Locating Mortises

The next step on the case bottom is to cut the mortises that will receive the stub tenons on the four vertical dividers (one front and one rear divider for each partition). I used the full scale drawing to locate partition centerlines on the case bottom. Once all mortise locations are laid out, I'll freehand cut them with a palm router.

Fit & Faired

And the case bottom is fit and faired. Next step is to cut some joinery in it for vertical drawer dividers.

Plane, Coplanar

The case bottom is fit to the base, so now it's on to fairing the top and bottom surfaces. I'm working out any slight misalignments between the drawer runners and the front/rear stiles, with the goal of top and bottom surfaces that are coplanar (respectively), and that those planes are parallel. The drawers will ride on this surface, so it's pretty key to get this right.

Fitting the Bottom

I'm working on fitting the case bottom to the base. Here you can see the ash slip tenons used to join the rails and stiles of the case bottom. These will be covered by veneer when it's finished.

Public Service Announcement

The goal of assembling the case bottom was achieved today. For those of you still holding your breath, please feel free to breathe now. Thank you.