Small Bookcase with Dado Joints
A sturdy 30" × 36" bookcase with shelves housed in router-cut dados, a plywood back, and a wall anchor. A great router project.
- Time10–16 hours plus finishing
- Est. cost$90–$200
#furniture
Plans
Dovetailed Blanket Chest
An heirloom chest with hand-cut through-dovetails, a mitered base, and a breadboard-end lid. Case 36" × 18" × 18".
- Time35–60 hours over several weeks
- Est. cost$150–$550
Shaker-Style Side Table
A clean, timeless side table with tapered legs, mortise-and-tenon aprons, and a top that floats on wood buttons. 18" × 18" × 26" tall.
- Time15–25 hours over several weekends
- Est. cost$80–$200
Tips
Designing Furniture for Wood Movement
Why wood swells and shrinks across the grain, how to estimate it, and the classic construction details that keep tabletops and panels from cracking.
Glue-Ups Without Gaps
Prep, dry-fit, clamp, and clean up: a calm, repeatable process for panels and assemblies that come out flat and tight.
Mortise and Tenon by Hand
Layout with a mortise gauge, chopping a clean mortise, sawing and fitting the tenon, and drawboring for a joint that stays tight.
Pocket Holes vs. Dowels vs. Biscuits: Which Joint When?
An honest comparison of three popular machine-assisted joints — how each works, where it shines, and where it falls short.