Maloof dresser in progress

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  • atgcpaul
    Veteran Member
    • Aug 2003
    • 4055
    • Maryland
    • Grizzly 1023SLX

    Maloof dresser in progress

    My Don Draper chair is going to have to wait. The big winter storms kept me out of
    the shop (detached) and then I decided to build our soon to be daughter's
    baby furniture like the crib and changing table. I've really taken to the
    Danish modern theme and this Sam Maloof dresser was calling to me.



    Using a pair of digital calipers, I made scale measurements and then in Sketchup
    I drew it up but shortened the width from 60" to a little under 48".



    Today I milled up the walnut and glued up a bunch of panels. I glued up the
    side panels, the top and bottom, and the middle divider.

    Tomorrow, I'll run them through the drum sander and cut the panels to
    length. Then comes the dadoes and rabbets for the sides and
    top/bottom/dividers. I plan on securing the panels with screws like Sam
    Maloof did but I'll hide them with matching walnut plugs instead of ebony.

    I also want to make a hardboard template so I can get the shape of
    the end panels just right. There's some sort of arc on top I couldn't approximate
    in Sketchup. I'll form the ends to final shape with a edge guided router
    bit.

    Stay tuned for some construction pics.

    Paul
    Last edited by atgcpaul; 08-22-2011, 09:24 AM. Reason: Why, Google, did you change all the links?!!!! ARGH!!!
  • Larryl
    Established Member
    • Jan 2004
    • 284
    • Lorena, TX, USA.
    • Grizzly G0478 Hybrid

    #2
    Maloof dresser

    Paul, sounds like you are moving right along with your daughter's dresser. It will be a piece that she can use as she grows and being walnut she will probably want to take it with her to her own home.
    I thought I was wrong, but I was mistaken.

    Comment

    • jonathan55
      Established Member
      • Jun 2005
      • 119
      • Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
      • BT3100

      #3
      Nice idea, I really like all of Maloof's furniture, not just the rockers that get all of the attention.

      How are you going to do the bull nose on the dividers? I have looked ay pictures of these dressers but don't see how the vertical and horizontal shapes meet.

      Please post pics of your progress!

      Jonathan
      Last edited by jonathan55; 03-14-2010, 10:58 AM.

      Comment

      • atgcpaul
        Veteran Member
        • Aug 2003
        • 4055
        • Maryland
        • Grizzly 1023SLX

        #4
        Originally posted by jonathan55
        How are you going to do the bull nose on the dividers? I have looked ay pictures of these dressers but don't see how the vertical and horizontal shapes meet.

        Jonathan
        Yeah. That's one of the things in the back of my mind right now, too. Not a lot of responses over on Woodnet. All of my projects have at least one major challenge in it. These roundovers will be it.



        Wish me luck. Pics coming soon.

        Paul

        Comment

        • JR
          The Full Monte
          • Feb 2004
          • 5633
          • Eugene, OR
          • BT3000

          #5
          Taking a close look at the pic in my copy of The Furniture of Sam Maloof, it appears the horizontal parts have toungues which are let into dadoes on the vertical parts.

          Paul, how about this for a procedure:
          1. Mill the stock to size.
          2. Do your roundovers (I'd do it in the router table).
          3. Cut the dadoes.

          My logic is that if you were leaving the stock square, it would match up. So if you're doing roundovers on square stock, they should match up, too.
          JR

          Comment

          • cgallery
            Veteran Member
            • Sep 2004
            • 4503
            • Milwaukee, WI
            • BT3K

            #6
            Looking forward to this.

            Comment

            • atgcpaul
              Veteran Member
              • Aug 2003
              • 4055
              • Maryland
              • Grizzly 1023SLX

              #7
              Started late this afternoon by unclamping the glue-ups from last night and
              running them through the drum sander.





              The glue-ups were pretty flat but it took hours to get all joints in the boards
              nice and even. My goodness that was a slow process. I'm not too
              worried about getting all the boards to a set thickness. I just want the
              thicknesses of like pieces ie top/bottom and sides/dividers to be the same.

              It was getting late by the time I finished all that sanding so I only had time
              to lay out and cut the 1/4" hardboard template for the sides. I think I
              approximated the curves in the orginal pretty well--if I do say so myself.
              The curve on top needs to be sanded smoother, though. I also have to
              adjust my plans a little. Originally the sides were going to be 21 3/4" wide.
              After milling the wood for the sides, the max width I could get was 21".
              That's what I get for buying the less expensive 6' shorts--fewer options. No biggee.



