I am building a sideboard with cabinets and doors right and left and three drawers down the center. The three drawers will be separated by 3/4 inch thick drawer dividers. I want to install locks on the top two drawers. The drawers will be 18 1/2 W and 3/4 inch thick fronts.
First, my thought is to use full mortise locks, but I am open to any other suggestions.
Second, if I use full mortise locks, I am not sure of the best way to locate the mating mortises. Measuring doesn’t seem to me to be sufficiently accurate. I thought possibly using my sliding square. Any help will be appreciated.
Many thanks. Jerry
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I always use half mortise locks, mostly because I build period reproductions and that is what was used in the period. As for locating the mortise, I just smear paint on the bolt and use the key to get it to strike the drawer divider; this takes all the guesswork out of it. The hard part is chopping the mortise for the bolt in the confined space, so for this I made a short S shaped "chisel" out of drill rod, one end is ground at right angles to the axis of the chisel and the other is parallel to it. With this crude but effective tool it is easy to chop the mortise. I just posted a photo in the gallery of a sideboard I completed last week.
Rob--Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a try when I get to it. I'm just beginning to build the drawers.
Where is the gallery you referred to? I'd like to see your piece.
Thanks. Jerry
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