This nine drawer chest features eight shallow drawers, perfect for organizing collections of small items. The ninth drawer at the bottom is deeper to allow for storage of larger items. The cabinet carcass is birch plywood, the drawer fronts are cherry, and the trim and miscellaneous components are hard maple. Soft close, under mount drawer runners will provide a lifetime of smooth opening and closing.
Basic drawer box construction is now complete, and all nine drawers and runners are installed temporarily.
This project is currently in progress in the shop, so check back for additional pictures as the chest moves forward.
Milling Cherry
Drawer Fronts Roughed
Relieving Internal Stresses
Sheet Goods In the Shop
Breaking Down Plywood
Drawer Slides Are In
Cross Cutting Back to Length
Drawer Box Stock
First Dry Fit
Milling Maple for Cleats
Ripping Cleats Square
Countersinking Cleats
Cleats Complete
Fixed Shelf Notches
Square Notches are Tricky
Shelf Notches Done
Locking Mechanism Raw Materials
Drawer Slides and Locks
Installing Cleats
Cleats Installed
Drawer Slide Positioned by Cleat
Carcass Assembly Prep
Carcass Assembly – Bottom Shelf
Carcass Assembly – Middle Shelf
Carcass Assembly – Complete
Adding Cleats for Back Bottom
Laying Out the Toe Kick with a Faring Stick
Bandsawing the Toe Kick Curve
Toe Kick Installed
Cutting Drawer Components to Length
Drawer Components Cut to Length
Cutting Drawer Bottoms with Cross Cut Sled and Outrigger
Boring Hole for Lock Notch on Drawer Backs
Cutting Sides of Lock Notch
Lock Notches Cut in Drawer Backs
Orientation of Lock Mechanism Details
Boring Pocket Screw Holes
Drawer Components Ready For Assembly
Drawer Box Squaring Jig Setup
Drawer Box in Assembly – Glued, Nailed, Pocket Screwed
Installing a Pocket Screw
Pocket Screw Closeup
Boring Jig for Blum Drawer Slide Rear Attachment
Blum Drawer Slide Rear Attachment Hole
Boring Jig for Blum Slide Locks
Blum Slide Lock Mounted on Underside of Drawer
Installed Drawer from Below
Full Extension Drawer Slides
Nine Drawers and Slides Temporarily Installed
Reinforcing Drawer Bottoms
Drawer Boxes with Cabinet Back Removed
Gang Lock Track
Assembling Gang Lock Bars
CNC Routing Lock Mechanism Internal Pockets
Test Assembly of Lock Mechanism
Lock Mechanism Fitting
Final Milling of Cherry Drawer Fronts
First Cherry Drawer Front Installed
Drawer Front Installation Progress
Cabinet Finishing
Cherry Drawer Front Finishing
Tipping the Clear Finish
Final Assembly of Lock Mechanism
Lock Mechanism Assembled
Hardware and Tools Ready for Delivery Run
Final Assembly
Nine Drawer Chest Finished!