Chest of Drawers | S1 E9

[@hbengineer]

I built 4 projects from this season, one of which is this chest of drawers for my son when he was born…22 years ago. The workbench was my first and it’s still in use today. My daughter has the hope chest I built in maple and my wife and I use a pair of the bedside tables. Norm, you have been a huge inspiration to me and my family treasures all of the furniture I have built for them from your NYW series. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Erich Whitney, Derry, New Hampshire.

[@newyankeeworkshop]

That's so nice to hear. You created some wonderful cherished heirlooms.

[@chipperkeithmgb]

Hello norm you have taught me so much made the night stand the Irish hutch corner cupboard chest of drawers thanks a lot from Oxford England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 forgot the Nantucket settle

[@micdiva]

Londonderry nh here

[@hbengineer]

@@micdivahowdy neighbor!!!

[@gregeverson4595]

I wanted to say a big thank you to Norm for this series. The chest of drawers was my second NYW project after the Clancy sailboat. I built these 25 years ago from ages 13-15. Norm's videos and plans were my only guidance. I made my chest of drawers out of birch wood and it is a treasured family heirloom today.

[@gibsonleather5835]

Norm's an American treasure. All of these episodes are outstanding. A lot of great memories--thank you for putting these up!

[@nwtraveler5266]

These shows were a Saturday afternoon staple for so many years. What a wonderful series to have watched.

[@andrewd9914]

In important addition.....Norm Abram facilitated the inspiration for my decades of woodworking!

[@jameswortner6135]

You have to love these older tools in Season 1. No Delta Unisaw.? What biscuit? No air tools? Porter Cable? Leigh Jig? Beisymier clamps? Stationary sander? Drill press? Shaper? Motivates me to make some more saw dust! Thank you Norm and New Yankee Workshop for over 30 years of woodworking!

[@jamesholm3107]

I made it a bit narrower than Norm's, and added another drawer. making it with 6 drawers (taller). One for me, one for the wife, two for my daughters. Over the next year I wound up making 20 for other family and friends. Thank you, Norm!

[@zach-of-all-tradez]

Thank you, Norm Abram. I wish I could change careers and go into furniture making.

[@r.b.ratieta6111]

Norm Abram: The Bob Ross of Carpentry.

[@ChristopherSalisburySalz]

Norm is the GOAT!! He is the Michael Jordan of television woodworking! I have a ton of positive memories watching the New Yankee Workshop with my dad every Saturday afternoon.

[@stephentafaro5081]

For me the beat pat of this first season is watching Norm make beautiful pieces with the use of the most basic power tools. The benchtop router table, wobble blades, Delta 10 inch planer with no dust collection, and regular hammer and nails. Just shows it is in the skill and craftsmanship.

[@gregwilson3371]

Love to see how the shop had changed over the years

[@markohmstead5855]

I remember watching these as a kid. I also like this was well before he started adding more expensive and complex power tools.

[@johnglielmi6428]

Thank you Norm, for your years of endless mastery of crafting in wood! And for being a welcome teacher on 'This Old House" and "Ask This Old House" Through the years! I have watched both shows from their first broadcast dates, and never missed an installment! We have learned so much from you over the years! Also at approximately 7:03 into the video, you mention making tongues on the long pieces, but you had cut grooves into them. That's on the editors of the day missing that slight miss spoken phrase. Shaker style is so minimalistic, and beautiful in it's simplicity isn't it?

[@simonlunt353]

As a joiner in a workshop we have made many units with drawers or doors but it’s all changed nowadays but I do remember doing these ways with are dovetailing machine which we still have but not used 😢it’s all made with chipboard Mela, mine you can’t beat the old ways thanks norm

[@mikebadilla9187]

Gret job Thankyou

[@andrewd9914]

Great job and inspirational. Always! However, why stain, sand and finish with knobs attached? Perhaps an oversight.

[@AngieWilliamsDesigns]

Love it

[@jeffreysmith5018]

The king 🤴 🤴

[@MrBAchompBAchomp]

Can someone explain the joinery for the case? The sides need to expand and contract seasonally but the frames won't....

[@dmark6699]

I still have my old surface plainer that same model but its really loud.

[@WhiteTiger72589]

When did Norm start talking about shop safety?

[@ChristopherSalisburySalz]

Man I REALLY wish the video was clearer! I could barely see the corner dovetails on the inspiration piece at all! 🔍

[@d4rk_sky]

How did you attach the sides to accommodate for wood expansion/contraction?

[@MortimerSugarloaf]

He didn't. The whole thing appears to be cross-grain glued. 🤔 One possible solution: I would probably make the stiles of those drawer runner assemblies a little less wide than the rails, and screw them into the sides with elongated holes. I would glue the front few inches of each assembly to keep the front rails lined up with the front of the sides, but leave the rest unglued so movement will be toward the back. Finally, I'd space the rebate for the back piece away from the rear drawer runner assembly a little bit so movement doesn't blow the back off, leaving a small air gap between the back and the rear drawer runner assembly. You could achieve that air gap by either making the side panels a little wider, making the drawer runner stiles a little shorter, or making the rebate for the back a little shallower. The shorter stiles are probably the best bet of the three. This would compromise the structure of the rear bottom edge, as nothing would be connecting the rear bottom of the side panels to each other across the back (except the thin plywood back itself), so I'd just make the base four sided instead of three to get the rigidity I would need for that edge, and attach the bottom rear corners of the side panels to it with elongated screw holes. I'm sure there are other ways to go about this, but there's a suggestion for ya.

[@Pipsqwak]

@@MortimerSugarloaf I've used sliding dovetails in the sides of the case for the drawer dividers. They don't have to be glued; screwed, or nailed - the shape holds the case together, and the side panels can expand or contract freely. They also don't have to be stopped; they can show through at the front and look great! Like you said, just the front rail is glued for a few inches to keep the front edges flush and all the movement is to the rear. Also, as you pointed out, leave room at the back of the drawer dividers so movement doesn't blow out the black! As for the base, like you I made the base 4-sided, but the rear piece is flat and attached to the side pieces with pocket screws (you could do it with biscuits as well), and sits beneath the back of the case on the same level as the cleats so the case can sit flush to the wall. That way it supports the case, allows wood movement, is not visible, yet adds strength to base and the rear legs.

[@vytautasbeliauskas8129]

Hello what name of jig you was using? Thanks

[@newyankeeworkshop]

It's a dovetail jig. I believe that one is made by Rockler.

[@BillMulholland1]

👍

[@johnrogan9420]

Rite heer