cabinetmaker’s

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workbench
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Drawers
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Add plenty of storage space with this

easy-to-build, slip-in drawer cabinet.
The cabinetmaker’s workbench DRAWER CASE sides and form the openings for
offers a lot of storage space on the The drawer cabinet consists of an the drawers. Figure 1 gives you a
shelf underneath the benchtop. But outer case that slips into the open- starting point for the dimensions,
if you’d like to make better use of ing under the bench. You’re going but you may need to make some
that space for storing smaller items, to build the case from the inside minor adjustments so the case fits
you can build the drawer cabinet out, starting with the drawer your workbench. I made my case
shown in the photo above. frames. These frames connect the about 1⁄8" narrower and shorter
than the opening.
DRAWER STOP
1
FIGURE
REAR RAIL C (#/4" x #/4" - 3") STILE FRAMES. The two side stiles and
(#/4" x 3" - 35")
H (#/4" x 3" - 20!/2") the center stile of each frame are
D
connected with front and back
CENTER GUIDE D
(#/4" x 1" - 25") rails. I used maple for all of the
E frame components except for the
front rails. For these, I used Doug-
#8 x 1!/4" Fh las fir to match the bench.
5&/8 woodscrew
COMPLETE THE FRONT & REAR RAILS. To

#/4 start on the frames, I cut the front

Attach case back
NOTE: with glue and rear rails to size first. The
Dadoes after drawers are length of the rails and the 1⁄4"-deep
and fitted and stops
rabbets are installed dadoes and rabbets in the case
are !/4" 5&/8
A sides will determine the final over-
deep
and CASE SIDE all width of the assembled cabinet.
sized to (18#/8" x 25" - #/4" ply.) As I mentioned earlier, size the
fit frames
F EDGING rails so that the cabinet will slide
GUIDE BLOCK (#/4" x #/4" - 18#/8") easily into the workbench opening
(!/2" x #/4" - 3!/2") C B
(right photo, next page). To finish
FRONT RAIL G
(#/4" x 3" - 35") CASE BACK up the rails, cut a centered groove
(18#/8" x 36" - #/4" ply.) along one edge for the stub tenons
on the stiles.
a. FRONT b. TOP VIEW
SHORT STILES. The only thing spe-
VIEW !/4 c. #8 x 1!/4" Fh cial about the side and center stiles
woodscrew Stop
!/4
!/4 is that they have a stub tenon on
each end. A dado blade in the table
Web
#/4
frame !/2 Guide saw makes quick work of cutting
block all the tenons. At this point, you
#8 x 1" Fh 1
!/4 Rear
woodscrew SIDE rail can glue up the four frames before
VIEW
adding the center guides.

Page 1 of 2 Workbenches & Simple Shop Storage Solutions ©2016 Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 CENTER GUIDES. After the glue dries, It just takes a few test cuts to
you can add the center drawer get a perfect fit. The goal is
guides. They’re centered and to end up with an even gap
attached to the underside of the at the top and sides of the
top three frames with screws, as drawer front. Once all of the
shown in Figure 1. basic joinery is done, there are
CASE SIDES. With the frames a couple of things left to do.
assembled, the case sides come GROOVES & NOTCHES. Cutting
next. The sides have dadoes and a groove for the plywood
rabbets to accept the frames. But bottom is pretty simple. Just
before cutting these, I added remember to cut the groove
hardwood trim along the front on the inside face of all the
edge to hide the plywood. drawer parts. And before
ASSEMBLY. At this point you’re you can assemble the drawer,
ready to assemble the sides and you need to cut a notch in the Sliding Case. The
frames. The key is to keep every- drawer back. Size the notch drawer case slips into
thing square while the glue dries. for a smooth, sliding fit along the workbench frame and is
I didn’t attach the back panel the center drawer guide. secured with screws.
until later. Leaving it off makes it ASSEMBLY. Finally, you can
easier to add the drawer stops after assemble the drawers, mak-
the drawers are in place. ing sure they’re square. While the making them a little thick. This
glue dries, you can cut the stiffen- way, you can sand them down later
DRAWERS ers that are glued to the bottom. A for a perfect fit of the drawer.
The three large drawers are iden- little glue and a clamping caul are HARDWARE & FITTING. Adding the
tical in size and construction. The all you need to attach it. drawer pulls now makes it eas-
sides are joined to the front with a GUIDES BLOCK. As shown in Figure ier to fine-tune the drawers for a
locking rabbet joint and to the back 1, there are small guide blocks smooth fit. I used a drilling jig to
with a tongue and dado joint. Fig- screwed to each side of the case. help locate all of the holes.
ure 2 gives you the details. You can To size them, I fastened them with Like I said, you may need to sand
cut these joints on the table saw. double-sided tape. I start out by or plane the guide blocks while fit-
ting the drawers. And a little wax
2 on the frames and drawer parts
goes a long way to help the large
NOTE: Cut a centered
notch slightly larger drawers slide easily. Then you can
DRAWER
DRAWER BACK BACK than center guide
permanently attach the blocks.
(#/4"
(#/4" xx 5"
5" -- 32#/4")
32#/4")
K
K Now you can add the rear
drawer stops to position the
drawer fronts flush with the case.
DRAWER
DRAWER BOTTOM Finally, it’s time to attach the case
(23&/8"
(23&/8" xx 32!/2" - !/4" ply.) back with glue. After that, simply
Knob
Knob LL
slide the cabinet into the bench
55 and fasten it in with screws. Then
2!/4
all you’re left with is the task of
II filling the drawers with your tools.
DRAWER FRONT
DRAWER FRONT
(#/4" xx 5"
(#/4" 5" -- 34#/8")
34#/8") J
3
FIGURE
STIFFENER
DRAWER SIDE (!/4" x 3" - 23#/8")
(#/4" x 5" - 25")
M
Drawer a.
bottom
!/2
Drawer
b. #/8
Drawer #/8 bottom
side NOTE: Drawer shown
1#/16 upside down
!/4
Drawer
front
Guide NOTE:
block Center and glue
TOP VIEW
FRONT VIEW !/8 stiffener to drawer
#/8 !/8 #/8 bottom

Page 2 of 2 Workbenches & Simple Shop Storage Solutions ©2016 Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.