Replies

1. 
   RMillard | Aug 28, 2003 01:59am | #1

   I will accept the occasional small tight knot for drawer stock, but it is best to avoid them. Knots not only detract from the appearance , but also the strength. It is also difficult to plane around knots without tearout. As for stability, small knots probably do not effect the stability. On the thickness you plan to use, I of course don’t know the particulars, but full ¾ inch stock for drawer sides is quite large, and can make the drawers look clumsy . I keep my thickness down to about 7/16” for drawers between 6-8 inches deep, and 3/8” for those under that size. This not only improves the appearance, but it allows me to resaw rough 4/4 stock and get 2 for one, so to speak.

   The router bit you have will work fine for cutting the grooves for the drawer bottom

   Rob Millard

1. 
   wendy | Aug 28, 2003 11:17pm | #5

   HI Rob,

   Thanks for the info. I would have to agree with you I think 3/4 inches is a bit too thick for drawer bottoms. But my friends plan calls for 3/4 inch material.  For now I won't deviate from the plan. This is my first attempt at making drawers. At least this project will let me practice my router techniques. LOL 

   Wanda

2. 
   Manchild | Aug 28, 2003 02:13am | #2

   Be very carefull using lower grade pine. I built some raised panel doors with some and all the larger ones warped/twisted.

   I'm not sure about the designation/category that gets out of this problem.

   It is reactionary wood. It looks fine until you mill it. The doors I built took a week to twist after they were hung. Good thing it was my brother and he was in on the pine selection.

3. 
   forestgirl | Aug 28, 2003 07:42am | #3

   Chances are the 1/4" straight bit has a 1/4" shank, right?  Be careful not to set the cut too deep -- take 2 or 3 passes.  Don't want any accidents!

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   wendy | Aug 28, 2003 11:25pm | #6

   Hi Forest Girl,

   Yup. the 1/4 inch router bit has a 1/4 inch shank. The depth of dado I'll be cutting will be 1/4 inch. I should be able to do that in one pass without much trouble.

   I have a question for you .......  My friends plans call for a set of 12 inch drawer runners yet in his diagram the drawer sides only measure 10 inches. So why 12 inch drawer runners. Unless he's planning on cutting them to 10 inches with a hacksaw.

   Have you ever heard of caribou pine? I'm just wondering what else I could substitute for this if I can't find it at Kent's Building Supplies. I was thinking of using 1/4 inch thick pine panel board.

   I was wondering if you could give me some tips on how to cut a 16 inch wide 4 foot long laminated pine board using a table saw. I only wish I had an extention table for my saw which would make things easier then I could just use my cross cut box. Better yet a radial arm saw. I've only ripped boards using on a table saw. I have no experience whatsoever crosscutting on a table saw. any tips would be greatly appreciated.

   Wanda

1. 
   forestgirl | Aug 29, 2003 02:51am | #8

   Wanda, don't know what to say about the plans.  How deep is the side of the dresser?

   With regard to the "caribou pine" that sounds like it might be a local term.  It's certainly not one I've heard of.  Maybe Jon Arno has.  But it's probably not necessary to hold out for that particular kind of pine (whatever it is).

   With regard to crosscutting a wide board, where the miter gauge doesn't work as it would with a narrow board:  It's something to be done with care, but what I do is turn the miter gauge around in the miter slot so that you're pushing the board toward the miter gauge.  I can provide a pic later tonight if you want.  Specifically, I do the following:

   Put a subfence on the miter gauge to provide additional surface for the stock to butt up against

   Use clamps or a narrower piece of wood along the top of the subfence to provide an upper edge just at the level of the stock so that the stock won't tilt up as you're running it through the blade [I have a T-slot miter gauge.  If you don't, then extra care is needed to keep force down on the stock and miter gauge both.  Not sure I'd do it without a T-slot design] 

   Get a firm grip with your left hand against the subfence and the heel of your hand against the stock.  The right hand feeds (pushes) the stock through, lined up at about where the miter gauge slot would be if it reached back to you far enough.  You have to be sure that the stock is nested against the subfence all the way across, especially with a board as long as you're dealing with.

   Push the board through until the head of the miter gauge wants to tilt down off the back of the saw, then STOP the saw.  Pull out the miter gauge and place it in the normal direction and finish the cut.  Before you start the saw up again, pull the board back 1/4" or so to be sure the blade is clear, check to see that the cut is lined up properly.  The subfence has to be slid over to the other side for this step.

