Every Chest Should Have A Cedar Lining

Image Gallery

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

One of MOM's researchers discovers that a "half cedar" hope chest is far better than none.

Cedar has — for hundreds of years — been known for its insect-repellent qualities and its pleasant aroma. It's no wonder, then, that the wood has long been a mainstay for anyone building chests, wardrobes, or closets.

Unfortunately, aromatic cedar — in board form — is increasingly difficult to come by . . . and if you are fortunate enough to locate some, you'd better be prepared to pay dearly for it.

Still, the lure of the wood's natural fragrance is difcult to ignore, so MOTHER's research staffer Clarence Goosen decided to combine practicality with luxury . . . and build a chest of pine and plywood with a heart that's pure cedar.

GO SHOPPING . . . OR SCROUNGING

Clarence suggests starting the project by collecting your tools and materials. You'll need all the lumber and hardware called for in the accompanying list, plus some yellow carpenter's glue . . . a table saw to make accurate cuts . . . a power drill with several different sized bits and a countersink (a No. 8 Stanley Screw-Mate bit — which makes pilot, shank, and countersink hole in one pass — would be a real boon) . . . sandpaper in a variety of grits . . . some shellac (and pumice), clear varnish, or rung oil . . . a tape measure . . . a screwdriver . . . and, because you'll need to do some fancy finish work, a router. (Our router/shaper table, featured on page 160 of MOTHER NO. 61, would be an ideal tool for this project. See page 180 to order back issues.)

To make your lumber shopping less of a chore (if, that is, you don't have enough usable scraps around to piece your project together), notice that the list indicates specific board lengths that will allow you to arrange your cuts to produce a minimum of waste. Also, though staffer Goosen opted to use tongue-and-groove strip cedar for the lining, the cost of such lumber may motivate you to substitute the less expensive cedar particle board.

TAKE A FEW TIPS

MOTHER'S cabinet isn't difficult to assemble, but there are a few tricks you ought to be aware of that will make its construction easier. For one thing, the pedestal should be assembled first, and that entire support can be cut from your 12-foot length of 1 X 4. Notice, though, that it's only 2-3/4" tall, so you'll have to rip the entire 3-1/2"-wide board down to size before going on to make the miter cuts for the joints and gussets. (Save the leftover strip, though . . . you'll need it later.)

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print