Four Good Ways to Build Drawers
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FourFour GoodGood WaysWays toto BuildBuild DrawersDrawers Our staff offers simple, strong and fast ways to make this important furniture component. n woodworking magazines, books and plans a method of drawer-making. To remedy this prob- there’s almost always an omission that’s big lem, we’ve come up with four good techniques for Ienough to drive a truck through: How to build building drawers that our editors have refined after the drawers for the project. years of shop work. Usually the woodworking author (always well-in- Each method has its pros and cons. But based tended, I can assure you) writes instructions such as: on your skill level and your particular set of tools, “Build the drawers using your method of choice.” there is likely something here you can use for your Well that’s all well and good unless you’re like a woodworking. Before we discuss the differences of lot of woodworkers who have never actually chosen each method, here are the similarities. By Christopher Schwarz & David Thiel Comments or questions? Contact Christopher at 513-531-2690 ext. 1407 or [email protected]. Contact David at ext. 1255 or [email protected] ParrishAl by Photo Drawer Basics Hand-cut Dovetails SLIDING DOVETAIL DRAWERS When designing a drawer and This is the traditional, and many Sliding dovetails aren’t just for building coming up with a cutting list, here would argue, the strongest way bookcases. This technique works are some rules we follow. to make a drawer. Traditional extremely well for constructing In general, the drawer front drawers have through-dovetails drawers that will be mounted should be 3⁄4" thick – unless it’s a at the back of the box and half- with mechanical drawer slides. drawer with a “false front.” False- blind dovetails at the front. When you follow these in- front drawers are a simple drawer Our favorite technique is to structions you’ll end up with an box with the front screwed to the make the drawer sides, front and inset drawer that has a perfect 1⁄2"- box. It’s a handy way to fit drawer bottom using 1⁄2"-thick stock and wide space for a drawer slide. By merely putting the socket in a different place you can fronts in projects where the draw- then glue on a 1⁄4" -thick piece of create an overlay or lipped drawer, too. ers run on metal slides. veneer for the front. This tech- A couple notes on this technique: You need the right-size bit for The sides and back of the draw- nique allows you to cut through- the joint. The common 1⁄2"-diameter dovetail bit is too big when using er should be 1⁄2" or 5⁄8" thick. Use dovetails at all four joints (which 1⁄2"-thick drawer sides. You’re better off with a 3⁄8"-diameter dovetail thinner stock for smaller drawers is easier) and to stretch your supply bit, which is commonly available. and thicker stock for big ones. of good drawer-front material. Also, you need to take some care when making the test cuts on The bottom is usually 1 ⁄4"- This method is the most time- the male portion of the joint. If your drawer uses a different species of thick plywood for small drawers consuming of the four in this arti- wood for the sides than for the front, check the fit of the male portion or 1⁄2"-thick material for bigger cle. But that’s the cost of strength of the joint in a socket in both species. This might sound a bit odd, but drawers, or drawers that will hold and endurance. different species react differently to a cut. It might just be .002" dif- heavy objects. ference or so on each side of the joint. But with sliding dovetails, even The bottom should slide into Drawer-lock Bits small amounts matter. Finally, cut all your parts 1⁄16" wider than your finished size. The the drawer in 1⁄4" x 1⁄4" grooves This specialty router bit allows you router bit will tend to blow out the grain when it exits the work. After milled in the sides and drawer to cut all the corner joints with you mill all the joints, run each long edge over your jointer to remove front. If the bottom is thicker than one router table setup. With minor the inevitable tear-out. — CS 1⁄4" you’ll need to cut a bevel or adjustments the bit will even mill rabbet on its edges. The back of the groove for the bottom. To cut the socket, set the drawer should be 1⁄2" narrower Drawer-lock joints are easy 1 your 3⁄8" dovetail than the sides to allow the bottom to assemble and attractive. The bit so it protrudes to slide into place at the rear. interlocking design is strong and 5⁄16" above the top of offers significant gluing surface. your router table. Set Sliding Dovetails The downside to this method the fence so there is 9 This tricky technique uses only is that you need to make several exactly ⁄16" of space two setups on your router table test cuts to get the settings perfect, between the bit and the fence. Make a test to cut very strong drawers that and you need to purchase a fairly cut to confirm your are perfect for a project that uses pricey router bit – about $30 to $55 settings. drawer slides. That’s because it depending on the brand. automatically creates a 1⁄2" space for side-mount drawer slides. Rabbets and Brads The drawers go together like When we need to make drawers 2 a puzzle, and the interlocking fast, this is the way we go. You can nature of the joint ensures their cut all the joinery for your drawer longevity. The downside to the (including the bottom groove) technique is that you need to be with just a stack dado and one very persnickety in setting up your setup on your table saw. tools; sliding dovetails do not suf- It’s a fairly forgiving technique fer fools lightly. that beginners master quickly. It’s The thickness of your materi- only real downside is that it’s the als must be dead on (check it with weakest of the four joints. While a dial caliper) and you must make the drawer is plenty strong for a couple more test runs on scrap most applications, it’s not in the with this technique than the oth- same league as a traditional dove- Cut the sockets on both ends of the drawer front. Note that I use a backing ers. But once you master it, watch tailed drawer. board faced with sandpaper. This minimizes tear-out when the bit exits the out. You’ll use it all the time. — CS work. The #220-grit sandpaper keeps the work in place during the cut. continued on page 92 popwood.com 91 SLIDING DOVETAIL DRAWERS HAND- continued from page 91 DOVETAILED 3 4 Cabinetmaker’s DRAWERS triangle This is a time-consuming but rewarding way to make a drawer. There is no stronger, beautiful or individual technique than cutting dovetails by hand. Like all good things, it requires practice. But once you have a couple drawers built, you’ll find your saw and chisel Tear-out skills improve exponentially. A couple notes on this tech- The finished result. You can see nique: There are entire books the tear-out on one of the joints. written about dovetailing, so we Also note the “cabinetmaker’s couldn’t possibly cover everything triangle” drawn on the edges. This that’s involved. However there are reminds me of which way my parts a few basic principles and tricks Using the same setting, cut the socket on the back end of the side pieces. will be oriented as I machine and that make the process easier. This socket holds the back in place. assemble them. Use good tools. A sharp well- tuned saw and chisel make all the difference. Cheap, inaccurate or 5 6 dull tools will make the learning curve much steeper. Before you try this technique on a drawer for a project, try it out on some scraps first. Even experts need to “warm up” with a test joint or two when dovetailing. — CS Back captured between sides to allow clearance for drawer slides Make a test run before cutting the groove in the sides and front for the drawer’s bottom. The parts should slide together easily and require just a couple taps from a mallet to seat them firmly. In the end, this To cut the male portion of the joint, 7 technique produces leave the height of the bit the same. a wicked-tight Shift the fence so only 7⁄64" of the bit mechanical joint protrudes from the fence. This mea- with just a couple surement worked for my Oldham bit, tool setups. It’s one which measures .275" at its smallest of those few tech- point. Your bit may vary. niques that is both fast and strong. POPULAR WOODWORKING October 2004 1 2 3 Cutter A sharp and high-quality cutting Mark out your tails on the end grain and the outside face of the drawer Remove the waste between the tails gauge, such as the Tite-Mark, makes side. Strike your lines with a marking knife followed by a mechanical with a fretsaw or coping saw. The closer lines that are easier to see than with pencil. This will increase your accuracy.