Woodworking Drawer Construction

A wooden drawer might seem like a simple box that slides in and out of a bigger box but its strength depends on the joints used in its construction.

Woodworking drawer construction. Types of wooden drawer joints. A method of drawer construction used by tennessee woodworker lonnie bird is the exception. The drawer front should fit inside the opening with a slight reveal about 1 32 is what i like. Using 1 2 baltic for the drawer sides the drawer will be about 21 open span between the sides and 18 between the drawer front and back.

Build super simple drawers discover the secrets to making strong drawers by cutting locking rabbet joints on the tablesaw as taught by wood magazine design editor jeff mertz. For example most roller slides and side mount ball bearing slides require 1 2 of mounting space on each side. To use these in a 12 wide drawer opening build the drawer 11 wide. Should the interior sides back and bottom of the drawers be made from the same wood as the face of the drawers and the rest of the cabinet.

For a perfect fit it s best to fully install the drawer box and then position and attach the face. Best of all this technique allows you to cut all parts of the joint with just a dado blade and a single setup on the tablesaw. Then i cut my sides to length and pocket hole my front and back. The drawer back is cut to the same size as the drawer front.

If the joints. Drawer sides should slide in and out of the carcase just as you want the drawer to slide. The sides and back of the drawer should be 1 2 or 5 8 thick. I ve settled on a standard 24 width for all four drawer units.

Fitting your drawers begins with ripping and crosscutting the parts so they fit each opening. I screw the front on first slide the bottom in and install the back. He has devised a way to assemble drawers that resulted in strong attractive additions to his kitchen cabinets. Sliding dovetails were the answer for strong invisible side joints while the drawer bottom sits in dadoes and is nailed into place.

I plan to glue the bottoms to the drawer sides backs and fronts. It s a handy way to fit drawer fronts in projects where the drawers run on metal slides. Apply wood glue inside the marked area and then reposition the drawer. The biggest fault with drawers is fronts coming off.

I take drawer stock and mill up 1 maple with a groove for the drawer bottom. Or more specifically the drawer boxes. Woodworkers who are making cabinetry out of expensive attractive hardwoods are often uncertain about what to use when it comes to constructing the drawers. Can the 1 4 baltic birch handle that span without bowing in the middle.

The side is very clean looking no nails only slides if side mounts are used.