this small I try to maximize the length of the tenons,
so I do end up mitering them.
I cut the lower front-rail tenons the same way as I cut the
apron tenons. Then I use the shoulder-to-shoulder measure-
ment of that piece to mark out the dovetail shoulders for the
upper rail.
Dovetail the upper front rail to the legs—Once I have dry-
fitted the three aprons and the bottom rail, I lay out the dovetails
on both ends of the top rail, cut them with a handsaw, and refine
Waste away material on the drill press. After the mortise locations
them with a chisel. On the tablesaw, I skim a small rabbet on the
are marked on the leg, use a fence clamped to the table to align a brad- underside of the dovetail, which creates a shoulder and helps
point bit as you clear most of the mortise. locate the dovetail on the leg. Once that’s done, use a knife to
transfer the dovetails to the tops of the front legs. A small router
with a 1⁄8-in. or 1⁄4-in. bit takes out most of the waste material. Use
a chisel to clean the corners.

Clean up the mortises with chisels. Mark the depth of the mortise on a
mortising chisel. Starting at the ends of the mortise (left), tap the mortising
chisel squarely in place. Finish by cleaning up the mortise walls with a
regular bench chisel (above).

64 FINE WOODWORKING
Dovetailed rail
adds strength
A quick dovetail locks the top
rail in place and adds extra
sturdiness to the whole base.
Dovetail the rail and then cut
the mating slots in the legs.

Transfer the
layout to the legs.
Dry-fit the lower
rail to the legs,
and position the
upper rail across
the top of the legs
to transfer the
dovetail profile
(above). Use a
small router to cut
close to the line
(left) and a chisel
to finish the job.

Cut a rabbet on the underside of the dovetails. Use a tenoning

jig. The shallow lip (1⁄16 in.) helps when you are marking the dovetail’s Fit the upper rail.
position on the legs. A final dry-fit of the
rails to the front
legs ensures an
accurate fit and a
Glue up the bases and add runners, kickers, and spacers stress-free glue-up.
Before adding the runners and kickers, sand the legs, aprons, These parts will be
and rails to 320-grit and glue the bases together. Begin by gluing the first step of the
the front legs to the rails and the back legs to the back apron gluing process.
in two separate assemblies. Once they are dry, add the two side
aprons as a final assembly. And once that is dry, you can glue in
the runners and kickers.
The drawer runners and kickers (a pair on each side of the
drawer) are the same size and shape, simply a strip of wood
notched to fit between the front and back legs. The runners sit
below the drawer sides and provide the track that the drawer runs
on while it moves in and out of the side table. A kicker is a strip
of wood that is placed above each drawer side to keep the drawer
from tipping down as it is opened and closed. In addition, I use
the kicker to screw the top in place. Also, because the sides are
inset from the legs, I glue in a spacer just above the runner. This
spacer keeps the drawer from tilting left or right.
There is no joinery involved in adding the runners and kick-
ers; they are simply cut to fit the interior, then glued and

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 65

Assemble
in stages
Start with the front and
back, gluing the back
apron to the back
legs and the front
stretchers to the
front legs. Then
join the two
assemblies,
and add the
internal pieces
that form the
drawer pocket. No joinery for runners, kickers, and spacers.
The runners and kickers are simply glued and
clamped into place (above), flush with the top
and bottom of the aprons and rails. Plane the
spacers perfectly flush with the inside faces of
the legs before gluing them on (below).

Complete the base. After the front and back of the base are dry, add the side aprons.

clamped in place, flush with the top and bottom of the aprons
and rails. Trim the spacers perfectly flush with the inside faces
of the legs.
Hand-cut dovetails in the drawers
The drawer fronts are cut to fit the openings. I make the front
3⁄4 in. thick, the back 5⁄8 in. thick, and the sides 1⁄2 in. thick. I
make the back a little thicker than the sides for three reasons:
First, thinner sides make the drawer appear more graceful, and
you’ll seldom pull it all the way out to see the thickness of the
back. Second, the added thickness of the back gives a bit more
glue surface to the dovetails, resulting in stronger joints on
all four corners. Finally, it allows a solid bottom (not ply-
wood) to expand and contract while remaining hidden under
the back.
I cut half-blind dovetails in the front and through-dovetails in
the back, cutting the tails first. I make the drawer bottoms from re-
sawn, book-matched stock and secure them with a screw and slot
in the back to allow for seasonal movement. I turn the mushroom-
shaped knobs on the lathe.
Screw the top in place
Last, I edge-glue the 3⁄4-in.-thick top, cut it to size, sand it, and
use the tablesaw to add a slight bevel to the underside. With the
top facedown, I center the base (11⁄2 in. front and back, 4 in. on
the sides) and drill three countersunk holes through each of the
drawer kickers (one in the center, one at either end) to screw the
base to the top. I made the end holes oval-shaped to allow for
wood movement. I give the tables three coats of an oil finish. The
first coat is straight Danish oil and the next two coats are a ratio
of two parts Tried & True Varnish oil and one part spar varnish. I
use only wax on the drawer runners, spacers, kickers, and drawer
sides and bottom, to help them run more smoothly. □
Christian Becksvoort is a longtime furniture maker and designer
in New Gloucester, Maine, and an expert on Shaker furniture.

66 FINE WOODWORKING
 Dovetailed drawer Keep it level.
Secure the pin

adds function, board in a vise

and use a spacer
block to keep the

beauty tail board level on

the pin board for
layout.
Use these handy
tricks to cut flawless
dovetails by hand.

Solid drawer bot-

tom made easy.
Cut the bottom of
the drawer back
to line up with the
drawer groove, so
the bottom can slide
into place. A single
screw secures the
solid bottom to the
Transfer trick. Becksvoort runs the groove for the drawer bottom on the back, with a slot
tablesaw, and then uses the groove (and a small scrap) to align the parts to allow seasonal
when transferring the tails to the pin board. movement.

Shakers used
an easy oil
finish. After all
the construction
is finished,
Becksvoort uses
an oil finish inside
and out, but uses
only wax on the
interior drawer
parts.
68 FINE WOODWORKING
 TABLES

Iconic Side Table

Build a delicate 1
⁄2 in.

TOP EDGE
version of this Top,
PROFILE
1
⁄2 in. thick
rare round stand by 161⁄8 in.
dia. 3
⁄4 in.
Subtop,
3
⁄4 in. thick
by 7 in. dia. 2 in.
B Y C H R I S T I A N
B E C K S V O O R T SUBTOP EDGE
PROFILE
Post, 193⁄8 in. long
To purchase
expanded plans (see profile, p. 70) 5
⁄8 in.
and a complete

T
Post,
he first time I saw a photo of this cutlist for this Shaker 115⁄16 in. dia. 9
⁄16 in.
small table, I was thrilled, but also Candlestand and at base
other projects, go to
taken aback. It looked to me like FineWoodworking
something designed in Denmark in 1960, .com/PlanStore. 5
⁄8 in.
not in a Shaker village in the early 1800s.
The Shakers designed a variety of beauti-
ful round stands, and I’ve written about
other versions—and built more than 100
of them—but this one in my opinion is LEG-TO-POST
the ultimate. With its slightly concave DOVETAILS
tapering post, thin top, and light, half-
crescent legs, the piece sums up the
power and simplicity of Shaker design.
It also happens to be the rarest of
round stands; only one original in this Leg, 2 in.
5
form is known to exist. I’ve since built ⁄8 in. thick
several reproductions, in a variety of
woods, and refined the parts until they Table spider
are as near to the original as possible. reinforces joint 77⁄16 in.
(hortonbrasses
.com).
Start with the top, then the post
My first move is to glue up a blank for the
161⁄8-in.-dia. cherry top and put it aside.
A single-board top (like the original) is
ideal, but that kind of plank is rarely 7
⁄8 in.
161⁄8 in. 81⁄4 in.
available. I usually cut two pieces from a
9-in. or 10-in. board and edge-glue them.
I look for a flatsawn or riftsawn board WHERE TO FIND
and disguise the glueline by putting two 255⁄16 in. THE RAREST ROUND STAND
rift-to-quartersawn edges together. The lone original example of this table,
made at the Mt. Lebanon, N.Y., Shaker
Start the post by selecting stock with village in 1820, is in the collection of the
grain as straight as possible, and turn a American Museum in Bath, England. John
2-in. cylinder. Using a story stick, make Kassay measured and drew the table for his
classic book, The Book of Shaker Furniture
pencil marks on it at each of the dimen- (1980, The University of Massachusetts
sions. On the top end, turn a tenon 1 in. Press), which is still in print.

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 69

Turn a slender post
1 in. dia. 3
⁄4 in.
17⁄8 in. dia.

13⁄4 in.

11⁄8 in. dia.

11⁄16 in. dia.

13⁄32 in. dia.

11⁄8 in. dia.

13⁄16 in. dia.

11⁄4 in. dia.

11⁄4 in. dia.

15⁄16 in. dia.

1
147⁄8 in.
3
1 ⁄8 in. dia.

17⁄16 in. dia.

11⁄2 in. dia.

19⁄16 in. dia.

111⁄16 in. dia.

13⁄4 in. dia.

17⁄8 in. dia.

2 in. dia.
2
Marked and measured. After turning
115⁄16 in. dia. 2 in. the cylinder, use a pencil to transfer
diameter marks from a story stick (1).
Then turn the tenon (2) and the bulb at
POST PROFILE the top of the post (3). 3

dia. by 3⁄4 in. long. Just below the tenon is a flared bulb. Its curve
is not an arc, but rather a section of a parabola. Turn the diameter
below the bulb first, using a parting tool. Then use a small gouge
and a spear-point scraper to turn the bulb itself.
The long part of the post is not a straight taper, but a concave
flared curve, and reproducing that subtle shape requires precise
turning. I use a parting tool fitted with a gate jig to make a series
of cuts that will control the shape of the curve. If you prefer, you
can use calipers instead of the gate jig. The last section of the
post—where the legs will dovetail in—must be perfectly cylin-
drical, and the small shoulder should be crisp. Make a series of
depth cuts with a parting tool, clean them up with a spear-point
scraper, and follow with sandpaper on a block.
With the bottom cylinder complete, move on to the main section
of the post, cleaning out the waste between the parting-tool cuts
with a sharp gouge and then fairing the curve with a thumbnail
gouge. When the turning is finished, leave the lathe running and
sand the whole post to at least 400 grit, followed by a rubdown
with 0000 steel wool.
Shape and dovetail the legs
Make a pattern for the legs and trace it three times onto 5⁄8-in.-
thick stock, orienting the pattern so the wood’s grain runs more
or less straight between the two farthest points of the leg. Cut
out the legs on the bandsaw and sand the curves fair. Then,
at the router table, use a roundover bit to cut a shallow arced
profile into the curved edges of the legs. Next, create the dove-
tail keys on the legs at the router table, using a 14° dovetail
bit. Then finish-sand the legs to 400 grit and rub them with 0000
steel wool.

70 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Jonathan Binzen; drawings: Bob La Pointe

 1

3
Dial in the diameters. Use a gate jig (1) or a pair of calipers to control the depth of
cut. Establish the critical diameters of the post with a parting tool (2). Then remove
the waste between the grooves with a heavy, shallow gouge (3), before fine-tuning the
2 surface with a fingernail gouge.

TURN THE SUBTOP WHILE

YOU’RE AT THE LATHE

Shaping the subtop. After bandsawing out

Sandpaper cleanup. Smooth the taper and the bulb with sandpaper, a disk, turn it perfectly round. Then shape the
going through the grits from 150 to 400, and finishing with steel wool. curved profile on the bottom edge with a round-
For the cylinder at the base, back up the paper with a sanding block to be nosed scraper.
sure the surface stays flat.

SHAKER FURNITURE 71
Shape the legs

Leg layout. Trace the shape using a cardboard Strapped in for sanding. After cutting the legs, tape them in a stack and smooth the ends and the
template, orienting the grain so it runs straight outside curve at the disk sander (left). Sand right through the tape. Re-tape the stack, then fair the
from tip to tip (see leg profile, p. 70). inside curve (right) with a drum sander.

DOVETAIL THE LEGS TO THE POST

Standing dovetail.
Cut the sliding dovetail
keys at the router table,
using a dovetail bit and
a tall fence.

Leg,
Fence 5
⁄8 in. thick

9
⁄16 in. Socket layout. With the post inverted in the vise, scribe around the
dovetail key. Pine cushion blocks hold the post steady.

Shape the hollows in

the cushion blocks
with a gouge. Taper
them to match the
taper of the post.

14° dovetail bit Rubber bands hold

blocks on round post.

