Cutting
the Dadoes and Rabbets
Once
the dadoes are cut, test fit the two drawer sidepieces
in the front stopped dadoes. Make sure they're tight enough
to stand squarely when captured in the grooves cut into
the drawer front. Clean up around each dado, and slightly
bevel the inside top edges of the drawer front to relieve
the sharp edges produced during the earlier planing process.
It's easier to clean up the interior components now, before
the drawer is assembled.
Next, cut the through dadoes in the back inside faces
of the drawer sides to capture a rabbet that will be cut
into the drawer back. Again, I use my router plane. After
the drawer sides are completed, cut the drawer back to
fit. This will be a tight-fitting joint that's perfect
for a large solid drawer such as this. To cut the mating
rabbet on the back of the drawer piece, I use my
140-style
skew block plane.
Once all of the joints are cut in the drawer face, sides
and back, recheck the fit. Clean up around all pieces,
and measure, mark and cut the groove for the drawer bottom.
Cut the back, the two sides and the front.
For the bottom, I used a 1/4" piece of plywood to
add some extra stability to the entire piece. If you use
solid wood, run the grain of the wood perpendicular to
the drawer's sides. Your drawer design will need to add
a bit of depth to the grooves in the drawer face and back
to take into account the seasonal expansion and contraction
of the wood.
At this point, lay out all of the components and do one
final check. Ensure the insides are fair and clean, break
any sharp edges and get ready for the glue-up.
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Using
a router plane to cut one of the through dadoes in the
back inside face of the drawer side.
A completed through dado.
The mating rabbet on the back of the drawer piece.
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