House Project - Console Table, Part 2

When I left off at the end of part 1 (last weekend), we had completed the basic structure of the table, including the top. Next steps were to build the shelf at the bottom of the piece and then build a drawer and install it.

Building the shelf was easy, and followed the same basic steps as building the table top. Instead of making the boards for the shelf go edge to edge, we shortened each end by 3/4", which allowed us to cap the ends with a nice piece of 1x2. This results in a more polished edge (and is the design change I referenced in the last post). I say "boards" plural, since by increasing the depth of the piece compared to the original plan we cannot make the shelf out of a single length of 1x12. So it is a multi-board assembly like the table top...

The final construction step was to make and install the drawer. After measuring very carefully (1/2 inch clearance required on either side for mounting the drawer glides), we made a simple box frame out of 1x4s and used a piece of 1/4 inch plywood for the bottom. We then installed the drawer glides and fitted the drawer without yet having attached the separate piece of 1x6 that is the drawer face. After installing the drawer glides, it didn't operate very smoothly. Careful inspection revealed that the one side needed to be shimmed ever so slightly, as the wheel on the glide was popping out of the track near the end (because the drawer was about 1/8 inch narrower than it should have been - but only on the front side). Shimming one end of one drawer glide made all the difference, and the drawer operates very smoothly now.

Drawer detail

The drawer face was then attached to the drawer box (screwing into the back of the face from inside the drawer), taking extra care to make sure that it was centered evenly in the opening leaving a uniform 1/8 inch gap on all sides. Even though the drawer isn't centered perfectly, the drawer face is, and that's the only thing anyone will see, so this is a perfect kind of drawer construction for novices like us.

The final step was to drill out holes for the pulls and install the hardware. We will remove them before painting the piece, but we wanted to see what the whole thing looked like "done".

I'm thrilled. It looks good and clean, with no terribly obvious "oopses", and even those will be removed by a final finish sanding. Gluing and screwing everything, mostly with pocket joints, has made a rock solid piece. It looks and feels like real furniture. Which...it is.

Construction complete

All that remains to be done is a final sanding and then painting and glazing. Which is still a good bit of work.