The dresser frames are now all glued up. As you might expect there is an experience curve here with the last one going most efficiently.

I also reached the conclusion that I would not be cut out to be a surgeon. The complex assembly with the time pressure to get everything done within the time window for the glue is stressful. This turns out to be quite vigorous exercise. I was sweating bullets by the time I was done each time (stripped to the waist looking more like Dr Pol pulling a calf than anything you would see in Fine Woodworking) . Lots of moves and also the physical effort of getting the pieces in place and clamped securely in time. With PVA glues you only ave about 15 to maybe 20 minutes to get everything fully clamped or it will be stuck in a BAD position. Even with the ends pre-assembled there are over three dozen pieces to get in position and clamped in that time.

Even with mortise and tenon joinery with nice big shoulders the case will be “out of square” when first assembled. As you can see in the previous post there are pipe clamps on the diagonals to pull things in line. However they are a pain to manage, requiring 2 people and easily falling off. Today I though I would use rope as a sort of “Spanish windlass” to pull things in , but I don’t have much in the garage. So I grabbed a couple of ratcheting tie downs out of the truck and used them first. WOW this is EASY!!! They work great whether attached to the clamps or wrapped through the corners. I am sure others have thought of this before, but I have not seen anything like this posted in woodworking magazines or when I was in the Wisconsin Woodworkers Guild.  Here are a few shots of 2 different frames using this technique.  My tolerance for these is to get within 1/16″ on the diagonals. If not this close, fitting the flush drawers will be a horrible task. You can easily ratchet them tighter and pull the frames square or back off a notch if you have pulled too hard.  Plus you can weave them through the pipe clamps and other clamps without being stuck in an unreachable position as when using clamps to do this.