72 FINE WOODWORKING
Mark and cut the dovetail sockets
To properly locate the dovetail sockets, clamp the post upside
down in the vise and divide the bottom into three 120° sec-
tions. You can do this with a protractor or a compass, but I do
it with paper. Wrap a strip of paper around the end of the post,
marking and cutting it to the exact circumference. Flatten the
paper on the bench and divide its length into exact thirds. Then
wrap the paper around the post again and transfer the marks to
the end grain.
Now position one of the leg dovetails on the post’s end grain
so that it sits flat and the tips of the shoulders just touch the rim
of the post. Put it just to one side of one of the third marks. Then
scribe around the dovetail with a knife. Repeat the process for
all three legs, and be sure to number the legs and their mating
sockets. If the knife marks are faint, I highlight them with a chisel.
Use a small square and a pencil to bring the lines down the face
of the post to the shoulder.
To cut the sockets, position the leg in the vise at about a 30°
angle. Using a rip dovetail saw, cut on the inside of the pencil
lines, following the knife marks. Since you have to stop shy of
the shoulder, this angled cut will create a bit less than half of the
cheek of each dovetail. The rest of the work is done with a chisel,
using the sawn plane as a guide.
Carefully define the end of the socket by chopping downward
right at the shoulder line, then begin chiseling out the bulk of the
waste between the sawcuts. Once most of the waste is removed,
place the chisel into the knife cuts and pare down the slot. If the
grain runs perfectly straight, this works fine. Unfortunately, the
grain often runs to the left or right, in which case one side pares
very well, while the other side tears into the post. When that hap-
pens, instead of paring along the grain from the end of the socket,
pare across the grain from the outside of the post.
Fit and glue up the dovetails
Once the socket is well-defined, begin fitting. Mark the three
leading edges of the dovetail key with a pencil, and push the leg
in as far as it will go with moderate hand pressure. The graphite
transfers to the edges of the socket and shows where the dovetail
is binding. Pare this away from the socket, and repeat the process
five, 10, even 15 times until the leg slides all the way to the end. It

Saw the socket.

With a rip dovetail
saw, cut a kerf
just inside the
pencil lines and as
deep as you can
without hitting the
shoulder.

It’s chisel work

from here.
Establish the
shoulder of the
socket with
several mallet
hits (far left), then
remove long chips
of waste, working
from the end
with the chisel
horizontal. Extend
the cheeks beyond
the sawkerfs with
vertical (left) and
Extend the layout lines. Use a small
horizontal chops.
square and a pencil to carry the scribed
lines down to the shoulder.

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 73

Put it all together
ATTACH THE LEGS

Post

Curved recess
matches edge
profile of leg.

Sliding dovetail
socket

Flats mate with

shoulders of the
dovetail key.

Flat tops. Cut flats on each side of the socket (left) to seat the shoulders of the dovetail keys. Use
a shallow gouge (right) to cut a crescent-shaped recess to accept the rounded edge of the leg.

5
⁄8 in.
Leg

Mark and fit. To fit the joint, rub the leading

edge of the dovetail key with a pencil, insert the
key, and pare darkened wood from the socket.
When all the joints fit, apply glue and pull them
home with hand pressure (right).

74 FINE WOODWORKING
BRACE THE BOTTOM AND ADD THE TOP

Joint cleanup. After the glue cures, smooth the bottom of the post with
a drum sander.

should seat with no wobble. Too loose a fit means a weak joint.
But you shouldn’t have to pound a leg in, either; if it’s too tight
it could split the leg.
When all three legs are fitted, glue them in. If they fit right,
there’s no need to clamp them.
Bottom needs support. Screwing in a metal brace, or spider, reinforces
the sliding dovetails. Becksvoort bought his spider and modified it,
cutting several inches off each of its legs.

Subtop and true top

Bandsaw out the subtop, mount it on a faceplate, and shape its
edge profile on the lathe. After turning, drill a 1-in. hole in the
center of the subtop to mate with the tenon at the top of the post.
The original table has a small metal plate, or spider, at the bot-
tom of the post to reinforce the joints.
You can cut your own spi-
der out of 1⁄8-in. sheet metal,
or order one from Horton
Brasses.
Finally, bandsaw the top to a 16-in.-dia.
circle and fair it on the disk sander. Then cre-
ate the edge profile with a balloon sander. Al-
ternatively, it could be done with a rasp, file,
spokeshave, or router. Finish-sand the top to
400 grit and attach it with four wood screws
up through the subtop.
I use a straight linseed-oil finish of three or
four coats. Since it has no UV filters, linseed
oil allows the cherry to darken faster than
any other finish. □

Christian Becksvoort is a longtime

furniture maker and designer Crosswise wedge. To avoid splitting the subtop, orient the wedge
in New Gloucester, Maine, and an perpendicular to the grain. After the glue cures, saw off the wedge and
expert on Shaker furniture. chisel the tenon flush. Then attach the top with screws through the subtop.

SHAKER FURNITURE 75
 TABLES

Trestle Table
Form meets function in this timeless design
B Y C H R I S T I A N B E C K S V O O R T

76 FINE WOODWORKING Photos, except where noted: Tom Begnal; this page: Michael Pekovich
 The posts are simple turnings

Turn the blank. Becksvoort turns a 35⁄8-in.-sq. blank to 31⁄2 in. dia., then makes a series of
23⁄8-in.-dia. parting cuts along the midsection, checking the diameter with calipers. After that,
with the parting cuts serving as guides, he reduces the entire midsection to 23⁄8 in. dia.

T his table is based on a piece built at the Shaker commu-

nity in Hancock, Mass. (It’s now in the collection of the
Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Mass.) The original, made
from cherry, is almost 11 ft. long, with a third trestle to support
the center. Such a length made good sense for communal dining,
Coves and beads.
Each end of the
midsection terminates
in a cove and bead.
Mark the 7⁄8-in. width
but it’s not practical for most homes today. My version has only of the detail by lightly
two trestles, and I typically make the top either 8 ft. or 9 ft. long. touching a pencil point
A trestle table has appeal for a few reasons. For one, it can be against the spinning
“knocked down” without fuss. Remove the top from the base parts post. Cut the cove with
and the stretcher from the trestles, and you can move the table a roundnose chisel or
small gouge, then the
through doors and up or down stairs. Unlike most tables, which
bead with a diamond-
have aprons around the perimeter to stiffen the structure, trestle point or skew chisel.
tables have a single center stretcher. This gives more vertical leg-
room. On the other hand, most trestle tables have flat feet, which
tend to get in the way of the feet of diners sitting at either end. 31⁄2 in.
This Shaker design solves that inconvenience by replacing the flat dia.
feet with arched feet. This simple change not only makes the piece
more ergonomic, but also gives it an especially graceful look. 1
⁄16 in.

Most lathes will handle these posts 1

⁄2 in.
I make the posts first, using 16/4 stock. If this size isn’t readily
available, consider face-gluing two pieces of 8/4 stock from the
1
⁄4 in.
same board. Using the same board means the grain and color of
1
the pieces will be close and the glue joint less visible. ⁄16 in.
1
⁄16 in.
Mill the stock to about 35⁄8 in. sq. and crosscut it to 241⁄2 in. long.
Then mount it in a lathe and turn it to 31⁄2 in. dia. At a point 6 in.
from the top and 4 in. from the bottom, use a parting tool and 23⁄8 in.
dia.
calipers to establish the 23⁄8-in. diameter of the center section.
Continue using the parting tool to make a series of 23⁄8-in.-dia.
cuts between the end cuts. With these cuts serving as a depth
guide, use a gouge to reduce the entire center section to 23⁄8 in.

SHAKER FURNITURE 77
Notch the posts

Build a cradle. Two saddles screwed to a base, 3⁄4 in. Lay out the location of the notches. With the cradle on a flat surface, use a square to
thick by 8 in. wide by 121⁄2 in. long, create a cradle for the mark a vertical centerline on each end of the post (left). Measure and mark the width of
post that simplifies a number of construction steps. the notch, then use a square to scribe the notch depth (right).

Cut the two notches. With the post securely clamped in the cradle, use a bandsaw to Hand work. Smooth the ends of the notches
cut the notch on each end, following your layout lines by eye. and the cheeks with a sharp chisel.

dia. At each end of the center section, turn a small cove and a
bead with a small flat at each end of it (see drawing, p. 77). If your
turning skills are rusty, practice first on a shorter blank.
Jig simplifies post joinery
Once both posts are turned and sanded, they need to be notched
for the braces, feet, and stretchers. To hold them for layout and
machining, I clamp the posts to a shopmade cradle that consists
of a couple of U-shaped saddles screwed to a rectangular piece
of plywood. A narrow piece of paper towel in each saddle, held
in place with masking tape, helps prevent scratches on the posts.
Place the cradle on a bench (with the clamp between the
opened jaws of the vise so the cradle can rest flat). Use a square
to lay out the width and length of the notch on each end of the
post. To lay out a notch, first use a square to mark a vertical line
through the center of the turning. Using that centerline as a refer-
ence, mark the width of the notch. Finally, mark the depth of the
notch. The notches can be cut by hand with a deep backsaw; but
a bandsaw does as good a job in less time. With the post clamped
in the cradle, carefully saw between the lines to the bottom of the
notch. Then, nibble out the bottom of the notch with the blade.
As you switch from one end to another, you’ll need to reposition
the clamp so that it doesn’t bump into the saw table as you cut.
Rout a shallow groove for the stretcher—There’s one more
machine cut to make on each post—a groove, 1⁄4 in. deep by 1 in.
wide by 5 in. long, that will accept the end of the stretcher. You
can cut the groove with a chisel, but it’s easier on a router table.
Again, I use the cradle to support the post. A clamp gets in the
way on the router table, so I made a wooden yoke that serves
as a clamp. With the yoke screwed to the base of the cradle, the
post stays securely in place. Before tightening the yoke, make sure
the cheeks of the slot are parallel with the router-table surface.
Install a 1-in.-dia. straight bit in the router, and raise the bit to
make a 1⁄4-in.-deep cut in the post. Adjust the router-table fence
so that when the cradle slides against it, the bit is centered on
the post. Also, clamp a stop block to the fence to stop the cradle

78 FINE WOODWORKING
 Stub tenon, Add glue to Peg, 3⁄8 in. dia. 1-in.-dia. by 5⁄8-in.-
1
⁄4 in. long center tenon by 1 in. long deep counterbore
only.
Tenon, 3⁄8 in.
thick by 2 in.
long Top, 1 in. thick by
36 in. wide by 94 in.
long (includes tenons
at each end)

End holes are

elongated. 3
⁄4 in.
Breadboard end, Notch, 1⁄4 in. deep
1 in. thick by 3 in. by 31⁄4 in. wide 1 in.
wide by 36 in. long

Brace, 11⁄4 in.

thick by 5 in. wide 5 in.
by 30 in. long 31⁄4 in.
6 in.
Bed bolt, Stopped groove
3
⁄8 in. dia. for stretcher, 1⁄4 in.
by 6 in. long deep by 1 in. wide
Stretcher, 1 in.
by 5 in. long
thick by 5 in. wide
by 571⁄2 in. long 31⁄2 in. dia.
Post, 31⁄2 in. dia. 7
by 241⁄2 in. long ⁄8 in.
31⁄2 in.
21⁄2 in.
TRESTLE Foot, 2 in. thick
TABLE by 7 in. wide by
25 in. long
Bolt hole,
3
⁄8 in. dia.
Lightly sand all
exposed corners Mortise for
square nut,
(except for the 7
⁄8 in. deep
foot chamfers) to by 3⁄8 in. wide
a 1⁄8-in. radius. For by 1 in. long
maximum strength,
STRETCHER END
use straight-grained, Notch, 1⁄4 in. deep 123⁄4 in.
defect-free wood for by 27⁄8 in. wide
To purchase expanded plans and
the feet. 23⁄8 in.
a complete cutlist for this Shaker
Dining Table and other projects, go to dia.
FineWoodworking.com/PlanStore.
30 in.

2 in. 9 in. 31⁄4 in.

5 in.

BRACE 7
⁄8 in.
1
3 ⁄2 in.
dia.
7
⁄8-in.-dia. Shank hole is
counterbored slotted to allow
hole wood movement. 4 in.
27⁄8 in. 1
2 ⁄2 in.
45º chamfer
(top edge only)
11⁄2 in.
Flats,
1
7 in. FOOT ⁄4 in. wide
41⁄2 in.

4 in.
25 in.
POST

Drawings: Bob La Pointe SHAKER FURNITURE 79

 when the groove is 5 in. long. Hold the cradle firmly against the
Notch the posts (continued) fence as you slide it forward to feed the post in the bit.
The router bit leaves rounded corners at the end of each groove.
Use a chisel to cut them square.
Cut small shoulders.
Cut a flat on each Fit the other parts to the posts
side of the notches to Templates for the brace and feet can be found on p. 79, but you’ll
ensure gap-free contact need to enlarge them to full size. I’m not fussy about pattern stock;
between the post and light cardboard or poster paper works just fine.
the brace and foot. Use the patterns and a pencil to transfer the profiles to the
First, lay out each flat
stock. Cut the parts on the bandsaw, staying just outside the lines.
with a pencil and ruler
(right), then make a Next, lay out and mark the location of the dadoes in the braces
vertical chisel cut to and feet. These mate with the deep notches in the posts. They
establish the end point. can be cut by hand, with a router, or with a dado blade on the
Finally, make horizontal tablesaw. To save time, I use the dado blade set for the widest
cuts with the chisel to possible cut.
pare the stock to the To support the braces and feet during the dado cuts, clamp a
layout line (below).
long fence to the miter gauge. The fence should extend at least
15 in. on either side of the dado blade. Add a pair of stop blocks
to ensure that the shoulders of the dadoes align perfectly on both
sides of the joint. When setting the depth of cut, I leave the areas
between the dadoes a bit thick. That way, I can trim them with a
rabbet plane for a perfect final fit.
With the dadoes cut, I smooth concave edges of the braces and
feet using a spindle sander, and convex edges using a stationary
disk sander. Smooth the curved edges further by hand-sanding.
Now use the router table and a chamfer bit to rout a 1⁄4-in.
chamfer along the top edges of the feet. Stop each chamfer at a
point 1⁄2 in. from the dadoes.

