PLANS FOR STORAGE DRAWERS

DON DOWNS / WOODCRAFTER 12136 Ellerbe Road, Shreveport, La. 71115 Tel. 318-797-6818 E-Mail dond279@aol.com www.woodcrafteronline.com

2000 Donald R. Downs dba Don Downs / Woodcrafter

IMPORTANT READ CAREFULLY BEFORE READING AND USING THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE ACCOMPANYING MATERIAL Copyright 2000 Donald R. Downs dba Don Downs / Woodcrafter These plans and instructions are owned by Donald R. Downs and are protected by the United States copyright laws and international treaty provisions. No part of these Plans and Instructions or the accompanying material may be reproduced or used in any form by any means graphic, electronic or mechanical, including but not limited to: photocopying, faxing, and informational storage and retrieval systems without written permission from Donald R. Downs. IT IS A FEDERAL OFFENSE TO DO OTHERWISE All recommendations, opinions, and information given in this publication are based solely on the experience of Donald R. Downs. They are not guaranteed to be reliable or accurate.

2000 Donald R. Downs dba Don Downs / Woodcrafter

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BUILDING STORAGE DRAWERS Tools The minimum tool requirements for this project are a power circular saw, drill, and sander. A router, planer, miter saw, and drill press can make the job go much quicker and easier, but are not necessary. Also miscellaneous hand tools like a screwdriver, ratchet wrench, hammer and drill bits will be needed. Materials Wood: The drawers should be made from the same type of wood as the bed but it can be made out of any commercially available wood. I generally will use #2 Grade Southern Yellow Pine since it is more readily available in the area in which I live. In other parts of the country white pine, spruce, or fir may be less expensive. Softwoods such as pine, spruce, and fir are easier to work with but hardwoods do give a beautiful finish. Hardware: Standard type hardware that is generally available at most hardware stores can be used, however I can furnish a complete hardware package that will greatly enhance the appearance of the drawers. It will also save you much time and effort since it eliminates the problem of hiding screw and bolt heads. I believe you will find the price to be competitive or less than the standard hardware available at hardware stores. Component Pieces The overview drawing, Fig. 1, and Table 1 is the key to identifying all of the component pieces that will be included in the final assembly of the drawers.

2000 Donald R. Downs dba Don Downs / Woodcrafter

. OVERVIEW Fig. 1 Table 1 Component Pieces For Two Drawers I.D No.
22 23 24 25 26

Description
Front / Back Piece Side Piece Divider Cleat Flooring

Starting Stock
2 x 10 2 x 10 Flooring scrap 2x2 1 x 12

Length
37 39 34 38 As measured

Width
9 9 6 1 11

Thickness
1 1 1

No. Reqd.
4 4 2 4 8

Hardware Requirements 16 5/16 x 3 black oxide lag bolts and washers 16 # 12 x 2 black oxide coated, Phillips Head wood screws 32 - #6 x 2 screws 8 2 casters with 7/16 shaft 2000 Donald R. Downs dba Don Downs / Woodcrafter 4

Cut Out Cut out your wood according to the information in Table 1 and Fig. 2.

CUT OUT Fig. 2 Sanding / Planing / Routing The amount of sanding that you do depends entirely upon the final appearance that you want for your drawers. An attractive smooth and rounded appearance requires more time and effort than a rustic, rough appearance, so it is up to you. You can accomplish this with a planer, router, or sander. Run all four sides of each piece through the planer and then round over all of the corners of each piece with a 3/8 or round over router bit. Apply finish sanding with a 100 or 150 grit sand paper. If you do not have a router and planer you can produce the same effect, although with considerably more effort, with a hand held sander or scraper. Go over each piece and round all corners with coarse 60-grit sandpaper and then finish off with a 100 -150 grit sand paper. Sand all four sides of each piece. After sanding look at each piece carefully because virtually all lumber will have some knotholes and surface defects. Use a wood filler to fill up these holes and set the piece aside to dry. After the filler has dried, sand it smooth with 100-grit sandpaper.

2000 Donald R. Downs dba Don Downs / Woodcrafter

Pre-Drill Holes in Front / Back Piece Drill 4 5/16 diameter holes in the front / back pieces as shown in Fig. 3. The cut out for the handhold is optional. The drawer can easily be moved in and out by grasping the bottom or wooden drawer pulls can be installed.

PRE-DRILL HOLES IN FRONT / BACK PIECES Fig. 3 Divider Guide Cut a groove 3/8 deep and 13/16 wide across both sidepieces at the mid point. This can be done with a circular saw by making multiple cuts very close and parallel to each other with the depth of the blade set to 3/8. After the cuts are made the groove can be cleaned out with a wood chisel. The groove can also be cut with a router using a straight bit.

SIDEPIECES Fig. 4 2000 Donald R. Downs dba Don Downs / Woodcrafter 6

Fasten Cleats to Sidepiece Fasten the cleats to each sidepiece with the bottom edge of the cleat flush with the bottom edge of the sidepiece using 4 -2 screws. The ends of the cleats should be set back slightly from the end of the sidepiece so as not to interfere with the fit with the front / back piece. Drill a hole with a 7/16 spade bit through the cleats approximately 2 from the ends. This hole will hold the shaft of the casters. Stain-Paint It is much easier to apply stain to the individual wood pieces while the bed is disassembled. Follow the instructions that are always printed on the label of the can or bucket. This usually includes instructions for brushing or wiping the stain on the wood with a brush, sponge, or wipe rag. After a short period to allow the stain to penetrate, wipe the excess stain off with a cloth. Some types of stain will look better if a pre-stain or wood conditioner is applied prior to the stain. This information is also found in the printed directions on the label. If you are going to paint or varnish the beds it is easier to do this after the bed is assembled Final Assembly Attach the sidepieces to the front / back piece by inserting the 5/16 x 3 lag bolts with washers through the pre-drilled holes in the corners of the front / back piece Hold or clamp the two pieces together, taking care that they are flush and even with each other. Tap the heads of the lag bolts sharply with a hammer to embed the sharp threaded tip into the butt end of the sidepiece to get them started, then tighten the lag bolts until they are snug. Be careful not to tighten them too much so that they strip out the hole. A good rule to follow is to tighten until the washer cant be moved with a finger. Measure the inside dimension between the sidepieces and cut the 1 x 10 flooring to fit. Fasten the flooring to the cleats with 2 screws. Using scrap from the flooring to cut a divider board to fit and slide into divider guide grooves in the sidepiece. Turn the drawer over and insert the caster shafts into the holes at the corner of each drawer.

2000 Donald R. Downs dba Don Downs / Woodcrafter

FINAL ASSEMBLY Fig. 5

2000 Donald R. Downs dba Don Downs / Woodcrafter