              Parting shot of the template next to one of the sides and the top.



              Tomorrow after work, I hope to have time to square up the feet to the long
              edge of the sides. Then I'll tack a straight edge to the feet and layout the
              locations of the dadoes based on distance from the feet. Maybe I'll have time
              to cut tongues on the edges of the top and bottom and do a dry fit.

              Paul
              Last edited by atgcpaul; 08-22-2011, 11:59 AM. Reason: Google, you done me dirty!

              Comment

              • atgcpaul
                Veteran Member
                • Aug 2003
                • 4055
                • Maryland
                • Grizzly 1023SLX

                #8
                Originally posted by JR
                Paul, how about this for a procedure:
                1. Mill the stock to size.
                2. Do your roundovers (I'd do it in the router table).
                3. Cut the dadoes.

                My logic is that if you were leaving the stock square, it would match up. So if you're doing roundovers on square stock, they should match up, too.
                I've considered doing this but this is the problem I envision happening.



                There will be a gap at the edge where the sides meet the top and bottom.
                That's why I'm thinking I'll bullnose between the dadoes on the sides and
                bullnose almost up to the ends of the top and bottom. When it's all together
                I'll use files and rasps to finish off the roundovers.

                Paul
                Last edited by atgcpaul; 08-22-2011, 12:02 PM. Reason: Ugh. My memory hasn't gone yet

                Comment

                • SARGE..g-47

                  #9
                  Originally posted by atgcpaul
                  I've considered doing this but this is the problem I envision happening.



                  There will be a gap at the edge where the sides meet the top and bottom.
                  That's why I'm thinking I'll bullnose between the dadoes on the sides and
                  bullnose almost up to the ends of the top and bottom. When it's all together
                  I'll use files and rasps to finish off the roundovers.

                  Paul
                  Take a close look at the original piece Paul.. I notice that in your sketch-up you have the sides and drawer supports flush at the front. I believe Maloof has recessed the drawer supports so the leading edge of the supports is in line with the bottom of the round-over in the sides. That eliminates the gap. If he had brought the dado flush as you intend.. you would see the joint where the supports attach to the sides. You don't and that is why I think the supports are recessed as I would do to eliminate the problem if I designed the piece.

                  I would personally recess them in this design to eliminate the problem as it is a problem. I would cut the dadoes in the side panel but end them about a half inch short of the front of the side. The side to side drawer supports would be the intended show lenght plus the additional depth of the dado on each end. But you cut off 1/2" of the tenon stub in the front once you make the tenon for the dado so the support fits in the dado and then L's flush with the side with the supports foremost edge at the base of the bottom edge of the side panel round-over.

                  You may not understand what I am saying here but it is really simple. I would do you a drawing but I don't know how to do that stuff. Wish I could show you as it would take about 15 seconds to explain in person by pointing it out physically.

                  Anyhoo.. good luck and enjoy!
                  Last edited by Guest; 03-15-2010, 09:52 AM.

                  Comment

                  • atgcpaul
                    Veteran Member
                    • Aug 2003
                    • 4055
                    • Maryland
                    • Grizzly 1023SLX

                    #10
                    Originally posted by SARGE..g-47
                    You may not understand what I am saying here but it is really simple. I would do you a drawing but I don't know how to do that stuff. Wish I could show you as it would take about 15 seconds to explain in person by pointing it out physically.

                    Anyhoo.. good luck and enjoy!
                    Hi Sarge, I completely understand what you're saying. I did just that in a
                    sideboard I built except I kept the sides flush with the front edge of the
                    shelves. I didn't want the dadoes to show in the front.

                    I will take a closer look at my Maloof book and try to find other examples on-
                    line. Heck, I visited his house. I should have an actual photo buried
                    somewhere. I don't think the horizontals are recessed from the front on this
                    piece. You can actually see the tongue on the horizontals that sits in the
                    dadoes let into the sides. Wouldn't that mean the fronts are flush and not
                    recessed?

                    Could I keep the horizontals recessed from the sides? Yes, but where's the
                    fun in that?

                    Thanks,
                    Paul

                    Comment

                    • JR
                      The Full Monte
                      • Feb 2004
                      • 5633
                      • Eugene, OR
                      • BT3000

                      #11
                      I think Sarge is right about the reveals on the side panels. However that still leaves the center panel which seems to meet flush with the horizontal pieces.

