by Daniel Diehl
Stiles
Cut the two stiles to length, then work the tenons into only their bottom ends. Now cut rabbets into these stiles to receive the panels as shown in the top view with tabletop removed. There is a rabbet on only one side of the stile separating the linenfold panel and the drawer opening. This same rail receives a 3⁄8-inch rabbet in its rear surface to accommodate the interior divider panel. Carefully align this panel slot with the corresponding slot on the interior bottom rail. Both stiles have tenons extending 1¼ inches into the bottom rails as well as tenons that run completely through the narrow, 7⁄8-inchthick top rail.
Chamfering the Rails
Temporarily assemble one side of the table, consisting of a top and bottom rail and two legs. Holding the structure in square with cabinet clamps, chamfer around the bottom and ends of the frame with a router or sharp chisel. The dimensions and angle of the chamfer are shown in detail A. The chamfer curves around the corner rather than meeting at a 90-degree angle. After the chamfer is complete, disassemble the unit. Repeat the procedure for the two remaining sides of the table that receive decorative panels.
Panels
Cut the four raised panels to the sizes indicated. If you want to work a linenfold carving into the panels, do it at this time following the instructions on page 6. Also cut the flat panel separating the interior compartments. Finding a single panel of 3⁄8-inch-thick wood in this size will be difficult; eliminate this panel altogether if a suitable alternative cannot be found. This panel is held into position along only two edges: the divider rail and one stile. The other two edges float free, simply resting against the underside of the top and the rear surface of the panel.
Frame Assembly
After the panels are finished, reassemble the table, including the drawer rail and rail support, and then fit all four panels into place. Brace and clamp the structure together, making certain it is level, square, and plumb. Now begin final assembly. The top rails are nailed directly into the tops of the legs with one nail in each end of each lap joint. Peg together the bottom rails, legs, stiles, and interior frame members. After drilling the pilot holes, dowel according to the instructions on page 1. Dowel each joint as it is drilled, before drilling the next hole, to prevent the possibility of the holes shifting before the dowels have been driven into place. After the doweling is completed, cut the dowels flush with the surface of the surrounding wood.
Top
Five boards form the top, three running the table’s length, and the other two serving as end caps. The three center boards are tongue-and-groove jointed, but both tongues are on the middle board. The end caps, tongue and grooved to the main top boards, are irregular, with one end cap having the tongue and the other the groove (see the front and rear view drawings). Although there is now no glue in this table, the top pieces originally may have been glued together. The three main boards would have been held in place by the nails holding the top to the table’s frame, but in the absence of other forms of fastening, the end caps never could have remained in place without glue. Therefore, when the tongue-and-groove joints fit well enough to be lightly tapped together with your palm or a mallet, we recommend gluing them and clamping them together until dry.
Top Installation
After the top is dry, set it into position and drill pilot holes for fastening to the legs. The four main nails extend through the top and the top rail, fastening directly into the tops of the legs. Nothing else seems to hold the top in place. Fashioning the four large square-cut nails that hold the top in place could make an interesting experiment in nail construction. Make sure their heads are large enough to hold the top in place.
Options
If you decide to reproduce the missing drawers, make the drawer in the end of the table match the opposite end—it should look as though its face were divided into two panels separated by a stile. The drawer on the long side should probably be a smaller version of the linenfold panel adjacent to it. Install drawer glides inside the bottom rails of the table where appropriate. The glides will wear better if they are made from maple rather than oak. Since the table already consists of a variety of woods, one additional species will scarcely seem out of place.
Finish
Coat the entire table with a medium walnut stain followed by at least one coat of boiled linseed oil. To make your reproduction look as much like the original as possible, sparingly stain the tabletop—perhaps thin the stain with spirits of turpentine. Centuries of constant heavy use kept the top lighter and shinier than the rest of the table.