Cut the groove for the stretcher. With a

U-shaped yoke screwed to the cradle serving as a
clamp, use a router table to cut a stopped groove in
the top end of the post (above). Square the rounded
end left by the router bit with a chisel (right).

80 FINE WOODWORKING
Complete the trestles

Dado the legs and braces. Cut a wide dado on each side
of the brace and foot (above). Use the tablesaw miter gauge
with a long auxiliary fence to support the parts during the
cuts. A pair of stop blocks helps ensure that the ends of the
dadoes end up perfectly aligned on both sides of the parts.

To fit a joint, first make a knife cut at the shoulders

of the dado to sever the wood fibers before trimming
the dadoes with a rabbet plane. When the joint begins
to engage, I mark the leading edges of the slots with a
pencil, which shows me exactly where the joint is still
tight. A few more strokes with the rabbet plane and the
joint should fit snugly.
Once all braces and feet are fitted to their respective
posts, the parts can be glued and clamped to create a
trestle. A pair of clamps, each spanning from brace to
foot, is all that’s needed. After that, at one end of the
trestle, measure the distance from the top edge of the
brace to the bottom edge of the foot. Do the same at the
other end. The measurement should be the same. If
they differ, adjust the pressure on the two clamps until
the measurements agree. Once dry, sand the bottom
Dry-fit the parts. Check
of the post and the underside of the arched foot until flush. the fit of the posts to
When making the stretcher, I start with slightly thicker stock. each dado (above). If too
Then I make light passes with a thickness planer until the stretcher tight, use a rabbet plane
fits snugly in the groove routed in the top of the post. (left) to trim the sides or
bottom of the dado.
How to install bed bolts
Each trestle attaches to an end of the stretcher with a pair of
3⁄8-in. by 6-in. bed bolts and nuts (available from Horton Brasses;

horton-brasses.com). Each bolt extends through a post and brace

and into the end of the stretcher. The end of the bolt threads
through a nut mortised into the stretcher. When the bolt and Rout chamfers. A
nut are tightened, the stretcher and trestle are pulled together to chamfer bit in a router
produce a rock-solid joint. table is used to chamfer
The bed-bolt work starts at the drill press. Once again, the cradle the top edges of the feet.
comes in handy. Use the yoke to secure the trestle to the cradle, Stop the cut 1⁄2 in. short
with the stretcher groove facing down. Make sure the sides of the of the dado.
brace and trestle are parallel to the work surface. If the parts tilt,
the holes won’t be square.
Measuring from the top end of the post, mark the hole centers
at 1 in. and 41⁄4 in. Position the cradle so that a 1-in. Forstner bit
is centered on the upper hole. Clamp the cradle to the drill press,

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 81

Add the and then bore a 5⁄8-in.-deep hole to accept the head of the bed
bolt. Replace the Forstner bit with a 3⁄8-in.-dia. brad-point bit and
bore a hole completely through the post and brace. Repeat the
bed bolts process for the remaining holes.
Next, clamp the stretcher in a vise and temporarily mount one
of the trestles. Transfer the 3⁄8-in.-dia. bit from the drill press to
Start by drilling. With a portable drill. Using the holes in the trestle as guides, drill
a trestle clamped in the matching holes in the end of the stretcher. Remove the trestle and
cradle, and the cradle
continue drilling until the hole is at least 31⁄2 in. deep, measured
clamped to the drill-
press table, use a 1-in.- from the end of the stretcher.
dia. Forstner bit to drill Portable drills rarely produce a hole perfectly square to the
a 5⁄8-in.-deep hole (right). stretcher ends. So, to make sure the mortise for the nut is properly
Then, remove the Forst- located, I use a bed bolt as a guide. Allow a good portion of the
ner bit and use a 3⁄8-in.- bolt to extend from the hole. Then place a long ruler so it’s cen-
dia. brad-point bit to tered along the length of the exposed bolt. Use a pencil to extend
drill a hole completely
the centerline along the face of the stretcher. With the centerline
through the post.
showing the location of the bolt hole, measure 21⁄2 in. from the
end of the stretcher, and lay out the location of the mortise for
the nut. A few minutes’ work with a chisel yields a mortise just

Lay out the

location of the
bed-bolt nuts.
With a bed bolt in
a stretcher hole
serving as a guide
(in case the hole
isn’t drilled perfectly
square), mark the
location of the bed-
bolt nut (above). Cut
the mortises for the
nuts (left) just deep
enough to allow the
bolt to thread into
the nut.

Drill holes in the ends of the stretcher. Add a trestle to the stretcher
temporarily, then use a 3⁄8-in.-dia. brad-point bit to extend the bed-bolt
hole slightly into the end of the stretcher. After that, remove the trestle
and drill deeper to complete the hole.

82 FINE WOODWORKING Photos, facing page: Michael Pekovich

 Assembly is easy

Put it together. After all the parts have been sanded and finished, it’s finally time to put the table Attach the top. A screw and washer go into
together. With the table parts upside down, slide the ends of the stretcher into the post grooves and each counterbored hole in the braces. The
slip the bed-bolt nuts into the mortises in the stretcher. Then, insert the bolts (top right). slotted shank hole allows wood movement.

big enough to accept the nut. You’ll know the alignment is OK

if you can slip the bolt into the hole and thread it into the nut. I
use a special bed-bolt wrench (available from Horton Brasses; a
12-point socket also works) to turn and tighten the bolts.
With the holes drilled and all the mortises cut, you can mount
the trestles to the stretcher.

Build the top and breadboard ends

I make the tabletop by edge-gluing 1-in.-thick stock, using three
or four well-matched boards across the 36-in. width.
Breadboards are applied to either end. The original table, made
from 7⁄8-in.-thick stock, had a 1⁄4-in.-thick by 1⁄2-in.-long tongue cut
fully across each end of the top and pinned to allow for wood
movement. The tongue fit into a corresponding groove cut across
the entire length of the breadboard end. I make my tenons longer
for added strength.
The top is attached with screws driven through counterbored
holes in the braces and stretcher. To allow the top to expand and
contract in width due to seasonal changes in humidity, be sure
to elongate the shank holes in the braces.
For a finish, I use an oil-and-varnish mix (equal parts of each),
applying three coats to all the table surfaces, including the top
and bottom of the top and breadboard ends. For added durability,
the top then gets two more coats. □

Christian Becksvoort is a longtime furniture maker and designer

in New Gloucester, Maine, and an expert on Shaker furniture.

SHAKER FURNITURE 83
 CABINETS

Simple Hanging Cabinet

The Shakers
had this
diminutive
design pegged
B Y C H R I S T I A N
B E C K S V O O R T

T he Shakers didn’t invent the

peg board, but they refined
it, popularized it, and made
it one of their hallmarks. They used
peg boards to hang not only hats
and clothes but also brooms, mir-
rors, clocks, chairs, shelves—even
cabinets. And their wall-hung cabi-
nets have always interested me.
This one was inspired by a small
cabinet from the Hancock, Mass.,
community. The original had a slab
door, but I’ve substituted a frame-
and-panel door. I adapted the
semi-circular hanger from a larger
cabinet, and incorporated half-blind
dovetails in the case.
The slight proportions are part of
the charm of the piece. The case
and door frame are 1⁄2 in. thick, the
back is 3⁄8 in., and the shelves
and door panel are just 1⁄4 in.
thick. These cabinets look great
either painted or clear-finished
in pine, cherry, or walnut.

A small, strong case

The original cabinet’s case is nailed
at the corners, but I made mine

84 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Anissa Kapsales

 Notch,
SHAKER WALL CABINET 51⁄2 in. wide
Top, 1⁄2 in. thick
The cabinet’s light but strong dovetailed by 51⁄2 in. wide by 1⁄2 in. deep
case is dressed up with non-structural by 13 in. long
Hanger hole,
top and bottom panels with
1 in. dia.
overhanging, bullnosed edges. 1
1 ⁄2 in.
Rabbet, 1⁄4 in. wide
Screws secure by 3⁄16 in. deep
Top rail, 1⁄2 in. thick by case to top.
11⁄4 in. wide by 8 in. long
Face-frame stile,
1
⁄2 in. thick by 2 in.
Door panel, 1⁄4 in. wide by 14 in. long Case top, 1⁄2 in.
thick by 57⁄8 in. wide Tenon, 1⁄4 in. thick thick by 4 in. wide
by 111⁄2 in. long by 1 in. wide by by 113⁄4 in. long
11⁄4 in. long

Back, 3⁄8 in. thick

Door stile, by 113⁄8 in. wide
1
⁄2 in. thick by by 18 in. long,
11⁄4 in. wide inset 1⁄8 in.
by 14 in. long

Shelf supports,
1
⁄4 in. thick by
1
⁄2 in. wide by
31⁄2 in. long
Door knob
with spinner
Side, 1⁄2 in. thick
by 41⁄2 in. wide by
14 in. long

Groove, 1⁄4 in.

Case bottom,
wide by 1⁄4 in. 1
⁄2 in. thick by
deep, centered
4 in. wide by
113⁄4 in. long

Groove, 3⁄16 in. wide

by 1⁄4 in. deep, 5⁄16 in. Bottom, 1⁄2 in.
from back edge thick by 51⁄2 in.
Bottom rail, wide by 13 in. long
1
⁄2 in. thick by
13⁄4 in. wide 1-in. butt hinges
by 8 in. long FRONT VIEW SIDE VIEW
12 in. 5 in.
Tenon, 1⁄4 in. thick 1
5 ⁄2 in.
by 11⁄2 in. wide by
11⁄4 in. long
31⁄2 in.

181⁄2 in.
15 in. 14 in.

Take your pick. The cabinet’s simple design sings in a range of clear
finished woods—above, cherry on the left and pine on the right. But it
also looks great when painted. For the center cabinet, Becksvoort used
Federal Blue milk paint from the Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company. 13 in. 51⁄2 in.

Drawings: Christopher Mills SHAKER FURNITURE 85

Create the case

Tails beget pins. After cutting half-blind tails on the

case top and bottom, transfer them to the sides.
The case parts are flush at the front, but the top and
bottom are inset at the rear to accommodate the back.

Cut the grooves. Once the pins are cut, the sides get Case comes together. Knock the case joints together, following up with clamps if
grooved to accept the back. Two passes on the tablesaw necessary. Check to see that it is perfectly square before setting it aside to cure.
create the 3⁄16-in.-wide groove.

with half-blind dovetails for additional
strength. Lay out and cut the dovetails
using your preferred method, keeping in
mind that while the case parts will all be
flush at the front, the sides are wider than
the case top and bottom because they are
grooved for the back.
Before assembly, sand the inside surfac-
es of all four pieces. Then glue and clamp,
checking to be sure the case is perfectly
square. When the glue is dry, plane or
sand the exterior surfaces flat and smooth.
While the case glue-up is curing, make
the cabinet top and bottom. With a roun-
dover bit at the router table, shape the
bullnose on their front and side edges,
where they’ll overhang the case. Glue the
bottom to the case at this point, and then
add the face-frame stiles and the shelf
supports.
Back business
To simplify shaping the half-round hang-
er, I made the back by gluing up three
boards—a long, wide center board sand-
wiched between two narrower, shorter
ones. Shape the half-round at the top of
the center board at the bandsaw, and re-
fine the curve at the disk sander or by
hand. Then glue on the side boards.
Next, use a Forstner bit to drill a 1-in.
hole in the center of the half-round. Then
trim the back to width, being certain to cut
from each side to keep the hole centered.
After cutting tongues along the side edges
of the back, insert it in its grooves to test

86 FINE WOODWORKING
Double roundover. The top and
bottom get a bullnose profile
on three sides. You can gang
the two pieces while cutting the
roundovers on the router table.

1
⁄4-in.
roundover bit

Notch the top. To

make the notch
in the top for the
center section of
the back, define the
width of the notch
with kerfs cut on
the tablesaw, then
remove the waste
between them with
the bandsaw.

Bottom’s up. With the roundovers cut and sanded,

glue the bottom to the case.

Pieces of the frame. The pair of

stiles that compose a partial face
frame are glued to the front of the
case without joinery.

Simple shelf supports. A couple

of finishing nails secure the small
strips of solid wood that act as shelf
supports.

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 87

Make and fit the back panel

Three-part back. Shape the back’s half-round top Two tongues. Two passes on the tablesaw—one Circle session. A Forstner bit
section before gluing on the two narrower side boards. with the back standing on edge—create the in the drill press cuts a clean
Then trim the whole back to length and width. tongues on the sides of the back. hanging hole in the back.

