CHAPTER III

How to Build a Simple Chest

It is naturally assumed that the builder of a cedar chest knows the fundamental tool processes, as a project of this kind is no task for an absolute beginner to attempt, hence but little attention will be paid to processes that would ordinarily be known by the graduate of a grammar school.

THE MILL BILL

Chest Design Number 1, illustrated in perspective in Fig. 5, and whose working drawing appears in Fig. 6, is of very simple construction.

Its stock can be purchased glued-up and sandpapered, coming to the builder as in Fig. 7, almost ready to assemble, or the boards can be secured surfaced on two sides, to be jointed, doweled, and finished by hand. Both methods will be considered in this chapter.

The stock list, if the wood is to be glued-up and sandpapered at the mill, should comprise the following pieces:

2 pcs. red cedar for sides ¾” × 18½” × 38” 2 pcs. red cedar for ends ¾” × 18½” × 19” 2 pcs. red cedar for top and bottom ¾” × 20½” × 40” 1 pc. red cedar for feet ¾” × 2½” × 60” 3 pcs. red cedar for inside strips ¾” × ¾” × 36” 4 pcs. red cedar for inside corners 1¾” × 1¾” × 18” 1 pc. red cedar for handles 1½” × 2” × 12¼”

[Illustration: Fig. 5]

[Illustration: _CEDAR CHEST DESIGN NO. 1_

Fig. 6]

An exact checking of the mill bill and the working drawing will show that an allowance has been made in some instances that will need to be cut to fit by the builder. For example, the sides are ½” wider and about 2” longer than the working drawing calls for. This allowance has been made so that the craftsman can secure exact dimensions with perfectly square ends.

[Illustration: Fig. 7]

As surfaced and machine sanded stock is specified, all that remains for the builder to do is to square up the ends and edges, cut the feet and handles, and assemble.

SIDES AND ENDS

Plane one edge of each side and end perfectly straight and square with the surfaces. Check these for “working edges.” Measure over 18” and with a straight-edge, mark the width on each. Plane carefully to this line, keeping the edges square across.

With the steel square, holding the blade against the working edges in each case, square lines across one end of each piece about ¾”.

Saw about ⅛” outside of these lines and plane down to them, testing constantly with the try-square across the end grain and the steel square, the blade of which is held against the working edge. When perfectly straight and square, measure down 36” on the sides and 16½” on the ends, square lines across, and repeat the sawing and planing.

TOP AND BOTTOM

The top and bottom pieces are squared up in exactly the same way, but they finish 20” × 38”. The upper surfaces of each have their edges and ends carefully rounded, using a radius of ¾”. This is accomplished by planing and sandpapering with a rather coarse and then a fine sandpaper.

These parts are now ready to assemble, but this will not be discussed until the hand finishing of stock is described.

JOINTING AND GLUING WIDE STOCK

If stock that has been machine surfaced on two sides is purchased for the chest, the builder doing his own gluing, the following stock will be needed:

30 board feet red cedar, surfaced two sides to ⅞” 1 pc. red cedar for inside corners 1¾” × 1¾” × 72” 1 pc. red cedar for handles 1½” × 2” × 12¼”

SAWING UP THE STOCK

[Illustration: Fig. 8]

The stock will come in pieces from 4” to 10” wide and from 8 ft. to 12 ft. long. Place the strips side by side on the saw horses, and work combinations whereby the greatest saving of stock will be affected. There should be about 2” allowed for jointing and squaring, making the sides and ends, rough, 20”, and the top and bottom 22”. Saw off the lengths, allowing about 2” over-length in each case. Save the sawed-off ends, if they are 7” or over in length, for the feet.

[Illustration: Fig. 9]

JOINTING

Mark each piece “Side A,” “Side B,” “End A,” “End B,” etc., so that they will not become mixed. Begin with one side, putting all other stock away.

Determine by a plane stroke or two which way the grain runs in each piece, and mark this direction by means of arrows, as in Fig. 8. Also, number the adjacent edges.

Assuming the position of Fig. 9, carefully run the jointer plane over all edges that come together. Hold it =down on the knob=, when =starting a cut=, and =hard on the handle= when =finishing=. Keep the sides of the plane =parallel= to the sides of the board being planed.

A few strokes should make the edge perfectly straight with the grain, when it should be tested with the try-square to be certain that it is square with the surfaces.

When it is straight as to length and square across, lay it aside and place the edge it is to join within the vise. Do exactly the same with this edge, and test it by placing the edge formerly planed down on top of it, Fig. 10. Sighting toward the light will show whether or not exact work has been accomplished. High spots will be easily detected and planed off.

If there is a =long, thin= opening in the center of the two edges, it may be left, as the clamps will close it and when the wood dries out, end-opening of joints will be prevented. But this opening =must not be more than 1/64”= as the clamps might not pull it down and hold it if it were greater.

[Illustration: Fig. 10]

Repeat with the other edges, and when all boards for one side have been joined, place them into position and test with the steel square, as in Fig. 11. If they do not combine to form a straight surface, those edges that are not square across grain must be planed.

DOWELING

Although stock jointed and glued up at the mill is not doweled, stock hand jointed must be. Use ⅜” dowel pins, placed about 8” apart, the end pins starting about 3” from the ends of the boards.

