Dresser Made of Quarter-Sawed Oak
A design of a princess dresser that is well proportioned and of pleasing appearance is shown in the accompanying sketch and detail drawing. The cost is very moderate and if a mill is not too far away, a great amount of labor can be saved by ordering the material ready cut to length, squared and sanded. Quarter-sawed oak should be used and the material needed will be as follows:
- 4 posts, 1-3/4 by 1-3/4 by 27 in., S-4-S.
- 1 top board, 3/4 by 17 by 37 in., S-2-S.
- 5 side rails, 3/4 by 1-1/2 by 37-1/2 in., S-4-S.
- 4 end rails, 3/4 by 2 by 17-1/2 in., S-4-S.
- 2 end panels, 1/4 by 16-1/4 by 16-3/4 in., S-4-S.
- 1 drawer partition, 1 by 7-3/4 by 18-1/2 in., S-4-S.
- 1 back board, 3/4 by 4-1/2 by 36 in., S-2-S.
- 2 mirror supports, 7/8 by 2-1/2 by 30 in., S-4-S.
- 2 side pieces for mirror, 3/4 by 2 by 42 in., S-4-S.
- 2 end pieces for mirror, 3/4 by 2 by 21-1/2 in., S-4-S.
- 2 drawer fronts, 3/4 by 7 by 17-1/2 in., S-4-S.
- 1 drawer front, 3/4 by 7 by 36 in., S-4-S.
- 1 20 by 38 bevel mirror.
The following pieces may be of any soft wood:
- 5 drawer slides, 3/4 by 2 by 17 in.
- 6 drawer sides, 1/2 by 7 by 17 in.
- 2 drawer bottoms, 1/2 by 17 by 17 in.
- 1 drawer bottom, 1/2 by 17 by 35-1/2 in.
- 4-1/2 sq. ft. of 3/8-in. pine for back.
First be sure the posts are perfectly square and of equal length. Either chamfer or round the upper ends as desired. The mortises can now be laid out and cut or they can be left until the rail tenons are all made and then marked and cut directly from each tenon. The posts as well as the end rails should have grooves cut in them to take the 1/4-in. end panels.
The top board should have the corners cut to fit about the posts. The corners of the back board should be rounded as shown in the drawing.
The end sections of the dresser can be glued together first, care being taken to get the joints square and tight. When these are dry the side rails and drawer slides can be fitted and glued in place. The top board is held in position by means of screws through cleats which are fastened to the inner sides of the rails.