Secure the back. Slide the back into place, then add the top (above right). To attach
the top, drive screws up through the case top. Then fix the back, screwing it to the
case top (right) and case bottom.

88 FINE WOODWORKING
Build the door

Diminutive frame and panel. After applying

finish to the 1⁄4-in.-thick door panel, drop it into
place as you assemble the door frame.

Nail the panel.

the fit. You should have a total of about
1⁄8 in. of play from side to side to allow for
The panel needs
to move with the
seasonal expansion. seasons, so it gets
no glue. With the
Light door for a small cabinet bridle joints glued
Build the door so that its overall dimen- and clamped, drive
sions match those of the opening. That will a brad through the
frame and into the
give you the material you need to make
panel to keep it
a good final fit. Since the stiles and rails centered.
are relatively small, I use bridle joints at
the corners instead of the more traditional
blind mortise-and-tenon. This gives a larg-
er glue surface and more strength.
When cutting the door panel to size, you
can let it bottom out in the grooves in
the top and bottom rails, but be sure it
has about 1⁄8 in. of play from side to side
for seasonal movement. Glue and clamp
the four bridle joints, but don’t glue the At last, the pull.
panel—a brad at the top and bottom is all A simple spinner
you need to keep it centered. and a Shaker
mushroom knob
When you’ve glued up the door, trim just
provide the cabinet
enough to produce a 1⁄16-in. reveal around with closure. For an
the top and the sides, and about 3⁄32 in. on article on making
the bottom. Use a pair of 1-in. butt hinges spinners, turn to
to hang the door. Then add a knob and a p. 26.
stop or spinner, apply finish, and you’re
ready to hang the cabinet on a peg board—
or right on the wall if you wish. □

Christian Becksvoort is a longtime furniture

maker and designer in New Gloucester, Maine,
and an expert on Shaker furniture.

www.f inewoodworking.com 89
 CABINETS

The Enfield
Historic Shaker cabinet

I ’ve long admired the clean lines and simplicity of

a cupboard made at the Enfield, Conn., Shaker
colony. When I decided to build one for my house,
I altered the design to make it better suited for its in-
tended use: a place for my wife’s sewing supplies. The
biggest changes are the two interior drawers I added
and the narrower face frame stiles that create a larger
opening to improve access.
I also made the cupboard out of hard maple instead
of the eastern white pine used in the original. The
door panels are curly maple. I painted the drawer
fronts with blue milk paint, giving them a modern
pop that’s rooted in tradition (the Shakers were fond
of bright colors).
This cupboard is not difficult to make but there are
a few challenges, including how to dovetail a big case.
The sides are tall, so I had to figure out a sure way to
hold the subtop so that I could transfer the tails to the
sides and rout out the pins. I’ll show you how I did
that, as well as how I dealt with all of the other little
construction twists that make this a fun piece to build.

Begin with the case joinery

The first order of business is the dovetailed case. I cut
the tails in the subtop at the bandsaw. To help cut out
the pins on the tall case sides, I used an L-shaped jig.
I used the same jig to rout the pins. I set the depth to

90 FINE WOODWORKING Photos, this page: John Tetreault

Cupboard, Updated
gets a face-lift B Y M A T T K E N N E Y

the baseline of the pins and just followed the layout

lines by eye. After this, paring the pins to fit was quick.
After I fitted the dovetails, I used the tablesaw and
a dado set to cut the through-dadoes for the shelves.
The dadoes will be hidden in front by the face frame.
Now rabbet the back of the subtop and sides for the
back panel. I used the router table and a rabbeting bit.
The top rabbet is stopped at the dovetail baseline to
avoid compromising the joint.
On the sides, the rabbet can go
straight through the foot end JIG HELPS LAY OUT AND CUT PINS
because the stiles on the back Notch for fence Top is set back
extend to the floor. Top support, support, 3⁄4 in. 1
⁄2 in. from front to
3
⁄4 in. thick by deep by 4 in. long provide clearance
81⁄8 in. square for router bit.
Shape the feet and
assemble the case
I used a template to make the
feet identical. First, I used it to
41⁄2 in.
trace the foot profile on the side,
then roughed out the shape at
the bandsaw. I used the same
Top, 3⁄4 in.
template and a flush-trimming thick by
bit to clean up the cut at the 15 in. wide
router table. Then I squared the by 20 in.
long
two corners with a chisel. CASE DOVETAILS
Now make and fit the case
Fence support, 3⁄4 in. Platform for pins. An MDF jig clamped to the
bottom and shelves. Set aside thick by 4 in. wide by
Fence, case side lets Kenney put the tall piece vertical
the shelves until later. Glue up 20 in. long 3
⁄4 in. thick by in his bench vise, making it easy to transfer the
the case and as soon as the Clamp notch, 1⁄2 in. 101⁄4 in. wide tails from the subtop to the sides and to rout
clamps are on, measure the di- wide by 31⁄2 in. long by 20 in. long the pins. The jig must be flush and square with
agonals to ensure that the case the top of the side.
is square. If it’s not, loosen the
clamps, square the case, re-clamp, and measure again.

Attach the face frame

The face frame is simple to make. The top rail is joined
to the stiles with mortise-and-tenons. I cut the mortises
with a mortiser and the tenons with a dado set at the
tablesaw. Make sure the rails are 1⁄32 in. wider than
their final width so they can be planed flush later.
Before you glue up, cut and rout feet into the bottom
of the stiles using the template as a guide.
Glue the face frame together, using a spacer to keep
the stiles from toeing in at the feet. The spacer’s length
should equal the shoulder-to-shoulder length of the
rail. Once it has dried, glue the frame to the case. The
top edge of the rail should be flush with the top of the

Photos, except where noted: Dillon Ryan SHAKER FURNITURE 91

 Enfield cupboard This fresh take on a classic Shaker cupboard has a hard maple case with curly maple in the frame-and-
panel door. Milk-painted drawers on the interior add a bit of color and improved storage for smaller items.

SIDE VIEW FRONT VIEW Cove molding,

7
⁄8 in. thick by
Door rails,
153⁄8 in. 223⁄4 in. 15 11⁄4 in. wide
⁄16 in. thick
14 in. 20 in. by 121⁄2 in. long

3 in.
Door stile,
15
⁄16 in. thick Door panel, 5⁄8 in.
75⁄8 in. by 21⁄2 in. wide thick, rabbeted on
61⁄2 in. by 423⁄4 in. long back to fit groove

21⁄16 in.
75⁄8 in. 113⁄4 in.
1
2 ⁄2 in.

65⁄8 in.
4 in.

31⁄4 in.

105⁄8 in.

517⁄8 in.
19 in.
15
17 ⁄16 in.
Groove,
1
⁄4 in. wide
by 3⁄8 in.
deep
123⁄4 in.

3 in.
5 in.

6 in. 6 in.

11⁄2 in. 1
⁄2 in. 11⁄2 in.
13 in.

case and you can reuse the spacer during this step to keep
the opening square.
Plane the face frame flush to the cabinet, then install the Peg, 3⁄16 in. dia.
shelves. The shelves immediately above and below the draw-
ers get stopped dadoes for the vertical dividers. I cut these at
the router table with a spiral upcut bit. After fitting the verti- Tenon,
cal dividers, you need to cut stopped dadoes in them for the 3
⁄8 in. thick
drawer divider. Once the dividers are glued in, you can turn by 13⁄4 in. long
to the door construction. Online Extra Hinges,
To hear an interview with Matt Kenney Horton Brasses,
Build and hang the door on designing furniture reproductions, PB-409
The door is frame-and-panel construction. The raised pan- and to watch a video on applying a milk-
paint finish, go to FineWoodworking
els are done using a special Shaker panel-raising bit ($37, .com/shakerfurniture.
leevalley.com, 16J66.51), but as the Shakers did, I placed the

92 FINE WOODWORKING Drawings: John Hartman

 Top, 5⁄8 in. thick Subtop, 7⁄8 in. thick by
by 153⁄8 in. wide by 13 in. wide by 20 in. long
223⁄4 in. long
Tenon, 3⁄8 in. thick Drawer divider, 1⁄4 in. thick by
Haunch,
by 2 in. long 63⁄4 in. wide by 115⁄8 in. long 3
⁄8 in. long Tenon, 3⁄8 in. thick
Face-frame rail, by 2 in. long
1 in. thick by 21⁄2 in.
wide by 18 in. long

Back rails, 3⁄4 in.

Left vertical thick by 3 in. wide
divider, 3⁄8 in. thick by 171⁄4 in. long
by 61⁄4 in. wide by
121⁄4 in. long

Right vertical divider,

5
Drawer sides ⁄16 in. thick by 61⁄4 in.
and back, wide by 115⁄8 in. long
3
⁄8 in. thick

Back panel
(flat), 1⁄4 in. thick

Groove,
1
⁄4 in. wide by
3
⁄8 in. deep
Drawer front,
5
⁄8 in. thick

Drawer bottom, To purchase

1 expanded plans
⁄4 in. thick,
Dadoes, and a complete
rabbeted on front 1
⁄2 in. wide cutlist for this Maple
and sides to fit
1 by 1⁄4 in. Cupboard and other
⁄8-in. groove
deep projects, go to
FineWoodworking
.com/PlanStore.

Filler strip, 1⁄4 in.

thick by 3⁄8 in. wide
by 6 in. long

Face-frame stile, Back stile, 3⁄4 in. Side, 7⁄8 in. thick
1 in. thick by 3 in. Cabinet bottom and thick by 3 in. wide by 13 in. wide by
wide by 511⁄4 in. long shelves, 5⁄8 in. thick by 507⁄8 in. long 511⁄4 in. long
by 121⁄4 in. wide by
FOOT
183⁄4 in. long
3
⁄8 in.
TOP AND MOLDING
5
1 DOOR PULL DRAWER PULL ⁄8 in.
⁄2 in.
11⁄4 in. dia. 5
⁄16 in. dia. 5
⁄16 in. dia.
5
5
⁄8 in. dia. ⁄8 in. dia. 3
⁄16 in. dia.
3
⁄8 in. dia. 1
⁄8 in.
51⁄2 in.
11⁄8 in.

11⁄2 in. 3
1
1
⁄2 in. ⁄4 in.
5
⁄8 in. 1
⁄8 in. ⁄2 in. 1
⁄8 in.
7
⁄32 in. 1 in.

SHAKER FURNITURE 93
 CASE SIDES

Dadoes for shelves. The dadoes for the shelves are cut at the tablesaw
with a crosscut sled and dado set. Kenney uses the rip fence as a stop to
ensure that the dadoes on both sides are cut perfectly in line.
raised fields on the inside. After gluing the door together,
Rabbets for the reinforce the joints with shopmade pegs (see drawing, p. 92).
back. The case Hanging the door is a bit easier because you only have to fit
sides are rabbeted three sides. Cut the hinge mortises in the door stile first. I use
at the router table a template and a short flush-trimming bit. Then set the door
with a bearing-
in the opening with spacers between the door’s top edge and
guided bit. The
bottom of the case the face frame so that the gap there will match the gap on the
sides can be rabbet- hinge side. Transfer the mortises to the face frame and rout
ed straight through, them. I use the same bit and template. Next, hang the door
but at the top, the and try to close it. This should give you an idea of how much
rabbet must be material needs to be removed from the lock stile. Remove the
stopped at the pin door from the hinges and plane the stile with a slight inside
baseline to avoid a
bevel on the edge. If you plane it square, by the time the back
gap in the joint.
corner clears the face frame, the visible gap can be too big
when the door is closed.
Before moving on to the top, make and fit the drawers.
At this point you can also make the pulls for the door and
drawers, but don’t install them until after you’ve finished the
cupboard.

Add the top and molding

Feet finish the sides. After tracing the foot pattern on the case sides, cut
out the curved portions at the bandsaw and remove the waste. Once that’s
done, clean up the feet to the line and square the corners with a chisel.
Now turn your attention to the top and the molding. The top
has a simple bullnose profile on the front and side edges that I
shaped by hand using a block plane. Set the plane for a heavy
shaving, working to just outside the layout line. Reset the plane
for a light shaving and work right to the layout lines. With a
sharp plane and light shavings, the facets left behind will be
so small and smooth that there’s no need to sand afterward.
Screw the top to the case and start the two-step process to
make the cove molding: I remove the waste at the tablesaw
and then clean up the rough profile with a hollow plane. Start
with a blank milled to the molding’s final thickness, 1⁄4 in.

94 FINE WOODWORKING
CASE GLUE-UP FACE FRAME

Dovetails first. Using cauls, glue the dovetails at the top of the case Simple frame. With the mortise-and-tenon joints cut and fitted, a
first (above). Putting the bottom and a shelf or two into the case will help single clamp takes care of the top portion of the glue-up.
keep it square during this part of the glue-up. Kenney glues in the bottom
separately using cambered cauls (below), making sure the back of the
bottom is flush in the rabbet so the back can fit in later.

Help staying square. Use a spacer cut to the same shoulder-to-

shoulder length as the frame’s top rail to ensure a square glue-up.

Seamless frame. The face frame simply gets glued to the front of
the case and then planed flush with the case sides.

