made my first workbench drawer today
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I have completed my first workbench drawer today, made entirely from pine, it just needs a plywood bottom in the groove and it’ll be finished, then for the final fitting, my dovetails are getting far better thesedays.
pictures of the drawer are attached,
I plan on making 3 more of them, so 2 in each end of the workbench, then maybe a deeper apron drawer as well.
p.s what do you think?
Dovetails look nice and clean/tight, drawer looks very clean and crisp! Nicely done!
[quote quote=508238]Dovetails look nice and clean/tight, drawer looks very clean and crisp! Nicely done![/quote]
thanks david, I may post some more photos once they’re all complete
Looks fantastic! Very nice joints. I’m working on a drawer for my bench as well, in red alder. My bench is a few feet away from the wall, so I’m doing mine push/pull style across the center of the bench. I might do a couple like yours for the end farthest from the vise. Would love to see pictures of yours when they’re done, and especially how they’re installed in the bench.
[quote quote=515675]Looks fantastic! Very nice joints. I’m working on a drawer for my bench as well, in red alder. My bench is a few feet away from the wall, so I’m doing mine push/pull style across the center of the bench. I might do a couple like yours for the end farthest from the vise. Would love to see pictures of yours when they’re done, and especially how they’re installed in the bench.[/quote]
thanks, I have added some pictures of the drawer frame, the side rails are screwed into the aprons with no glue to allow for movement, and they have tenons going into the front rail, I did it in an unusual way by making the drawer first then installing the drawer frame, the second drawer will be deeper because there’s no bearer in the way.
Looks great. I put a very simple shelf in that spot of my bench but your drawer seems a lot more useful, and nicely made, to boot!
[quote quote=516715]Looks great. I put a very simple shelf in that spot of my bench but your drawer seems a lot more useful, and nicely made, to boot![/quote]
thanks radar, I am making the second one at the moment, should be another photo or two once complete.
Those half blind dovetails look very clean! I am curious about the rail, though. I’ve not made any drawers so this is a question from ignorance: how much weight is that rail supposed to hold? I ask because I want to put drawers in the end of my workbench once it’s complete and I would like to make a sturdy rail to hold the weight of the items I plan on putting in my drawer. Can’t wait for your next pictures!
looks great! Think a bout a heavier stretcher, in case you want to clamp to it..
[quote quote=518924]looks great! Think a bout a heavier stretcher, in case you want to clamp to it..[/quote]
[quote quote=518736]Those half blind dovetails look very clean! I am curious about the rail, though. I’ve not made any drawers so this is a question from ignorance: how much weight is that rail supposed to hold? I ask because I want to put drawers in the end of my workbench once it’s complete and I would like to make a sturdy rail to hold the weight of the items I plan on putting in my drawer. Can’t wait for your next pictures![/quote]
most of the weight is actually on the side bearers, the front rail takes only some of the weight, I’d recommend some kind of oak or maple, my rails and bearers are precisely 19mm x 12mm and cut to length, I used quartersawn oak. I used 1/4″ 6mm thick plywood for the drawer bottom, if you are concerned about weight, you could make the plywood base thicker, but you loose height inside the drawer.
[quote quote=518924]looks great! Think a bout a heavier stretcher, in case you want to clamp to it..[/quote]
I will bear that in mind, good idea thanks
I’ve added a few more photos just now, completed my second drawer, it’s just a matter of finishing it with shellac and waxing it, then adding some handles, I’ve already found the first drawer very useful, hopefully the pictures will help give you an idea on how it’s constructed.
here’s a few more pics, they are really useful extra storage space and definitely add some weight as well, I may not bother adding handles to them as they easily slide out if you put your hand underneath, I think I may make an apron drawer as well at some point, but my next project will be the joiners toolbox.
I really like how you did those. I have thought of just mounting a shelf in the end of my bench but this is so much more elegant and wouldn’t have an issue of things falling off a shelf if/when the bench racks (mine moves sometimes when I’m doing donkey work). Really nice and I am a big fan of the side rails.
I like those drawers. I think I might copy your idea for them when I get to that point in my bench. I think I prefer it to the apron drawer, though the apron drawer might be more proximal to work. We often see Paul reach under the left end of his bench for his sharpening plate board and I think the drawers might be a good place to store them.
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