PROJECT 14
Welsh Dresser
Dresser, Welsh or English, circa 1650. Oak, 4 feet, 7 inches x 32½ inches x 23½ inches. Private collection. Photo by Mark P. Donnelly.
Today a dresser is a chest of drawers used to store clothes, but four hundred years ago the word had an entirely different meaning. Then a dresser was dining room furniture in which tablecloths, silverware, plates, and tankards were kept before they were set out to “dress” the dining table. This dresser, which dates from the mid to late 1600s, is missing the set of shelves that once sat on top of the base. These open-fronted shelves once held the family’s best pewter plates, tankards, and serving pitchers, where they were constantly on display for everyone to see and admire.
The surviving base has remained in constant use for three and a half centuries and as a result has seen numerous repairs. We are unsure whether all the repairs conform to the original structure of the dresser, but they are all hidden on the inside of the case, guaranteeing that the outward appearance of the dresser remains the same as when it was built by seventeenth century craftsmen. The casework has taken on a mellow, dark oak color, highlighted along the edges where centuries of dusting and polishing wore away the accumulated dirt that gives the rest of the case a deeper tone.
Construction Notes
While there is no carving work on this piece, the multiplicity of complex mortise joints and drawers makes this a challenging project for all but the most experienced cabinetmaker. Read all the instructions several times and study the drawings carefully before beginning the actual construction work.
Materials
The case of this piece is made entirely of oak, but the drawers, with the exception of their faces and trim molding, are made of pine. The divider walls between the drawers, which are obviously later replacements, are also of pine. Whether the original divider walls were oak or pine, or even if the piece originally had divider walls between the drawers, remains a mystery.
Legs
The front and back illustrations show that all four legs are the same dimensions. The only difference is that the lower portions of the front legs have been turned on a lathe. Irregularities on the leg turnings indicate that the originals were probably turned on a pole lathe, so if your legs vary slightly from the lower leg detail drawing, it will only make them appear more authentic.
After the front legs have been turned, mortises should be cut in all four legs. There are mortises in both the upper section of the legs, where they are joined to the side panels and front face rails, and near the bottom, where the stretchers will be inserted. Altogether, the legs have a total of twenty-two mortises—seven in each front leg and four in each rear leg.
Begin with the mortises for the stretchers on the rear legs, cutting them 37⁄8 inches above the bottom of each leg. These mortises are all 3⁄8 inch wide and 1½ inches high, but note on the rear leg stretcher cross section drawing that they are located in different positions for the side and rear stretchers. The mortise for the side stretcher is located 3⁄8 inch in from the outside face of the leg; the inner face of the mortise should be 1¼ inches from the inner face of the leg. This should allow the side stretcher to fall flush with the outside face of the leg. The mortise for the rear stretcher, however, is 3⁄8 inch in from the inside face of the leg, so that the stretcher will be flush with the inside surface of the leg, and recessed 1¼ inches inside the outer face of the leg. You may remove much of the excess woo
d from the mortise with a drill, but the side walls and ends should be smoothed with a small, sharp chisel.
There are two mortises on the upper portion of the rear legs that will receive the top and bottom side panel frames. These mortises are located on the same face of the leg as the side stretcher mortise near the bottom of the leg. The positions of these mortises are clearly indicated in the side panel construction detail and the side panel top view drawings. The top of the upper mortise begins ½ inch below the top end of the leg. The mortise should be 1 inch in depth and 2 inches high. It will be 3⁄8 inch in width and its outer edge should be 3⁄8 inch from the outside face of the leg, placing it in the same relative position to the outside face of the leg as the mortise for the side stretcher located farther down the leg. Measure 9 inches down the length of the leg from the bottom of this mortise; this marks the top edge of the mortise for the bottom side panel frame. This mortise is the same 3⁄8 wide, 2 inches high, and 1 inch deep as the mortise for the top side panel frame.