SHAKER FURNITURE 95
 OUTFIT THE INTERIOR
Dadoes for dividers. Use a 1⁄4-in. straight bit to cut the stopped dadoes
into the case shelves for the vertical dividers that will form the drawer box.
wider than its final width, and long enough to wrap around
the three sides of the cabinet, plus 6 in. to allow for mistakes
in the fitting process. Lay out the profile on the end grain. At
the tablesaw, set the rip fence and blade height so that you
can cut a kerf down the low side of the molding. Move the
fence and raise the blade to cut a second kerf next to the first
one. Repeat this process until you have reached the top of the
molding (see photo, opposite).
There should be a 1⁄4-in.-wide strip of waste that supports
the molding as you cut away the waste. Flip the molding, put
its back against the rip fence, and cut the waste free.
Head to the bench to turn the stepped, rough molding into
a smooth profile. The best tool for this is a hollow plane, but
a gooseneck scraper works too. I prefer to hold the plane
vertical during use, so I made support blocks that hold the
molding with the arc faceup.
As you plane away the remaining waste, don’t worry if the
profile isn’t perfectly identical along the molding’s length.
What’s most important is that it matches where it bends
around the cabinet—and it will, as a natural outcome of how
you’ll cut and hang the molding. Start with one side of the
cabinet. Cut a miter in a length of molding a few inches too
long for the side. Hold it up to the side so that the miter is
aligned with the front face of the cabinet. Mark the back end,
and cut it flush. Drill clearance holes in the molding so that
it doesn’t split, and nail it to the cabinet.
Now fit the front molding. You’ll need to recut the mitered
end that was left from the first side. This miter cut should mate
to the piece that’s hung. Hold the molding on the cabinet with
the miter joint closed tightly and mark the back for length
directly from the cabinet. I cut it a bit long, fit it with a shoot-
ing board, and nail the molding in place. To fit the last piece,
recut the mitered end so that it mates with the open miter on
the cabinet, hold it, mark it, and crosscut it. Nail it in place.

Make the back and add the finishing touches

For the frame-and-panel back, I cut the joinery the same way
as for the door. The stiles extend to the floor, but I didn’t shape

Ready for drawers. The left vertical divider slides up to the back
of the face frame to close off the space between the divider and the
cabinet side. The right divider stops 5⁄8 in. short of the shelf’s front
edge, creating space for the pulls. The horizontal divider stops flush
with the right divider.

96 FINE WOODWORKING
 MODIFIED B ULLNOSE SHOPMADE COVE TRIM
Start at the
tablesaw. Once
the profile for the
molding is traced
on the stock, use
consecutive passes,
at increasing
heights, to nibble
away the waste. A
featherboard keeps
the thin stock
against the fence.
Then cut off the
bridge piece to free
the cove.

Hand-cut profile. Refine by hand.

Trace the bullnose A hollow plane
onto the long grain. makes quick work
Cut the end-grain of smoothing out
sides of the top the ridges left
first, using a block by the tablesaw.
plane to slowly After that, any
work down to the imperfection can
line (above). be sanded out with
a shaped sanding
block.

Cinch down
the top. After Fit and finish.
centering the top After mitering the
on the case and trim and cutting it
clamping it down, to length, predrill
pre-drill and screw and nail it to the
it on from the case. Kenney used
inside (right). hand-cut nails.

them like the other feet because the cabinet will live against a wall.
After the cabinet is finished, attach the back with countersunk screws.
I finished the cabinet with shellac, brushing it on and sanding
between coats. After the final coat, I knocked it down with ex-
trafine steel wool and then waxed it. For the drawer fronts, I used
three coats of Old Fashioned Milk Paint (Federal Blue). Before you
spread any paint, tape off all four edges of the front. I sanded with
320-grit paper after coats one and two, and then used 0000-grit
steel wool after the third coat. Then I rubbed on a coat of wax.
Finally, glue the pulls in place and install a catch for the door.
For a catch, I glued a magnet into the lock stile and covered it with
leather. The magnet sticks to a screw—countersunk and covered
with leather—driven into the shelf edge opposite. □

Matt Kenney is the author of 52 Boxes in 52 Weeks (The Taunton Press, 2018).

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 97

 CABINETS

Classic Cupboard
Handsome
storage cabinet
is comfortable
in any room
B Y C H R I S T I A N
B E C K S V O O R T

S
everal years ago, I built a low chest
of drawers and wrote about its
case construction, drawer runner
system, and using a shopmade jig
and router to cut dadoes and dovetail slots
in the carcase. Since then, a client asked
me to build a large Shaker cupboard to
use in a kitchen. (To read my article about
the low chest of drawers, go to FineWood-
working.com/shakerfurniture.)
As I build this larger piece, I’ll explain
how I approach Shaker casework, show-
ing you how to apply the three-sided
face frame to the front. I’ll also walk you
through how I fit and install drawers. Also,
because the drawers are so wide, I includ-
ed a simple but effective center guide that
keeps big drawers from binding.
The way I approached the doors is ap-
propriate for almost any Shaker piece, so
I’ll expand on those techniques later in
the article. By the way, because this piece
will live in a kitchen, I sized the drawers to
hold cutlery, kitchen linens, and even pots
and pans. But this classic storage piece
can be adapted to any room of the house.
That’s what the Shakers would have done.

Large panels can be a challenge

Because of the size of the pieces, I used a
jigsaw instead of a bandsaw to cut the arch-
es into the bottoms of the two sides. This
chest has a permanent middle shelf that
the low chest doesn’t, and, also because of

98 FINE WOODWORKING
 START WITH A CHEST OF DRAWERS AND GO FROM THERE
Though the construction details are not complicated,
the size and number of the parts in this tall cupboard
present their own challenges.

Make a solid face frame. Mortise-and-tenon Inset it. The face frame goes inside the sides of the piece, but overlays the subtop, which is cut
joints add strength and simplify assembly: One short to accommodate it. Make the frame just a bit larger than the opening, and trim the side
clamp will hold it together. Gluing the frame pieces with a block plane to perfect the final fit. Apply clamp pressure from top to bottom, front to
into the case makes it completely rigid. back, and along the sides.

Add the middle shelf and back. The fixed middle shelf (left) sits on the
web frame below it, sharing a wide dado in the case sides. A dab of glue at
the front and a finishing nail through the top drawer frame hold it in place.
Keep the clamps on the face frame, or allow the glue to dry completely
before adding the middle shelf. A frame-and-panel back (above) adds
rigidity and racking resistance. Fit it and glue it into the rabbeted sides.

SHAKER FURNITURE 99
 CUPBOARD DETAILS 1
⁄4 in. Door frame rail, 3⁄4 in.
thick by 13⁄4 in. wide
The subtop and fixed shelf are cut back to
accommodate the face frame and back assembly. 11⁄16 in.
The middle shelf also acts as a stop for the lower
edges of the doors. 3
⁄4 in.
TOP DETAIL

Top rail, 3⁄4 in. thick

by 27⁄8 in. wide by
1313⁄16 in. long Stiles, 3⁄4 in. thick
by 27⁄8 in. wide by
347⁄16 in. Groove, 347⁄16 in. long
1
⁄4 in. wide by
1
⁄2 in. deep

Molding,
76 in. quarter-
4 in.
round, 1⁄4 in.
5 in.

6 in.

7 in.

8 in.

42 in. 20 in.

Door panel,
1
⁄4 in. thick
Dado, 3⁄4 in. wide by 115⁄16 in.
by 1⁄8 in. deep wide by Dovetail,
3
233⁄16 in. long ⁄4 in. thick by
5
Dovetail, 3⁄4 in. thick ⁄8 in. wide
by 3⁄4 in. wide by
3
⁄8 in. long

Tenon, 1⁄4 in. thick

by 3⁄4 in. wide by
11⁄4 in. long Knob, 1 in.
dia.

Peg,
1
WEB FRAME ⁄4 in. dia.
DETAIL

Bottom rail, 3⁄4 in.

thick by 33⁄4 in. wide Drawer divider,
Vertical divider, 3
by 1313⁄16 in. long Tenon, 1⁄4 in. 3
⁄4 in. thick by ⁄4 in. thick by
the size of the pieces, I got creative about DOOR thick by 21⁄2 in. 17⁄8 in. wide by 11⁄4 in. wide
1
dovetailing and how I transferred the tails wide by 2 ⁄4 in. 101⁄2 in. long
long
to the pin boards. I laid out and cut the tails Drawer bottoms,
Drawer back,
first on the subtop, then moved to the half- small, 1⁄4 in. thick, 3
⁄4 in. thick
blind pins on the sides. I rested the long large, 5⁄16 in. thick
workpieces on the ground and tacked the
top in place with a small brad, creating a
freestanding inverted U. I stood on a stool
to transfer the tails to the pin board, and Drawer front,
3
⁄4 in. thick
then cut the pins at the bench. Once the
dovetails, dadoes, and rabbets were cut, I
glued the subtop and bottom to the sides.
With the carcase together, it’s time to Knobs,
work on the web frames and runners that small, 1 in. dia.;
large, 13⁄16 in. dia. Drawer sides, 3⁄4 in.
will hold the drawers in place and allow DRAWERS thick by 185⁄8 in. long

100 FINE WOODWORKING Drawings: John Hartman

 Top, 11⁄16 in. thick by 21 in.
wide by 44 in. long, with crown
molding routed into 3 sides.

Back top rail, 5⁄8 in. Back upper center stile, Tenon, 1⁄4 in.
Door stop, Subtop, 3⁄4 in. thick thick by 13⁄4 in. wide 5
⁄8 in. thick by 4 in. wide thick by 11⁄4 in.
3
⁄8 in. thick by 185⁄8 in. wide by by 411⁄2 in. long by 3213⁄16 in. long wide by 13⁄4 in.
by 11⁄4 in. 413⁄4 in. long long
wide
Back stile,
5
⁄8 in. thick
by 13⁄4 in.
Shelf, 3⁄4 in. thick wide by
Face-frame by 18 in. wide by 7415⁄16 in.
stile, 401⁄2 in. long long
3
⁄4 in. thick
by 43⁄16 in.
wide Grooves,
1
⁄4 in. wide
by 1⁄2 in.
Rabbet, 5⁄8 in.
deep
deep by 1⁄2 in.
wide
Back panel,
5
Side, 3⁄4 in. thick ⁄8 in. thick by
by 20 in. wide by 103⁄4 in. wide
7415⁄16 in. long by 323⁄4 in.
long, with a
1
⁄4-in.-thick
by 1⁄2-in.-long
Fixed shelf, 3⁄4 in. tongue
thick by 185⁄8 in.
wide by 403⁄4 in. Back center
long rail, 5⁄8 in.
thick by
4 in. wide by
411⁄2 in. long

Back lower
center stile,
Drawer guide, 5
⁄8 in. thick
3
⁄8 in. thick by by 4 in. wide
3
⁄4 in. wide by 317⁄16 in.
long

Back panel,
5
Center stile, ⁄8 in. thick by
3
⁄4 in. thick by 103⁄4 in. wide
21⁄4 in. wide by 333⁄4 in.
long, with a
1
⁄4-in.-thick
by 1⁄2-in.-long
tongue

Back bottom
rail, 1⁄2 in.
Frame rail, 3⁄4 in. thick by
thick by 17⁄8 in. wide 4 in. wide by
by 411⁄2 in. long 411⁄2 in. long

Tenon,
1
3
Drawer runner, ⁄4 in. ⁄4 in. thick
Apron rail, by 31⁄2 in.
3
⁄4 in. thick by thick by 11⁄8 in. wide
wide by
15⁄8 in. wide 13⁄4 in. long
Drawer stop
Spline 15⁄8 in.
Glue block

3
⁄4 in.
To purchase digital plans and a Apron leg,
complete cutlist for this Tall Shaker 3
⁄4 in. thick by APRON 3 in.
Cupboard and other projects, go to 211⁄16 in. wide Corner DETAIL
FineWoodworking.com/PlanStore. block
31⁄2 in.

SHAKER FURNITURE 101

 HOW TO FIT WIDE DRAWERS
Careful fitting and
smart stops are the
key to good-looking
drawers and a flush
front.

Size the front to the

opening. Leave a
small gap at the top
edge to allow for wood
expansion. Then cut the
dovetails and assemble
the drawer box.

Fit them individually.

Start by rough-sanding
the pins flush, and get
the drawer to just fit
the opening. As you pull
out the drawer, make
pencil lines where the
sides rub and use those
lines as a guide to sand
or plane the sides to an
exact fit (far right).

them to run smoothly (for step-by-step details on this, go to Fine-

Woodworking.com/shakerfurniture). To separate the top draw-
ers, I added a centered vertical drawer divider and behind that
a center runner. Although the three wide drawers at the bottom
get an added center guide, don’t tackle that until you’ve glued
the frames in place and made the drawers.