                      Maloof seems to have dadoes into the center panel, into wich fit toungues on the ends of the horizontal pieces. So your drawing might be modified to look like this.

                      Click image for larger version

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                      The front of the horizontal piece is rounded over, not square, so it meets the vertical piece properly.

                      JR
                      JR

                      Comment

                      • JR
                        The Full Monte
                        • Feb 2004
                        • 5633
                        • Eugene, OR
                        • BT3000

                        #12
                        Originally posted by atgcpaul
                        It was getting late by the time I finished all that sanding so I only had timeto lay out and cut the 1/4" hardboard template for the sides. I think I approximated the curves in the orginal pretty well--if I do say so myself.l
                        I agree, the shapes are great!

                        Is 1/4" inch thick enough for the template? I've done that kind of work only a couple of times, but I found that even 1/2" presented some challenges in terms of finding sufficient support for the bearing on the router bit. Check it out closely before cutting (as if you wouldn't!)

                        JR
                        JR

                        Comment

                        • SARGE..g-47

                          #13
                          Originally posted by atgcpaul
                          Hi Sarge, I completely understand what you're saying. I did just that in a
                          sideboard I built except I kept the sides flush with the front edge of the
                          shelves. I didn't want the dadoes to show in the front.

                          I will take a closer look at my Maloof book and try to find other examples on-
                          line. Heck, I visited his house. I should have an actual photo buried
                          somewhere. I don't think the horizontals are recessed from the front on this
                          piece. You can actually see the tongue on the horizontals that sits in the
                          dadoes let into the sides. Wouldn't that mean the fronts are flush and not
                          recessed?

                          Could I keep the horizontals recessed from the sides? Yes, but where's the
                          fun in that?

                          Thanks,
                          Paul
                          If you see them on the right side facing the photo (the closest side in the picture) Paul... your young eyes are much better than mine as I simply don't see where the dado comes all the way through. If two round-overs meet flush logic tells me there has to be a gap unless both pieces were coped in some form to eliminate a gap but I don't see evidence of that in the picture either? I do see that in the vertical center stile though... just not the sides. I personally believe from I see in the picture the horizonal supports are recessed ever so slightly with the side round-over being more delicate than the round-over on the support.

                          But.... my eyes could and can decieve me. I am curious to see the results of how you handled it. Teach an old man with bad eyes something here!

                          But.. I am curious to see if you can pull this off wtih a flush fit.
                          Last edited by Guest; 03-15-2010, 10:50 AM.

                          Comment

                          • atgcpaul
                            Veteran Member
                            • Aug 2003
                            • 4055
                            • Maryland
                            • Grizzly 1023SLX

                            #14
                            Originally posted by JR
                            I agree, the shapes are great!

                            Is 1/4" inch thick enough for the template? I've done that kind of work only a couple of times, but I found that even 1/2" presented some challenges in terms of finding sufficient support for the bearing on the router bit. Check it out closely before cutting (as if you wouldn't!)

                            JR

                            You'd be surprised what I'm incapable of doing! In a week, you might be
                            reading about the Maloof dresser, take 2! Thanks for the heads up, though.
                            I'm least comfortable with my router skills so I will definitely be doing test
                            runs on scrap. The curves aren't that complex that I can't just continue to
                            use my template just to trace the layout and then jigsaw it really close to the line.


                            Originally posted by SARGE..g-47
                            If you see them on the right side facing the photo (the closest side in the picture) Paul... your young eyes are much better than mine as I simply don't see where the dado comes all the way through.
                            Sarge, I have the advantage of being able to stick my nose right up close to
                            the book. I can't see that detail from the photo I took of the book which
                            took a photo of...yeah, I'm no eagle eyes.

                            Surprisingly, I'm not seeing a lot of pics of Maloof's casework on the web. Not
                            too surprisingly, there are a lot of chairs. It's a shame, though. His
                            casework is just as nice to look at.

                            Paul

                            Comment

                            • JR
                              The Full Monte
                              • Feb 2004
                              • 5633
                              • Eugene, OR
                              • BT3000

                              #15
                              I'm definitely wrong. I just made sample joint using my theory and it didin't work out, for the exact reason you said.

                              I think you're going to have to assemble the case then do the roundovers. You'd probably want to make a special base, as described in your Woodnet thread. Alternatively you could freehand it as Maloof wouild do!

                              JR
                              JR

                              Comment

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