Best light colored wood for drawer sides
jimmcquade12
| Posted in General Discussion on
When making half blind dovetail drawers, I have been using maple because of its light color to contrast with the darker drawer fronts (usually cherry or mahog). It’s way too hard to work with and was wondering what anyone would suggest to use instead. Something light in color and stable. Thanks
jim
Replies
Jim, where are you located?? If you can get Jacaranda I think it is ideal for this purpose (and furniture making).It is from South America.
In Southern Africa and parts of Australia people grow them in their gardens, so the timber can be free, almost.It is easy to dry and work and is stable, moderate weight, durable.
The old traditional (in the North) drawer side material is poplar. A lot easier to cut dovetails in than maple.
Frank Klaus recommends pine.
Personally, I use oak or maple just because I like the way it looks. (I like red oak because I think the deep pores hold the beeswax I use to lube the slides better -- kind of like self-lubricating bearings, LOL.) As for oak and maple being hard to work DTs in, I just deal with it. It only takes a few extra minutes per drawer, max. When working DTs in really hard wood, I'll use a coping saw to get close to the base line and then just pare up to the line with a sharp butt chisel in one or two cuts.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Are you using soft maple or hard maple? I love making hand-cut dovetails in soft maple. With a sharp chisel, it's like buttah. :) You could also use poplar, but some have expressed concern about how it holds up over time. Poplar runners definitely wear faster. Maybe a wear slip on the drawer bottom?
HTH!
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Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 6/28/2007 7:51 am ET by KiddervilleAcres
I have been using eastern hard maple. I don't mind cutting the tails in it, it's the hand planing to fit the drawer after the it's complete that gives me grief. Thanks for the information to everyone.jim
I've used maple, poplar and most recently aspen...aspen is nearly white and quite soft, nice grain and light..quite easy to handcut dovetails in
Neil
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