U-shaped face frame is applied

Once the rails and runners are in place, make the face frame for
the upper half of the cabinet. You can do one of two things: use
an applied face frame that butts against the inside edges of the
sides, or use a more complicated approach that involves notching
or mitering the side pieces on just the upper portion. I use the first,
less complicated method, which leaves the edge of the cabinet
sides exposed all the way to the top. This requires careful wood
selection to hide the glue joint where the outsides of the frame Add stops for a flush
meet the sides of the carcase, but saves time and effort because front. All the drawers
you don’t have to notch the carcase sides halfway or cut a stopped get a stop at both
miter on the sides and miter the face frames. ends. Use a trim router
resting on the front
When the frame is glued in place, sand the entire face of the
edge of the drawer
cabinet flush. Then glue the fixed middle shelf into place, sliding frames to cut shallow,
it in from the back and against the face frame. 13⁄4-in.-long by 3⁄8-in.-
The back comes next. Since the back is captured in rabbets on wide grooves (above)
the sides, I used 13⁄4-in.-wide quartersawn cherry for the side stiles for handmade stops.
and the top rail. The bottom and center rails as well as the center Then glue and clamp
stiles can be flatsawn and wider, for strength. The six panels are the stops into the
grooves (left).
flat and flush inside and out. Use a block plane to carefully fit

102 FINE WOODWORKING Photos, except where noted: Anissa Kapsales; p. 98: Dennis Griggs
 CENTER GUIDES KEEP THEM IN LINE
Wide drawers have a tendency to bind, but this simple dowel system
keeps them running smoothly.

Drawer

Make a groovy center strip. The center guide

is simply a piece of wood with a groove that runs
Drawer
straight through.
bottom is
notched Drawer guide has
1
⁄4-in.-wide by Dowel, 1⁄4 in. dia. by
for dowel. 5 1 in. long, mounts in
⁄16-in.-deep groove.
bottom of drawer back.

the back so that it just drops into the rabbet, and glue it in. Now
you can make and fit the doors.

A different approach to Shaker doors

I make Shaker doors differently than others do. While you can’t
beat a mortised-and-tenoned, pegged frame for strength and style,
I prefer a thin, inset panel surrounded by a quarter-round mold-
ing as opposed to raised-panel or pillowed-panel doors. Although
the Shakers used moldings sparingly, the quarter-round along the
inner edges of the frame makes for a clean, slightly rounded, and
understated design. This style can blend into both period and
modern environments.
The second difference is that I apply the molding, rather than
cutting it into the frame parts. The flat, inset panels are only 1⁄4 in.
thick in a 3⁄4-in. frame, leaving room for the quarter-round molding Use a stick to keep it on track. To keep the guide centered as you
around the inside edge. I apply the moldings because it’s tedious mark around it, use a notched stick at the front and then the back. Glue
and tricky to cope or miter the profiled frame. And if you mess and screw the guide only to the front and back rails of the web frames.
it up, you have to go back and remake the part, which not only
means time lost, but also could jeopardize a nice grain pattern
you’ve already chosen. Also, the anatomy of a molded frame is
much more complex. By the way, Shaker furniture makers oc-
casionally applied these moldings, too.

Build the doors

I try to use quartersawn stock to minimize the gaps created by
seasonal movement between the door panels and face frame. Cut
the four stiles 1⁄8 in. longer than the opening and the four rails,
then cut the grooves on the inside edges of all the parts on the
tablesaw. Using a router or drill press followed by a mortise chisel,
cut the mortises. Then cut the tenons on the tablesaw, leaving a
1⁄2-in. haunch to fill the exposed grooves, top and bottom. Next,
Center a dowel on the drawer bottom. Becksvoort measures for the
cut the bookmatched door panels to size, sand them, and test center to lock in the location, and uses a doweling jig to drill straight.

SHAKER FURNITURE 103

 BUILD THE FRAME-AND-PANEL DOORS
A thin, inset panel
surrounded by a quarter-
round molding makes for a
clean, understated design.

Simple but elegant.

The Shakers used
moldings sparingly,
but the quarter-round
around the inside of
the door frame adds
an elegant touch and
can be adapted to other
styles of furniture.

the fit. Before gluing the doors together, I oil the panels so no
raw wood shows if they shrink in dry months. Glue and pin the
joints, and sand both faces. Now I simply cut, fit, and glue the
1⁄4-in. quarter-round moldings to the outside face of the frame, all
the way around the panel. Then I fit the doors to the opening.
Getting the doors to fit the case
Start with a slightly oversize door and work on the length first,
then the width. Working on one door at a time, butt the first door
to the hinge side of the opening. Things can be very slightly out of
square. This isn’t a problem. If the bottom of the door isn’t square
to the case, mark it and square it on the jointer. Then, because
the top of the opening might not be parallel to the bottom, do
the same thing to the top of the door. Once the bottoms and tops
of both doors match the case, take off enough material to leave
a 1⁄16-in. gap on the top and 1⁄8 in. on the bottom. This technique
also works for a single door.
To fit the width of the doors, set both doors in place and trim
them (on the jointer) so they just fit into the opening with about
a 1⁄16-in. gap at the hinges. The final fitting will be done after the
hinges are in. Last, drill for the doorknobs and add brass butt
hinges on both doors.
Wrap up some details, then tackle the drawers
With the doors complete, most of the hard parts are finished.
While the case is still open, use a handheld drill and jig (a simple

104 FINE WOODWORKING

 SIMPLIFY CONSTRUCTION WITH AN APPLIED MOLDING
TRADITIONAL METHOD IS DIFFICULT
When the molding is part of the frame, it makes the joinery
complex. You have to cut away part of the stile, and cope or miter Start with a solid
the molding for a clean joint. frame. Becksvoort
recommends a
Must full mortise and
cope or tenon. A single
miter this peg in each corner
area. adds a decorative
element and
Stile is
ensures that the
cut away.
joint stays strong.
He finishes the
panel beforehand.

1
Tenon ⁄4 in. thick
Small,
1
Rail ⁄4-in. round
Notched stile molding cut
from larger
profile
Offset shoulders

A BETTER WAY: ADD MOLDING AFTER ASSEMBLY

Applying the molding after the fact allows you to have a simpler
mortise-and-tenon joint, with even shoulders.
Molding,
Groove, 1⁄4 in. wide 1
⁄4 in. round, Panel, 1⁄4 in. thick 1
⁄4-in.
by 1⁄2 in. deep applied roundover bit

Cut the molding. A wide

workpiece is easier and safer to
machine. Cut the quarter-round
profile on the router table (profile
both sides of the piece), and then
rip the moldings to width on the
tablesaw.

Fit it piece by
piece. Glue the
molding to the
frame only, not to
the panel. Work
Tenon, on one piece at
1
⁄4 in. thick a time, marking,
cutting miters, and
Haunch fills groove
gluing as you go.
at bottom of stile.
Use hand pressure
1 to keep the pieces
⁄4 in. 1
⁄4 in. in place for about
3
⁄4 in. 1 minute each,
and then leave a
1
few pieces of tape
⁄2 in. behind as clamps.

SHAKER FURNITURE 105

 JOI NTER SPEEDS DOOR-FITTING JOINTER
Begin by getting the top and bottom to fit in the opening. One or HANDLES
both may not be parallel to the case or each other, but the jointer STRAIGHT AND
gets them to fit perfectly whether you have to cut a straight line TAPERED CUTS
or a taper. You can’t run the entire
end of the door over the
jointer or the end grain on
the trailing edge will blow
out. Becksvoort’s technique
prevents that. And he uses a
time-tested trick for tapered
cuts.

FOR A STRAIGHT CUT

First, with the cut
set to the final
depth, feed the
leading end just
a bit.

Fit the length first. If the door isn’t parallel to the case, you’ll have to Then reverse the
make an angled cut. Working on one door at a time, butt the door to the door so the first cut
hinge side and mark the door parallel to the bottom of the opening. is on the trailing
end. Run the door
straight through to
complete the cut.
piece of plywood with predrilled holes) to drill holes on both
sides of the upper section to accept pins for the adjustable
shelves. Then glue in the mitered, splined apron in the base
at the front.
Once the case is sanded, cut the top to size and then run a cove
profile around the front and sides of the top on the router table.
Screw it to the subtop from the inside. FOR A TAPERED CUT
Drawers are the last hurdle, and the most time-consuming. I cut First make a leading-
half-blind dovetails in the front and through-dovetails in the back, end cut (same
and I always cut the tails first. On the tablesaw, groove the front as above) to the
maximum depth of the
and the two sides for the drawer bottoms. These grooves will help taper. Then reverse
align things when it’s time to transfer the tail layout to the pin the door, pivoting the
boards. On the wide drawers, make sure to locate the grooves uncut end down onto
3⁄4 in. from the bottom to allow enough room for the center track. the outfeed table.

After you complete the drawers, turn the knobs, glue them in
place, and add drawer stops to the fronts of the web frames. Next,
make the tracks for the wide drawers to run on. They are fitted,
centered, and glued and screwed to the front and center rails.
Run the door
Now drill a hole and insert a dowel into the drawer back, cen- through the
tered exactly. Finally, test-fit each drawer and make adjustments. jointer to finish
I finished the case with Tried & True Danish oil. Once dry, I the cut. Presto,
perfect taper.
screwed in the drawer bottoms, polished the brass hinges, and
added leather bumpers to the door and drawer stops. □

Christian Becksvoort is a longtime furniture maker and designer

in New Gloucester, Maine, and an expert on Shaker furniture.

106 FINE WOODWORKING

 USE A TRIM ROUTER FOR HINGE MORTISES
Hinging can be daunting, but a trim
router does the grunt work and
ensures a perfectly uniform
depth. A small router is easier to
balance on narrow edges.

MORTISE THE DOORS

Clamp doors together. Two

doors create a wider base for
the router (above) and you can
cut both mortises at once. If
you only have one door, clamp
another board flush for a wider
Mark for the hinge mortise. The hinges line up with the base. Pivot the bit down into the
top and bottom rails. Hold the hinge in place and trace cutting area to get started, and
around it lightly with a knife. Then remove the hinge and cut work close to the lines, cleaning
heavier lines to rout to and place the chisel in later. up with a chisel (left).

THEN MORTISE THE CASE

Rout the face
frame. Rout
close to the
layout lines
again, and
finish with a
chisel. Then
check the fit on
the knob side
of the door, or
between doors
if there are
two. Remove
the door(s),
trim that final
edge, and then
Transfer the location to the carcase. Once the hinges are screwed to reinstall them.
the doors, position them in the opening, leaving the gap you want along You should
the top and bottom edges. Use a marking knife to transfer the hinge have perfect
placement, and then remove the door (and unscrew the hinges), set the gaps all around.
hinges in place on the edge of the frame, and mark around them.

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 107

 CABINETS
Built-in Cabinetry
Add charm to any home with customized
storage cabinets
B Y C H R I S T I A N
I
’ve grown used to the pleasure of working solid wood at the
workbench, so it takes some persuasion to get me to leave
my shop, haul sheets of plywood, and get on my knees to
scribe along crooked walls. But in my younger days, I built
my fair share of kitchen cabinets, commercial fixtures, and built-
ins. And recently, my most discerning client, my wife, convinced
me that we needed a built-in. So out of the shop I went.
Early homes tended to lack closets and storage space, so ward-
robes and built-ins were common. The Shakers added built-ins
wherever possible and turned them into an art form. Most, if not
all, the built-ins made by the Shakers were constructed in place. I
did the same, except I used plywood partitions and shelves where
the Shakers used solid pine (or poplar in the South). I used solid
cherry for the face frames, doors, and drawers.
The best part of a built-in is its versatility. You can design it to
function for your particular situation. Mine has a middle bottom
section for drawers. The right bottom section has a closet rod,
while the left bottom section has adjustable shelves.
In our case, the location was under a roof and knee wall next
to a doorway. A lot of homes have areas where a slanted ceiling
START IN THE SHOP
Assemble as much as possible in the shop
(above) before moving on site (right). Then install
it one piece at a time.
108 FINE WOODWORKING
B E C K S V O O R T
makes the space unsuitable for almost anything else. I started with
a rough sketch, consisting of three sections of doors and drawers
that would be built in place into a single unit. This built-in navi-
gates the knee wall, but the techniques and order of operations is
exactly the same as for a straight built-in. The keys to success are
keeping everything plumb and level and having a lot of patience
while you go back and forth between the site and the shop.
Troubleshoot the site
The more sound, plumb, and level the location, the easier your
built-in construction and installation will be. The first thing to
do is survey the site. Note where the walls aren’t plumb and the
floors slope. If your walls and floors are old, warped, sloped, and
out of square, then make leveling frames to fit the wall and the
floor. Anything more than 1⁄8 in. is too much out of whack and you
should correct for it. It takes some time and patience to get things
just right, but the effort will be repaid with an easier construction
and a straight and square finished product.
Mark the locations of your wall studs and use a level and shims
to make sure the frame is plumb and flat. A stack of cedar shingles
BUILD IT IN PLACE
Solid-wood face-frame pieces are nailed in place.
Then inset doors and dovetailed drawers turn the
cabinet into furniture.
Photos, except where noted: Anissa Kapsales;
opposite page: Michael Pekovich
 ADD A FURNITURE MAKER’S TOUCHES

www.f iinewoodworking.com
newoodwor k i n g.com S E P T E M SBHE AR K
/OE RC TFOUBRENRI T2U0 R1 E1 109
ANATOMY OF A SHAKER BUILT-IN Top rail, 3⁄4 in. thick by
31
⁄2 in. wide
Plywood partitions are easy to cut to size and quick to install. Solid-wood
face frame pieces are scribed to the wall and ceiling, and then dry-fitted
to mark their joinery.
Frame for a flat,
PLYWOOD MAKES FOR QUICK CONSTRUCTION level wall

Vertical dividers
are the backbone.
Rip them to width,
and then cut the 45°
angle at the top using
a circular saw and a Outer stiles,
3
simple cutting guide ⁄4 in. thick by
21⁄2 in. wide,
(left). Ledger strips are
scribed to fit wall
the connectors. Secure
them to the same
measurement on all
the dividers (right).