The mortising on the front legs is slightly more complex, with seven mortises on each leg. Begin by cutting the mortises for the stretchers. These are the same dimensions as the stretcher mortises in the back legs: 1 inch deep, 1½ inches high, and 3⁄8 inch wide. The only difference, as shown in the front stretcher cross section diagram, is that both mortises are located so that the stretchers will fall flush with the outside surfaces of the legs. Close examination of the front stretcher cross section drawing shows that the innermost corner of these two mortises touch each other. Make sure that the stretcher mortises on the front legs are at the same height as those on the rear legs.
When the stretcher mortises are complete, cut mortises for the top and bottom side panel frames. These should be the same dimensions and in the same locations as the corresponding mortises in the back legs. The best way to make sure all the side panel mortises are in their proper positions is to lay the legs side by side and copy the locations of the mortises on the rear legs onto the corresponding surfaces of the front legs with the aid of an adjustable carpenter’s square. When the side panel frame mortises have been laid out, cut them as described above.
The final three mortises in each of the front legs will receive the ends of the front top, front middle, and front bottom rails listed on the materials list and shown in the illustrations of the front of the dresser and the front face detail. Each of these mortises is open on two sides of the leg: the side facing the drawers and the side with the mortises for the side panel rails. Its uppermost end is also open on the top end of the leg. The proper sizes and locations of these mortises are shown in the drawings of the bottom rail mortise cross section and right inside face; center rail mortise cross section and right inside face; and top rail mortise top view and right inside face. An additional view of the top front rail and its corresponding mortise are shown in the top view with top removed drawing. Note that each of these mortises is the full thickness of the board that fits into it.
The distance between these mortises is the same as the height of the drawers that will slide between the rails, as shown in the illustration of the front of the dresser. Their relative positions are as follows: The mortise for the top rail is 11⁄8 inches in height, allowing the top rail to lie flush with the top of the leg. The middle rail mortise begins 5¼ inches below the bottom of the top mortise and is ¾ inch in height. The bottom rail mortise begins 6 inches below the bottom edge of the middle rail mortise and is 7⁄8 inch in height. The bottom edge of the bottom mortise will actually lie against the uppermost turning of the leg. All of these mortises can be roughed out with a drill, but the finish work needs to be carried out with small, sharp chisels.
Cutting the Decorative Bead on the Legs
The upper portion of each front leg is decorated by the addition of a small, incised bead. The position of this beading is shown in the front face detail and cross sections of the bottom, center, and top rails. The bead’s dimensions are shown in the corner post cross section drawing. As can be seen in the front face detail drawing, corresponding beads will be cut later on the front rails and stiles to form a decorative band running around all six of the drawers.
Using molding cutters or a decorative molding plane, cut the decorative bead on each front leg to a depth of 1⁄8 inch, with a 1⁄8-inch-wide kerf cut forming the inner edge. The outer edge of the bead (the edge that abuts the drawers) is rounded, giving the bead a semicircular shape. Although portions of the bead are eventually cut away to allow the top, center, and bottom rails of the cabinet face to fit into place, it should be cut along the entire length of the square upper portion of the front legs.
Cutting the Side Rails and Stretcher Tenons
The four rails that frame the top and bottom of each side panel are all identical. Each is ¾ inch thick, 3 inches wide, and 21 inches long. For the best overall view of these rails, see the side panel construction detail, cross section, and top drawings. On each end of each of these rails is a tenon that is 3⁄8 inch thick, 2 inches wide, and 1 inch long. The 2-inch width of the tenons is centered on the 3-inch-wide board, requiring that ½ inch of wood be removed above and below the tenon. The 3⁄8 thickness of the tenon is achieved by removing 3⁄8 inch of wood from one face of the rail, allowing the tenon to remain flush with the opposite side of the rail.
Next, cut a rabbet along the bottom inner edge of each rail. As the rails are symmetrical, the rabbets can go on either edge, but they should be located on the side of the rail where the tenon is flush with the surface. As shown in the side panel cross section drawing, the rabbets are ½ inch in width and 3⁄8 inch deep.
