Greta Scullard, Jarrah Chest of Drawers on a Stand (Student Awards 2018)

My project was inspired by Neil Scobie’s Chest of Drawers in AWR #81. I love how the chest is compact, while the stand gives the height to produce a beautifully balanced piece of furniture. The carcase, drawer fronts and stand are jarrah, while chest panels are Australian cedar (felled from my dad’s mate’s farm in Nabiac). Drawer sides and bases are Victorian ash while I added sassafras as a feature timber in the bottom slide-out shelf. The addition of the curved chest top added not only a construction and fitting challenge, but also a large and easily accessible storage space. The dummy drawer fronts are designed to hide the real depth of the space. To add storage versatility and aesthetic balance different drawer heights and widths were used. Half lapped stopped dovetails and rebates with Japanese nails were used on the drawers, along with housed in solid bases. The bottom drawer is shorter to allow a hidden compartment to be placed behind. Other joints used include; mortise and tenon, dowelled, domino, stopped housing, tongue and groove, biscuit widening and table cleats. Many challenging hand and machining processes allowed me to produce a project that I am exceptionally proud of. Year 12, St Johns College, Dubbo, NSW. Teacher: Mark Scullard

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