Advice for a hope chest

[Duane Walker]

It's time to build a hope chest for my daughter who is getting married this summer.  She loves frame and panel construction so that's what she will get.  The chest will have 1 panel on each side and 3 panels on the front.  The back will be solid.  The front, back, and sides will all connect to  2x2 corner posts.  Typically, this would be done with some type of mortise and tenon.  Since I lack equipment and skills for this type of joinery, I was wondering if I could join the frame and panel assembly to each corner post using pocket holes.  The pocket holes will  be invisible since they will be inside the chest which, in turn, will be lined with cedar.  Will this method result in a strong and lasting joint?  Thanks for any and all advice.

 

Duane

[John Schaben]

With glue, pocket holes should be adequate.

[Duane Walker]

Thanks Cecil.  The panels will be solid wood and will be free to float.  I plan to use one tack at the top center and one tack at the bottom center of each panel.  I'll use a rail and stile bit to create the groove as opposed to groove and stub tenons.  Thanks for your help and quick response!

 

Duane

Cecil King said:

Yes it will and if you use wood glue it will be even stronger. Be sure to use good right angle clamps when driving the screws so that everything comes out nice and square. Are you going to route dadoes for the panels to slide into? I think the panels need to not be glued to allow for expansion and contraction.

 

Good luck to you,

Cecil

[Duane Walker]

Glue is a definite.  Thanks so much for your reply!

 

Duane

John Schaben said:

With glue, pocket holes should be adequate.

[John Schaben]

Dunno if you have a plan or not but this one looks just about what you have in mind, just substitue the panels for the front and sides

http://www.thedesignconfidential.com/2010/11/plans-build-an-oversiz...

[Jens Jensen]

This is going to be a media center and I have 1-1/2 square legs and attached with pocket screws.Lower rails are 1-1/2 inch with 2 pockets and upper is 3/4 inch with 1 pocket

[Duane Walker]

That's the ticket Jens!  Thanks to you and all others for the help, suggestions, and pics.  This is a great forum!!!  One quick follow-up question.  I will be making the hope chest out of poplar and staining it out to look like walnut because my daughter loves dark furniture.  Question:  Since poplar is a softer wood (though technically it's a member of the hardwood family), should I use the coarse or the fine wood Kreg screws for assembly?  Thanks again to all.

 

Duane

Jens Jensen said:

This is going to be a media center and I have 1-1/2 square legs and attached with pocket screws.Lower rails are 1-1/2 inch with 2 pockets and upper is 3/4 inch with 1 pocket

[Duane Walker]

Fabulous!  Thanks John.

John Schaben said:

Dunno if you have a plan or not but this one looks just about what you have in mind, just substitue the panels for the front and sides

http://www.thedesignconfidential.com/2010/11/plans-build-an-oversiz...

[Jens Jensen]

I have used course screws on Alder in fact I have even used course on Oak but not really recommended ,just drive them slower.This is second media like this I have built first one was for ourselves.I think I have a picture to send along.Ill have to check my photos and send it later

Duane Walker said:

That's the ticket Jens!  Thanks to you and all others for the help, suggestions, and pics.  This is a great forum!!!  One quick follow-up question.  I will be making the hope chest out of poplar and staining it out to look like walnut because my daughter loves dark furniture.  Question:  Since poplar is a softer wood (though technically it's a member of the hardwood family), should I use the coarse or the fine wood Kreg screws for assembly?  Thanks again to all.

 

Duane

Jens Jensen said:

This is going to be a media center and I have 1-1/2 square legs and attached with pocket screws.Lower rails are 1-1/2 inch with 2 pockets and upper is 3/4 inch with 1 pocket

[Jens Jensen]

Go to pages 6-7 for some ideas

http://kregjig.ning.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?screenName=3...

[Jens Jensen]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=112840528729202&set=a.10...

[Jay Boutwell]

Duane, building a hope chest is a excellent undertaking to celebrate a wedding.  On my page, under my projects, is a Tennesee red cedar chest that I built.  I made this one for a customer to give his wife on their anniversary and then another customer saw it just after I completed it and ordered two.  One  was for his daughter that got married the end of last June the other was for his wife. 

Althought this one is made of all Tennessee red cedar, the material can be changed. The idea of lining the interior with cedar is always a good plan.   You may copy any part  or all if this if you like as it is my own design and not done from a plan.  You are interested in frame and panel and that can be easily changed as well.  The concept is the same by changing to panel construction. The joining of the corners is done differently  using counter sunk screws and then covered the heads using square plugs.  The reason I did this was due to red cedar being a soft wood and I used butt joints inset 3/8 inch from the edge.   The joints are all glued and the screws ar 4 inches long locking the sides to the ends  going across the grain on the end panels.This is just another idea.  The link is a musical slide show showing about 80 photos of its construction. 

http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4d6a49314e5455354e446b3d0d0a&blogview=true

It will take a bit to load play, for  full screen by clicking the icon on lower left of the playing screen and your keyboard "esc" to get out of the full screen.  Congradulations to you and your Daughter.

[Duane Walker]

WOW!!!  Thanks Jay.  Beautiful work and fabulous video.....I could smell the cedar through my computer :)