I set out to create a better silverware organizer for our island drawers. The current one (purchased) was too narrow and short. It didn’t make good use of the drawer space. The goal is to use all scrap wood and not to use any glue, just in case there needs to be modifications later on.

The Plan and Materials

The design uses 1/2″ and 1/4″ material along with rabbet joints, dadoes, and tongues to hold everything together.

The materials for this project were left over from past projects and included walnut, birch, red oak, and a single piece of cherry.

The Build Video

The YouTube video goes into a lot more detail than I will cover in this post. So check it out.

The Build Process

• Scrounged around for scrap lumber
• Laid out the pieces with chalk to ensure I had enough
• Rough cut to length
• Milled
• Resawed material to 5/8″ or 3/8″
• Milled Again to final dimension 1/2″ and 1/4″ thick

• Cut to final height
• Cut vertical framework to length and created rabbets/dadoes
• Cut horizontal framework to length
• Cut dadoes for internal dividers
• Cut internal dividers to length
• Cut tongues (tenons) on internal dividers
• Cut elliptical recesses in internal dividers

• Roundover edges
• Sand

• Poly

• Wax
• Assemble