[Illustration: Fig. 11]

To lay out the dowel holes, place the edges that are to be joined back to back in the vise. With a sharp knife and the try-square, square lines across the grain. Mark intersecting-lines with the grain with the marking gauge, running the spur in the exact center of the edges.

At the intersections of the gauge and knife lines, bore ⅜” holes about 1” deep in both boards, Fig. 12. Slightly countersink these holes.

Cut the dowel pins about 1⅞” long, point their ends a little, and cut a shallow groove along the edge to allow the surplus glue to escape, and thus prevent splitting the boards.

GLUING

Place the boards in position on the saw horses near the glue pot. Have the glue heated—if hot glue is used—and all clamps in position at hand. Remember that you can not stop to look for anything when the hot glue is once applied.

Pieces this narrow will have little tendency to buckle, especially if the bar clamps are put on opposite sides, but it may be wise to have four hand screws ready with battens cut the correct length in case they do.

Dip the dowels, one at a time, in the glue and drive in place along one edge of each board. Quickly tip this edge and its mate up, and apply a thin layer of glue to each. Drop them into position and drive them together. Repeat with the other edges, and place the bar clamps in position, as Fig. 13 illustrates. Tighten the clamps until all the surplus glue is squeezed out, and apply the hand screws if the boards show any tendency to buckle.

[Illustration: Fig. 12]

It is well to warm the boards slightly if hot glue is used.

In case cold glue is used, allow it to stand ten or fifteen minutes before applying the clamps. It will stick better.

SURFACING

After all six wide pieces have been glued up in the above manner and allowed to dry over night, the clamps are removed and the surfaces smoothed up.

Scrape off as much glue that has dried on the surfaces as possible, as hard glue will dull the plane bit.

Begin with a very sharp jack plane, and plane the surface down smooth. Cross-planing is allowable on red cedar on account of the knots, but be very careful not to rip up deep grooves. When planed as nearly flat as possible, scrape with a sharp cabinet scraper. This should not be held in the hand, but should be used in a scraper plane. Scraping should remove all rough spots from the wood.

Finally, sandpaper the entire surface with No. 1½ sandpaper, and finish with No. 0.

SQUARING UP

Cut these pieces to dimensions and square them up as has already been described for the mill-glued stock. Pieces that have been ripped from the edges should be saved.

[Illustration: Fig. 13]

ASSEMBLING

Fig. 14 illustrates various joints used in chest construction. With the simple design taken as our model in this chapter, we will employ the plain butt, nailing the pieces together with 8d finishing nails.

It will be noticed from the working drawing that the sides are nailed onto the ends. To prevent splitting, a number of small holes should first be drilled through the sides. Apply glue to the ends before driving the nails in place.

[Illustration: _JOINTS USED IN CHEST CONSTRUCTION_

_PLAIN-BUTT_ _DADO AND RABBET_ _RABBET_ _DOVE-TAIL_

Fig. 14]

When the sides and ends have been assembled, cut a stick the length of one diagonal of the box, and use this to test on the other diagonal. If the box is square, both diagonals will be the same length.

Place the bottom side up and screw the bottom to the sides and ends. Use 1¾” No. 8 flat head screws well countersunk. Bore the holes through the bottom rather large to allow for any expansion or contraction, and use about twelve screws.

TRIANGULAR CORNER STRIPS

In the inside corners of the box, triangular strips should be securely glued. They are made by ripping on the diagonal of the 1¾” square pieces, and should be made 17” long, Fig. 15. They help to strengthen the chest.

[Illustration: Fig. 15]

FEET

The working drawing gives a detail of the feet. Two pieces 7” long and 2½” wide are cut to shape as shown. Their adjoining ends are mitered, glued, and nailed. On the inside corner a block 1¾” square is glued to help strengthen the joint and to carry the caster. These feet are screwed onto the bottom piece.

HANDLES

Handles may be purchased, but they are so easily made that they are not worth the expense involved. The working drawing gives a detail of a good shape, but this is only a suggestion. The inside is gouged out for a finger hold.

The handles are attached with flat head screws from the inside of the box, and glued.

[Illustration: _METHODS OF MAKING THE CHEST DUST-PROOF_

Fig. 16]

THE COVER

A good chest is dust-proof. There are three ways of rendering it so illustrated in Fig. 16. The first has false edges glued around the under edges of the top, this false edge extending down over the sides and ends. The third has a strip fastened to the top inside of the edges and ends, while the second is a combination of the other two.

In our example, the third method will be employed.

Cut two strips 34½” long from stock ¾” square, and two pieces 15” long. Screw and glue them in place.

HINGING

Two plain butt hinges 21” long with a ¾” leaf will do on this chest. They may be let into both the top and the upper edge of the side piece, or entirely into the edge. Another method often used in schools is that of placing the hinges on the outside of the back and the under side of the top. This is the most simple as it involves no chiseling, and, since the chest is usually placed against a wall, does not look bad, especially if an ornamental hinge is used.

Two chains or desk supports should be used to prevent the lid from swinging way back and straining the hinges. See Fig. 52, Chapter VII.

FINISHING

Directions for finishing and preparing the wood for finish are given in Chapter V. Of course the nails should be well set and filled as explained.

[Illustration: A French Chest of the Late XV Century (Gothic Period)]

[Illustration: _CEDAR CHEST DESIGN NO. 2_

Fig. 17]