Cutlery Tray
€9,00
Cutlery Tray
€9,00
"Tarnish-proof Fitment for Cutlery Drawer", a 1910s woodworking handbook calls it: a box of 1/2 in. wood with two partitions and a thin bottom, covered in green felt, with three felted lids, "to be lifted out with the contents as required". We size it to a modern kitchen drawer: a tray 1/8 in. under the drawer's inside, three felt-lined cells under three lids, and a finger slot in each partition to carry it. Felt is soft and quiet on the silver, but it is not tarnish-proof: see Notes.
At a glance
- Size: 17 3/4" (451 mm) wide, 15 3/4" (400 mm) deep, 3" (76 mm) high with its lids; for a drawer 18 by 16" (457 by 406 mm) inside
- Skill: Beginner
- Build time: One weekend of work; about a week with cures and airing
- Materials: approx. US$40–75
- In the plan: 14-page PDF, US Letter, 12 illustrated steps, imperial, with metric in the lists and steps
Inside the 14-page plan
- The original article and its drawings, restored and reproduced in full
- An exploded drawing that shows how every part goes together
- Dimensioned views of the finished build, in feet and inches
- Materials list and hardware schedule, with today's actual lumber sizes and metric equivalents
- Cut list, so you can cut everything before you start assembling
- Clear illustrated step-by-step assembly drawings: one job per step, every part drawn, fastener positions marked
The PDF plan is a digital download; nothing ships. Adapted from "Tarnish-proof Fitment for Cutlery Drawer", The Practical Woodworker, vol. 1, pp. 354-355, with Figs. 23-26, an unsigned public-domain article. Restored, redrawn and edited by Square & Furrow, produced with AI-assisted tools and checked against the original article. Not affiliated with the original publisher.
Illustrated step by step
Imperial + metric
Cut list & checklist
Instant PDF download
Built to work
Cutlery Tray
Built in home workshops more than a century ago, and redrawn for the way you build today.
RenderingFrom the workshop archive
Restored from the original article
From the archive
“Tarnish-proof Fitment for Cutlery Drawer”
Public domain · restored by Square & Furrow
This is the public-domain how-to article home craftsmen built from more than a century ago. We restore its drawings and reproduce the article in full inside your plan, then rebuild it as a modern edition: today's lumber sizes, metric measurements, a cut list and illustrated steps. Every dimension is checked against the original.
Step by step
Every part drawn. Every fastener marked.
Each step is one job with its own clear drawing: the parts it adds are shaded, every nail and screw position is marked, and the hardware and tools sit right beside it. An exploded view shows how the whole build goes together before you make a single cut.
Before you build
Your tools & materials checklist
Tick what you already have. Whatever is left is your shopping list. Your ticks are saved on this device, so you can come back to it from the lumber yard.
0 of 0 on hand
Tools
Materials
Ready-sized boards and panels, no resawing (Fig. 1). Felt: acrylic, not wool (see Notes).
Questions about this plan
What are the finished dimensions?
17 3/4" (451 mm) wide, 15 3/4" (400 mm) deep, 3" (76 mm) high with its lids; for a drawer 18 by 16" (457 by 406 mm) inside. The drawings are dimensioned in feet and inches; the materials list, cut list and steps give metric sizes alongside.
What skill level do I need, and how long does it take?
It's rated beginner. Expected build time: One weekend of work; about a week with cures and airing. Each step names the tools it uses, so it's written for first-time builders.
How much does it cost to build?
Roughly US$40–75 in materials at typical US lumber-yard prices. Prices vary a lot by region, so price the materials list at your local yard before you start.
What tools do I need?
Steel rule; Pencil; Try square; Marking gauge; Awl; Scissors; Craft knife; Handsaw; Backsaw; Coping saw; Block plane; File; Sanding block; Sandpaper 120 and 180 grit; Lint-free rags; Drill-driver; 1/8" and 3/32" (3, 2.5 mm) bits with a countersink; 3/4" (19 mm) spade or Forstner bit; 1" (25 mm) Forstner bit; Phillips screwdriver; 2 bar clamps, 24" (610 mm) opening or more; 4 F-clamps, 6" (150 mm) opening or more; Foam brush; Scrap boards and books for weights; plus a tape, pencil, safety glasses, hearing protection and gloves. The interactive checklist on this page lets you tick off what you already own.
Where does this plan come from?
It is restored from "Tarnish-proof Fitment for Cutlery Drawer", The Practical Woodworker, vol. 1, pp. 354-355, with Figs. 23-26, an unsigned how-to article from that is now in the public domain. We redrew it as a modern build guide with a materials list, metric sizes, a cut list and clear illustrated step-by-step assembly drawings, every part drawn. Every dimension follows the original article, and the article is reproduced inside. This edition is our own; it is not affiliated with or endorsed by the original publisher.
Can a beginner follow it?
Yes. Each step is a single job with its own drawing: the parts that step adds are shaded, the nails, screws and bolts it drives are marked where they go, and the hardware for that step is listed beside it. An exploded drawing at the front shows how the whole build goes together before you cut anything.
What do I get?
A 14-page print-ready PDF (US Letter) to download after purchase. It prints well at home or at a copy shop, and reads fine on a tablet in the workshop.