Shopsmith Forums

Been a bit long coming, but I actually have gotten in some shop time on the Mark VII base.

I decided to install a drawer into the top of the 'bag box' (along with some other stuff below).

Fairly simple construction, but here goes.

No glue was used in the creation of the drawer.(no animals killed to make glue)

A box made with small tenons on the ends of the front and back sides. A groove in the sides mates to them. 1/2" baltic birch.
So as to maximize depth, the bottom(3/16" underlayment) was fastened with screws.
Since this is a drawer that will mount in a steel cabinet I ignored the purist approach to drawer slides and used these. The sides have 2 screws in each end that secure the sides to the front and back sides. The groove and tenon(shoulder) provide the only alignment.


The inside of the front side has three counterbored holes that provide a way to attach the actual 'formal/pretty' front. The nuts have a star washer and a flat washer between the nut and the bottom of the counterbore.
The outside of the face has the screw heads with star washer and flat washer that will slide into keyhole slots cut into the back of the 'front'. The washers are glued so as to make installing the front less ornery.
Dividers ware made from 1/8" fiberboard(soft masonite to me) ala milk crate fashion.
Putting them in all one way first(+ cross ends). The reason for the gap at the right will become obvious soon.
And the other way next.
The back of the drawer face showing the key hole slots. Think of them as being similar to the miter gauge slots with a wider bottom. The head of the screws were filed down to decrease the thickness so as to fit the slot.
The slides are mounted on a piece of plywood then mounts by way of pre-existing(oem) holes in the vertical lip of the front and back openings of the bag box. Each 'mount' mates with the lip by a recess in the ends of the 'mount'. A single screw that screws into a cobbled barrel nut at each end.
Almost done.

Finally the drawer 'loaded' with mostly correct vintage thingies. The black oxide stuff is not. The right gap contains three table inserts(dado,molder,shaper with pins) and arbor wrench. The black oxide router chuck has been adapted to accept 1/4" shanks. The 'extra' crate dividers are stored at the back for future use. There is still room for more 'stuff'.
Finally with the curly birch front attached. There is no 'pull' as the front extends slightly below the bottom thus providing a finger surface to pull against. The finish is minwax tung oil/something. Really makes the curl pop. As usual, the light direction varies the visibility of the curly grain.

So other than the steel, plastic(slides), bottom and screws it is all birch.

Sweet! I've never seen curly birch before. When do we get to see it in situ?

BuckeyeDennis wrote:Sweet! I've never seen curly birch before. When do we get to see it in situ?

I did not know it existed! Went to Woodcraft looking for something interesting. Got 20" piece about 10" wide. Had no idea how the curl would turn out. I could see the grain variation in the rough. Thought the 'brown' part added character. I originally planned to mount it 'upside down' from what it is. Once the light hit it I changed that!

Nice looking and an interesting way to attach the "show" drawer front. Allows for adjustability/alignment?

Absolutely beautiful and creative without inconveniencing any horse feet

I use keyhole slots a lot. I was reading about using keyhole slots for mounting end floating panels on cabinets so I tried that. Works amazing.

Nice job!

algale wrote:Nice looking and an interesting way to attach the "show" drawer front. Allows for adjustability/alignment?

Yep! And allows removal as well.

That is really beautiful.

This is well done. Drawers are one of my long term plans for the VII.

That's really a nice addition and will add so much functionality in setups and change overs, and really protects the parts.

Everett