   You have to be extreeeeeeeeeemly careful with this procedure.  You'll need support for the left hand side of the board since it's so long.  You do not want to be having to provide any support yourself.  You'll need outfeed rollers off the back of the saw.  Do a dry run up to the splitter with the blade down, and make sure you know how you're going to turn off the saw, where all your body parts are and envision any problems that could happen.  Concentration is paramount when actually cutting.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

   Edited 8/28/2003 7:54:55 PM ET by forestgirl

   Edited 8/28/2003 7:56:53 PM ET by forestgirl

1. 
   wendy | Aug 29, 2003 04:13am | #9

   Hi Forest girl,

   The sides of this nightstand/bedside table measure 13 1/2  inches wide, 23 3/4 (high) Since you can't buy pine boards in 14 inch widths I have to go with the 16 inch width boards. They come in 4 ft lengths.  I could always get the lumber store to cut them to the dimensions I need. (for a small fee of course). I don't have any outfeed rollers. However I do have a miter gauge but I don't have a subfence. Which renders it pretty much useless.  If I had one of those commercial straight edges that you can clamp I'd be all set. Then I could use my jigsaw to cut the 2 side pieces. If I cut the 4 ft board in 2 then I could rip it to the correct dimensions. You're right cross cutting a long board  on a table saw without a outfeed table or proper side support is dangerous. My friend thinks he can crosscut without using the miter gauge. Some Men lprefer  to live on the wild side I guess.

   Wanda

1. 
   EdHarrison | Aug 29, 2003 04:59am | #10

   Wanda,

   Do you have a handsaw? The way I'd do this would be to make the first crosscut with a handsaw, about a quarter inch "proud" or beyond, where you want the actual cutline. That makes it easy to crosscut on the table saw, because all you're really doing is cleaning up and squaring up with the tablesaw to remove that quarter inch of waste. If the 16 inch width is too wide to fit on the tablesaw top, do that "backwards mitre guage" trick to start the cut that FG was talking about. Good luck, Ed

2. 
   forestgirl | Aug 29, 2003 08:10am | #11

   You're right, if you don't have any supports you shouldn't cut it on the tablesaw.  Follow Ed's advice and use a handsaw (or circular saw) to cut a bit pround and finish up on the tablesaw.

   Subfence is no biggie -- make one out of a nice, flat board or piece of plywood.  Do you have a good tablesaw book for reference?  A must-have, IMO.

   Sounds to me, on the length of the drawer runners, that they're just designed to run the full inside depth of the carcass, regardless of the length (depth) of the drawers.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

3. 
   ripmeister | Aug 29, 2003 03:18pm | #12

   I think you asking for trouble trying to x-cut a board this wide on the table saw.  Aside from the safety issues are the accuracy ones.  A  board this long and wide will inevitably tip at some point during the cut regardless of the size of your auxillary fence.  You have a router and a straight bit so I would suggest a circular saw with a decent blade and an edge guide.  Cut it fat and follow up with your router and the guide for  the finished dimension.  Move the tools not the lumber in this situation.  I use this method all the time for large panel cuts and I don't sweat while doing it.  One of the best tools I've ever purchased that facillitates this approach is the 50" Clamp-n-Guide.  I find it indespensible for any sort of long, straight cut such as wide panel x-cuts,  dadoes, rabbets and grooves.  Of course a long straight board and a couple of clamps will work too.

4. 
   bill_1010 | Aug 28, 2003 07:45am | #4

   with knotty pine youll encounter sap and resin excretion.  Something thats really not desirable in and outside a drawer.   Getting sap on the interior items and having the sap possibly gum up your slides wouldnt be something that most would like to deal with.   You can always use and probably should coat the knots with shellac.

   baltic birch ply is a great wood for drawers.  It mills great and its very stable.  Apply ply is a North American alternative to the imported baltic birch.

1. 
   wendy | Aug 28, 2003 11:27pm | #7

   Hi WmP,

   Thanks for the tips. Think it's best if I buy the more expensive clear pine. You're right I didn't think about the sap seeping out. But like you said I could always just shellac them.

   wanda

5. 
   HowardAcheson | Aug 29, 2003 05:21pm | #13

   >>Would clear pine be worth the extra investment? I certainly wouldn't want the drawer to warp. For all I know clear pine is probably just as likely to warp as knotty pine.

   The issue of whether pine will warp is related to it's dryness, not whether it is "Clear-Select" or "#2 Common". However, both are considered construction lumber, not furniture lumber. Construction lumber is not dried to the same degree as furniture lumber. #2 Common is gernerally dried to 12%MC (much is actually even wetter). Select is dried to the percent stamped on the board and at best, will be 12%. This lack of drying is the primary reason for it being resinous.

   If you want to use pine, be sure to know the moisture content and then condition and acclimate the wood appropriately. Good article in the current FWW about acclimating and preparing wood.