DETAIL

All door-frame parts

are 3⁄4 in. thick;
stiles and top rails
are 2 in. wide.

Flat panel

69 in. Bottom rail,

3
⁄4 in. thick by
4 in. wide
387⁄8 in. 1
⁄4-in.
quarter-round
Bottom rails are molding
23⁄4 in. wide.

757⁄8 in. 223⁄4 in.

START LEVEL AND SQUARE
DETAIL Create a
foundation.
Groove Drawer bottom To correct for
Through- wavy walls or
dovetails
crooked floors,
make quick and
easy frames out
of cheap 1x3
furring strips.
Shim behind or
under the frames
Drawer front to create flat,
Drawer side level, and plumb
surfaces for the
All drawers are 21 in. deep. Half-blind dovetails built-in.

110 FINE WOODWORKING Drawings: Bob LaPhotos:

Pointe
Inner stiles, 3⁄4 in. thick End piece is
by 2 in. wide cherry plywood.

Vertical divider, plywood, Face frame,

3
3
⁄4 in. thick by 22 in. ⁄4 in. thick by
wide by 681⁄4 in. tall 2 in. wide

End shelf, 3⁄4 in. thick

Center shelf, by 243⁄8 in. wide by
225⁄8 in. wide 22 in. deep
1
⁄4-in. edging on
plywood

Back ledger,
3
⁄4 in. thick by
11⁄2 in. wide by
225⁄8 in. long

Side ledger, 3⁄4 in.

thick by 11⁄2 in. wide
by 22 in. long

Drawer runners,
3
⁄4 in. thick by
1 in. wide by
22 in. long

Face-frame drawer
dividers, 3⁄4 in. thick
by 1 in. wide

Nail frame
to floor.

Bottom ledger, 1 in.

thick by 3 in. wide by
22 in. long
Base, 3⁄4 in. thick
by 4 in. wide
Half-laps stop on
outer stile.

Use shims All parts are 3⁄4 in. thick

for leveling. by 21⁄2 in. wide, except
where noted.
Base frame for
leveling built-in on floor

Laps are
3
⁄8 in. deep

SHAKER FURNITURE 111

Build in place This smart, easy installation method allows you to cut separate pieces in the shop and lock
them into place on site. No need to lug cumbersome plywood boxes to and fro.

1 ASSEMBLE AND INSTALL THE FIRST BOX 2 ADD THE DIVIDERS

Add a divider to
create the next
box. Again, nail
the shelves to
the ledger strips
to hold it all
together. As with
the first box, the
final step is to
toenail through
the bottom
ledger strip into
the floor.

Lock together two vertical

dividers. Create the first
box by nailing the upper and
lower shelves to their ledger Repeat the process. Work your way
strips (above). Set this box in out, attaching the upper and lower
place, nailing it to the side wall shelves to each divider, and nailing it in
through the plywood divider. the same way (above). Then secure the
Finish by toenailing through whole thing to the back wall by nailing
the bottom ledger strip into the through the ledger strips under the
floor (right). upper shelf. As always, predrill before
nailing to prevent splitting (inset).

112 FINE WOODWORKING

3 ATTACH THE DRAWER RUNNERS 4 FINISH WITH THE END CAP

Scribe, fit, and

Spacer keeps them aligned. Rest the drawer runners on a simple
glue it in place. To
spacing template as you nail them in place.
correct the small
gaps on the end cap,
and a box of screws will allow you to shim those areas not making
Becksvoort runs a
contact with the frame, all the while checking with the level. The compass along the
same applies to the frame on the floor: It needs to be flat, level, surface of the ceiling
and at 90° to the wall. Again, shim and screw as needed. Remem- (above), transferring
ber, as you build the case you’ll be toenailing the vertical dividers the undulations to the
into the floor or floor frame, so you should strategically place the frame stock. Then he
frame members to anticipate the locations of the dividers. uses a block plane to
shape the frame to
It’s somewhat unconventional, but I installed my built-in over
that line (left).
the carpeting. I prefer this to cutting out the carpet and padding
under the built-in because cutting out a section and leaving the
edges without a carpet strip holding them down could lead to
buckling over time. The built-in is secured to the walls as well as
the floor and the thin, firm carpet is a non-issue.

Get started on the vertical dividers Fit the front edge

too. Once the wall
From my drawings, I knew I needed three sheets of 3⁄4-in. birch
side of the frame
plywood for the three walls, fixed shelves, bottoms, and sliding is profiled, set it in
shelves, and one sheet of cherry plywood for the visible exterior place and use the
wall on the right. This wall will blend with all the solid-cherry plywood divider to
door frames and the solid-cherry face frames. run a line along the
I measured the height of the knee wall, located the wall studs, back side of the end
laid out the locations of the dividers, and drew the profile of cap. Cutting to this
line will make sure
the divider on the far left wall. With this information in hand, I
the front is perfectly
returned to the shop and ripped the sheets of plywood in half. I flush with the edge of
cut one of the cherry and three of the birch half-sheets at 45° to the plywood, which is
make the two dividers and two end pieces. crucial because the
face frame has to land
Ledger strips keep it all together there.
Ledger strips make the construction straightforward, serving dual
purposes: They give me a place to secure the bottoms and shelves,
while locking everything together. The bottom ledgers rest on the

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 113

Add the face frame
There are a lot of intersecting pieces to keep track of in this phase of
the project. Becksvoort tacks all the pieces in place, marks them for floor or leveling frame and support the bottoms of the cabinets,
location and joinery, cuts the joints, and then nails them on. while the upper ones hold the fixed shelf at the top of the knee
wall. You’ll nail through the bottom ledgers and leveling frame to
FIT AND MARK lock the built-in to the floor.
FOR THE JOINTS From the leftover plywood, I cut three bottoms and three fixed
After beveling the edge shelves. All six pieces got 1⁄4-in. cherry face strips glued to the
of the top rail, set the front edge. On the undersides of the back of the three shelves, I
rail in place, making glued and screwed ledger strips, allowing exactly 7⁄8 in. on both
sure it is level. With a sides of the strip to leave room for the intersecting ledgers on the
pencil on a block of vertical dividers.
wood, scribe along the
ceiling onto the rail, and
then trim to that line
The installation begins with two types of frames
with a scrub plane or Although this is one large unit, I divided it in thirds and worked
drawknife. left to right, creating the first box and adding the shelf dividers
to the box, then repeating the process for the next two sections.
With the entire unit firmly anchored to the floor and back wall,
I moved on to the face frames, but only after installing the drawer
runners, which are just strips of solid wood. I used a plywood
spacer block to make sure they are level and even on both sides.
It’s the cherry exterior and solid-wood face frames, doors, and
drawer faces that give this large plywood box its beauty and
handcrafted look. The face frames are scribed to fit exactly into
position, they also blend the transition from the walls, floor, and
ceilings to the built-in. The right side of my built-in is exposed, so
I needed to build a face frame and apply it to the plywood there.
I also needed face frames around the front of the boxes. These
cover the plywood and frame the doors and drawers.
An end cap on the end panel—Back in the shop, I made a
cherry frame to go on the outside of the cherry end panel. The
back and top portions of the frame are 1⁄4 in. wider, with a back
bevel, to be scribed to the ceiling and knee wall. To mimic the
moldings on the doors, the interior edges of the end frame have
1⁄4-in. quarter-round cherry moldings applied. While making up

that molding, I routed and cut quarter-round moldings for all 10

Mark all the intersections. Use

Work your way down. Starting with the top rail, tack the parts in place a square and a marking knife
with brads as you go. Move on to the frame stiles and drawer dividers. to mark the intersections where
Tack the stiles on top of the rails. The far right stile is flush with the end you’ll cut the lap joints. On ending
cap. The center two are flush with the inside walls of the center box, and intersections there will be four tick
the far left stile is flush with the wall and may need scribing. Slide the marks, and on crossings there will
drawer dividers behind the stiles and clamp them to the drawer runners. be eight tick marks.

114 FINE WOODWORKING

LAP JOINTS MAKE JOINERY SIMPLE

Saw and rout

the lap joints.
Becksvoort cuts
the shoulders
with a handsaw,
and then uses a
router to waste
away the rest of
the joint, working
Assemble as much as possible in the shop. If you can move the frame to its location
right up to the
fully assembled, that’s the best bet. But if low ceilings, staircases, and turning corridors
handsaw lines.
prohibit that, assemble as much as you can in the shop and add the rest on site.

doors (see “Classic Cupboard,” pp. 98–107) yet to be built. When

this end cap was built and scribed and planed to fit, I attached it.
I glued the frame onto the end panel.
A real frame on the front—When the glue was dry on the end
cap, I started on the face frames on the front edges of the built-in.
These were milled to width and depth in the shop but left long.
On site, I tacked them in place and marked them. The trick to a
successful face frame is the order of operations and staying orga-
nized. Once everything is tacked in place, I make sure to mark
the position of everything so I won’t lose track of it.
With everything tacked in place, I used a sharp knife to make a
tick mark where each member intersects, on both pieces. These
tick marks indicate the locations of the lap joints. Then I took
them back to the shop and cut the lap joints.

A versatile interior
After the built-in was constructed and before I finished it, I used
a simple plywood jig to locate holes for shelf pegs, and drilled
them with a cordless drill.
The last step is to make and fit the 10 doors and five drawers.
I make traditional dovetailed drawers and run them on wooden
runners, not commercial slides. I kept the face frames flush to
the sides of the middle section with the drawers so I wouldn’t
have to block out for the drawers. The frame-and-panel doors Nail the face frame in
are mounted with standard butt hinges, but I mortised them into place. Reuse the nail holes
the doors only. The hinges are surface-mounted to the frames. from when you tacked up
the frames. Start with any
Once the drawers are made and fitted and the doors are made,
preassembled sections,
fitted and hung, the entire piece can be finished. I used a mixture and then add the individual
of Tried & True Varnish oil and spar varnish. □ pieces. Becksvoort fills the
nail holes with a commercial
Christian Becksvoort is a longtime furniture maker and designer putty (Wunderfil medium
in New Gloucester, Maine, and an expert on Shaker furniture. brown).

www.f inewoodworking.com SHAKER FURNITURE 115

 CABINETS

Chimney
Cupboard
An original piece
with classic looks
and easy joinery
B Y M I C H A E L P E K O V I C H

O ne of the great things about Shaker furniture is

that no two pieces are exactly alike. Aside from
chairs, the Shakers didn’t make furniture for com-
mercial production. Each piece was essentially a one-off
design, made for a specific purpose or even an individual
user, so the variations are endless. And in spite of the re-
strained design sense, there is a playful, subtle originality
to each piece. It’s what inspires me to make furniture in
the style, and to make it my own.
I’d wanted to make a chimney cupboard for a while be-
cause I like the tall, slender proportions of the form. Every
original example I’ve seen, though, has just a pair of doors,
one stacked on the other. Wider cupboards, on the other
hand, typically have an arrangement of drawers at waist
height that add interest and utility. I like that look so I
figured, “Why not sneak a few drawers into my chimney
cupboard?” The result, in keeping with the Shaker spirit, is
an original design in the classic vernacular.

