Tool Cabinet

Paul shows the steps used to prepare the stock and fit the drawer to the recess. The drawers feature half-lapped dovetails into the thicker front, and housing dados with tenons at the back. In this episode, Paul demonstrates the first of two different methods for marking out and cutting the half-lapped dovetail joint.

Paul’s second method for cutting a half-lapped dovetail uses a rebate to aid alignment of the joint. With the front of the drawer jointed, he ploughs the groove for the drawer bottom. The front is then fitted to the drawer recess and the sides are cut to length. With that done, we are prepared for the rear joinery.

For the back of the drawers, Paul uses a housing dado combined with a through tenon. He goes through the layout with a combination of the knife, pencil and mortice gauge. The then cuts the housing and then tenon, using the knife to ensure an exact fit. This finishes off the joinery on the draws, and we are ready to glue up.

With the clamps removed, Paul fits the drawer to the recess using a plane and cabinet scraper. Once fitted, the drawer bottom is cut to size and fixed in place in the groove, then screwed in place. Paul also shows how to carefully fit a rebated solid drawer bottom, as an alternative option.