The dimensions of the stretcher tenons are shown in the diagrams labeled rear leg stretcher cross section, front stretcher cross section, and leg stretcher construction detail. The tenons on both ends of all four stretchers are identical. These tenons are all the full 1½-inch height of the stretcher, 1 inch in length, and 3⁄8 inch thick. Excess wood is cut from only one side of the stretcher, so that one side of the tenon is flush with the surface of the stretcher and the other side is recessed 3⁄8 inch below the face of the stretcher.
Building the Ends
The side rail and stretcher tenons should now fit snugly into the mortises on the inner faces of the legs. After making sure the faces of the side rails and stretchers are flush with the outer surface of the legs, as shown in the side panel cross section and front and rear stretcher cross section drawings, insert a drop of glue into the appropriate mortises on both front and back legs and tap the side rail and stretcher tenons into place. Clamp the side assemblies together, making certain they are square.
The side panels are held in place with a ¼-inch dowel. Drill a ¼-inch diameter pilot hole through the leg and center of each side panel tenon to a depth of 1 inch. Tap a dowel into place and cut it off 1⁄8 to ¼ inch above the surface of the leg. The stretchers are held in place with 7⁄8-or 1-inch-long finishing nails. Drill a pilot hole into the leg at the center of each stretcher tenon before hammering the nail into place. Set it a fraction of an inch below the surface of the leg and then fill with putty.
When the glue on the side assembly has dried, sand the dowels flush with the face of the legs. Cut the side panels to fit in the panel opening between the rails and legs, taking care to cut them to the exact length of the opening. There is no rabbet to cover the joint between the sides of the panels and the legs, so they should fit snugly but not so tight that they have to be hammered into place. When the panels fit properly into the panel opening, run a small bead of glue along the rabbets in the top and bottom side rails, then drop the panels into place. The panels can be held in place with three or four small brads, about ¾ inch length, located along the upper and lower side rails. Drill pilot holes for the brads, angled away from the inner edge and into the thick body of the rails.
When the glue on the side assembly has dried, sand the dowels flush with the face of the legs. Cut the side panels to fit in the panel opening between the rails and legs, taking care
to cut them to the exact length of the opening. There is no rabbet to cover the joint between the sides of the panels and the legs, so they should fit snugly but not so tight that they have to be hammered into place. When the panels fit properly into the panel opening, run a small bead of glue along the rabbets in the top and bottom side rails, then drop the panels into place. The panels can be held in place with three or four small brads, about ¾ inch length, located along the upper and lower side rails. Drill pilot holes for the brads, angled away from the inner edge and into the thick body of the rails.
When the glue on the entire assembly is dry, add the decorative trim molding around the face of each panel. A cross section of this molding is shown in the drawing of the drawer and side panel trim molding. If you do not have molding cutter blades for your table saw, have a mill cut this molding for you. The trim molding should be oriented so its 1-inch-wide back lies against the panel and its 3⁄8-inch side abuts the leg. Cut the pieces of trim molding slightly longer than the size of the exposed panel, with a 45-degree miter cut on one end. Measure the finished length carefully before cutting the miter on the opposite end; there is no rabbet to hide any space between the panel and the edge of the leg, so the molding must serve this purpose. Run a small bead of glue along the outermost edge of the panel and the inside edge of the leg, and set the trim molding into place. Fasten the trim molding to the legs with ½-inch headless brads after drilling pilot holes to avoid splitting the delicate trim molding.
Constructing the Front Rails and Stiles
The construction of the front framework is shown in the illustration of the front of the dresser and the front face detail. Illustrations of the five component pieces of this assembly are also shown in the drawings of the drawer divider stiles and rail and divider stile assembly. The top front rail is most clearly shown in the top view with top removed. At first glance, this assembly may look very confusing, but it is not nearly as complex as it seems if you take it piece by piece.