Construction is simple yet solid

I looked to the Shakers for the anatomy too, but chose
elements that are as straightforward as possible. Most of
the joints are rabbets and dadoes. There are just a few half-
blind dovetails at the top where the subtop rails connect to
the case, but they’re hidden. Dressing up the front is a par-
tial face frame, really just a pair of stiles glued to the sides.
The stiles hide the shelf dadoes, but they also allow an
opportunity to peg the case to
VIDEO WORKSHOP the shelves for added strength.
Watch Pekovich build this cupboard from The primary wood is cherry, but
start to finish in a members-only video at I used pine for the frame-and-
FineWoodworking.com/shakerfurniture.
 163⁄4 in.
A N AT O M Y
LOTS OF STORAGE IN A SMALL FOOTPRINT

27 in. 217⁄8 in. Top, 7⁄8 in. thick by Subtop rails, 3⁄4 in. Back rails, 3⁄4 in. thick;
121⁄2 in. wide by thick by 31⁄2 in. wide top rail, 3 in. wide; all
163⁄4 in. long by 151⁄2 in. long Tenons, 1⁄4 in.
others, 31⁄2 in. wide
thick by 11⁄4 in.
long
Back panels,
3
1
⁄8 in. thick,
3 in. 5 ⁄4 in. Inset magnetic rabbeted to fit
catch contacts 1
⁄4-in. groove
35⁄8 in. flat-head screw
in door.
Groove, 1⁄4 in.
707⁄8 in. wide by 5⁄16 in.
Dadoes, 1⁄4 in. deep
wide by 5⁄16 in. Face frame stile, 7⁄8 in.
deep thick by 13⁄4 in. wide by
303⁄4 in. 70 in. long
25 in.
Vertical divider,
5
⁄8 in. thick

33⁄4 in. Fixed shelf, 5⁄8 in.

thick by 113⁄8 in.
wide by 15 in. long
16 in.
51⁄2 in.
Rabbet, 1⁄4 in. wide
by 1⁄4 in. deep

Bottom, 5⁄16 in. Pin, 1⁄4 in. dia.

thick, rabbeted to by 11⁄2 in. long
fit 1⁄4-in. groove

Front,
3
⁄4 in. thick
Drawer stop,
1
Stiles and rails, 7⁄8 in. ⁄8 in. thick
thick by 2 in. wide* Drawer guide,
Sides and back, 1 in. wide
1
⁄2 in. thick

Panel, 3⁄8 in. thick,

rabbeted on back
to fit groove

Groove, 1⁄4 in. wide Adjustable shelf,

by 1⁄4 in. deep, inset 3
⁄4 in. thick
5
⁄16 in. from front face
Glue block, 3⁄4 in.
square by 4 in. long

Rabbet, 1⁄2 in.

wide by 3⁄4 in.
deep
Bottom, 3⁄4 in. thick
by 101⁄2 in. wide by
15 in. long
Thumbnail profile,
1 To purchase expanded plans
⁄4-in. radius, mitered
at corners and a complete cutlist
for this Shaker Chimney
*Bottom rail Cupboard and other projects,
on lower door, go to FineWoodworking.com/ 33⁄4 in. Side, 3⁄4 in. thick
3 in. wide 1
Tenons, ⁄4 in. thick PlanStore. by 111⁄2 in. wide
11⁄8 in. by 70 in. long
by 1 in. long

Photo (opposite page): Michael Pekovich; drawings: John Hartman SHAKER FURNITURE 117
J O I N E RY
SIMPLE DADOES AND RABBETS
Case side has
1
⁄4-in.-wide by 5⁄16-in.-
deep dadoes.

Fixed shelves and

bottom are rabbeted
to create 1⁄4-in.-
square tenons.

Accurate dadoes at the tablesaw.

Clamp a long hook-stop to your
crosscut sled to position the case
sides (above). Dado both sides
before moving the stop for the next
Deeper dado allows
pair of dadoes. The extra plywood on
for squeeze-out and
ensures that the the sled base creates zero clearance
shoulders seat fully. around the dado blades.

Add an end stop for the bottom dado. Screw the

stop to the sled (above). Hold-down clamps secure the
case side and prevent it from lifting or pivoting during
the cut (right).

panel back. The back adds rigidity and the

pine lightens up the look of the interior.
Finishing things off is a top with a subtle
bullnose profile. It overhangs the front and
sides and is attached to a pair of subtop
rails. The rails add rigidity to the top and
also act as a doorstop. I simply glued and
Rabbet the shelves
screwed on the top because the grain of
to fit. Widen the dado all the parts runs in the same direction and
set to 3⁄8 in. and bury seasonal movement isn’t an issue.
a portion of the blade Glue blocks under the bottom shelf and
in a sacrificial fence drawer blocks at the center shelves lend
to dial in the width additional support. Added up, this is a very
of the rabbet. Use a
fast and strong way to build a cabinet.
featherboard to ensure
a consistent depth. Aim
for a snug fit and fine- How to work efficiently
tune the joint with a There are a lot of dadoes in this cabinet, so
shoulder plane. I made the process as efficient as possible.

118 FINE WOODWORKING Photos, except where noted: Ken St. Onge
 Stopped dadoes for the vertical divider.
Clamp both shelves together with the back edges
adjacent. Rout the dadoes using a straightedge
to guide the router base. Stop short of the ends
and square up the dadoes with a chisel.

Vertical divider,
Tenon, 1⁄4 in. 5
⁄8 in. thick
thick by 1⁄4 in.
long
Stopped dado,
1
⁄4 in. wide by
5
⁄16 in. deep

511⁄16 in.
1
⁄2 in.
Fixed shelf

First I cut the dadoes narrower than the
shelves, dividers, and bottom, and rab-
beted those parts to fit.
This approach has some big benefits.
First, rabbeting a part to fit a dado is much
easier than milling a part to a precise thick-
ness to fit a full-width dado. Second, the
rabbet creates a shoulder on the shelf that
registers against the inside face of the case
side. This makes for much more accurate
glue-ups because it doesn’t rely on the
bottom of the dado being perfectly even
(that is difficult to pull off on a wide case
side). And because the joint registers off
the shoulder, you can cut the dado a little
deep, which allows room for excess glue
to gather and prevents squeeze-out. The
face frame and back panel hide any gap
at the bottom of the joint.
To cut the dadoes for the shelves, divid-
ers, and case bottom, I used a crosscut
sled and a 1⁄4-in.-wide dado blade on the
tablesaw. To cut the three dadoes for the
shelf and drawer dividers, I registered the
work against a long hook stop (see top
photos, opposite page). The dado for the
case bottom is a little trickier because the
long side can pivot during the cut. For that
dado, I made a stop block with hold-down
clamps and attached it to the sled.
While I had the 1⁄4-in.-wide blade in the
saw, I grooved the back of the face-frame
stiles. The trick here is to locate the groove
so that the face frame will be about 1⁄32 in.
proud of the case side when glued up, so
you can plane the face frame flush to the
case. If you’re really organized, you can
cut the panel grooves in the door and back
frame parts now as well. I hate changing

DOVETAILS STRENGTHEN THE TOP

Scribe the case

sides. A shallow
rabbet on the inside
face of the rails (above)
makes it easier to align Rout and chop the waste. A router makes
the parts for scribing quick work of removing most of the stock.
(right). Pekovich reground a pair of chisels at an angle
to work into the corners as he chops the end
grain. Afterward, he pares to the scribe line
with a wide chisel as shown.

SHAKER FURNITURE 119

A S S E M B LY
1. START WITH THE FACE FRAME
Glue the face
frame to the
case sides.
A narrow caul
directs pressure
over the joint
and distributes it
along the length.
Check for square
during clamping.
When the glue
is dry, plane the
face frame flush
to the case sides.

Shape the feet first. Pekovich jigsaws the profile on the case
sides, and then smooths it with a block plane as shown, using a file
to work into the corners. He tapers the bottom of the face frame
on the bandsaw, smoothing the cuts with a bench plane.

out my dado blade more than I have to.
One more thing: You can use cutoffs from
the grooved parts to dial in a perfect fit on
the rabbets later.
Next, I widened the dado set and rab-
beted the case sides, dividers, and shelves.
The case sides get a rabbet along the back
and front edges. The rabbet in the back
houses the case back. The one at the front
creates a tongue that fits the groove in the
back of the face frame stiles. It’s a little
more work than simply butting the parts
together, but the tongue-and-groove joint
makes it easier to register the parts during
glue-up and can help correct any slight
bow in the long case sides.
The two horizontal dividers require a
stopped dado to accommodate the vertical
drawer divider. I handled this with a rout-
er. Clamp both shelves to the workbench.
With a T-square fence clamped in place,
you can rout both shelves at once, saving
time and ensuring perfect alignment.
Dovetails lock the top of the case
The subtop rails are joined to the case
sides with half-blind dovetails. Start by
cutting the tails on the subtop rails, and
then transfer their layout to the case sides.
I normally stand the pins board in a vise
for scribing, but these sides were too long
for that. So I placed the side flat on the
benchtop and held the rail vertically while
scribing, and I kept them there to rout,
chop, and pare away the waste.
The last task before assembly is to cut
out the feet on the case sides and the bot-
tom of the face-frame stiles.
Face frame anchors everything else
Normally the face frame is the last thing I
add when building a case, but it’s the first
thing I tackled on this project. Gluing the
2. NOTCH THE SHELVES
stiles to the sides first eases construction
in a couple of ways. First, it allowed me
to plane the stiles flush while the side as-
semblies were easy to deal with; doing
it when the whole cabinet is together is
awkward. It also was easier to mark and
notch the shelves to fit around the stiles
at this stage. And that let me assemble the
rest of the case all at once, without having
to slide in the shelves afterward.
The case bottom and the front subtop
rail butt against the back of the face frame
Scribe and cut. The
fixed shelf and dividers
end up flush with the
case front, so they need
to be notched to fit
around the face frame.
Butt them against the
face frame and be sure
they are vertical when
scribing. Cut outside the
line and pare to fit with
a chisel.

120 FINE WOODWORKING Photos, this page: Rachel Barclay


and act as door stops. The fixed shelf and
dividers, on the other hand, end up flush
with the front of the face frame, so you
need to notch them to fit around it. With
the stiles already glued to the case side,
it’s easy to scribe the notches. Mark them
a little high, so the shelves end up protrud-
ing a bit from the front of the case. You can
plane them flush later. Cut just outside the
line with a handsaw or bandsaw, and pare
the remaining waste with a chisel.
4. ADD THE VERTICAL DIVIDER
1
Plane its neighbors, then slide it in. Go slowly when planing (1) to avoid gouging the face
frame. Then slide the vertical divider most of the way in (2), apply glue, and tap it home. Plane the
divider flush when the glue is dry (3).
Assembly continues with gluing up the
sides, shelves, and bottom and top rails.
Dry-fit and clamp the parts together and
check for square. Also check that all the
shelf notches are sized properly. A notch
that’s too narrow will look fine from the
front of the case, but won’t allow the
shelf to seat fully. The notch should be
deep enough so that when slid forward,
the shelf or divider is just proud of the
face frame. When everything looks good,
3. GLUE UP THE CASE
Recipe for success. Elevate the piece on
rails to make room for clamps. Insert the shelf,
dividers, and bottom flush against the face
frame and drop the second side into place
(left). Last, tap in the dovetailed rails (below).
go ahead and glue up the case. Once all
the clamps are on, add the glue blocks
under the bottom shelf. Apply a thin coat
of glue on two faces and rub the block
back and forth until it grabs. The vacuum
will hold it in place without clamps. To al-
low for seasonal movement, apply multiple
short blocks along the joint rather than one
long one. The drawer guides are glued in
the same way, but because the guides are
long, glue the front half only. Afterward,
3
SHAKER FURNITURE 121
THE TOP GETS A BULLNOSE
Profile is plane easy.
Lay out pencil lines as a
guide and plane a wide,
shallow chamfer along
each edge (right). Then
plane off the peaks
for a smooth curve.
Keep the corners crisp
(bottom right) for a nice
shadow line.

Chamfer, 1⁄4 in. wide

by 1⁄8 in. deep

Final profile

Attach the top

drill through the face frame at the shelf, and back. The top
divider, and bottom locations and pin the can be glued and
joints. This really locks the assembly and screwed directly
adds a little visual interest. to the subtop
After the case has dried, flush up the rails because the
grain on the parts
shelf and dividers with the face frame.
is running in the
Then slide the vertical divider in place, and same direction
plane it flush. All that’s left of the casework (above). Trim the
is to glue the top in place and add the frame-and-panel
frame-and-panel back. The back has two back to a snug
center rails aligned with the fixed shelf and fit and screw it in
lower divider, allowing you to screw the place (left).
back to them as well as the sides, further
strengthening the case joinery.

Doors and drawers are straightforward

The doors are classic Shaker: simple flat
panels surrounded by a thumbnail profile.
I rout the profile into the door frame, and
miter it where the parts meet.
The drawers are traditional dovetail
construction. The important thing is to cut
all the fronts from a single board for a
continuous grain match. I turned my own
pulls, but you can buy hardwood knobs
and refine the profile on the drill press
using sandpaper.
The pulls on the doors and drawers are
secured with wedges. For the drawers, I sim-
ply drilled a hole through the drawer front
and wedged the pull from the inside. On the
door, I got a little fancier. I didn’t want the
tenon exposed on the inside of the door,
but I still wanted to wedge it. So I used a
really cool joint called a fox-wedged tenon.
You start by drilling a stopped mortise. Then
you insert a wedge into the kerf in the tenon
and insert the pull into the mortise. If every-
thing is sized correctly, the wedge contacts
the bottom of the mortise, forcing it into
the kerf as you drive in the pull, creating a
self-wedging joint. The only trick is to cut
the wedge to the right length so that the
pull seats before the wedge bottoms out
in the kerf. Wedging is simple in concept,
but tricky in practice. The toughest part is
kerfing the tenons of the pulls. Cutting kerfs
in such small, odd-shaped parts can be dif-
ficult, but a simple block makes it easy on
the bandsaw. You can use the same block
to cut the tenons to length.
I finished the case and knobs before
installing them. I used a wiping varnish,
building it up for a deep luster and protec-
tion, followed by steel wool and wax. □
Michael Pekovich is a furniture maker, instructor,
and Fine Woodworking’s creative director.

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