Thread: Drawers - side height? Why?

By Zeus, I think this an excellent set of responses!

Bohdans - ... making only one size draw, only changing the front height to create multiple sizes
Cals ... Tilt-up-space-needed example
Elan ... multiple sizes are PITA

.... covers the modern use-rails manufacturing thinkings (been meaning to try bottom mount rails)

But Derek, AlexS and others (Kuffy is just being facetious!) have also made me think a lot too... drawers look pretty easy and I suppose I don't give them a lot of thought, but they are pretty important really... not an afterthought.

Is there a good design document, book, PDF, webpage, etc covering what the various components of an "excellent" old fashioned (..errr....early?) drawer were/are? I remember waaaayyyy back in year 7 and 8 we had a scrappy old woodworking book for shop that had this in it. I recall there being many names for many parts. It was quite detailed. Wish I'd paid attention....

I'm pretty sure that someone here doing a build showed the making and naming of all these parts, but I can't recall who or where. I do remember being impressed. I've looked, but the search on the site could be .... better...

It would be excellent to know the "why" of things, not just how to "do".

Tell you what, there are some profoundly talented people on this forum.

Try this out, Wooden drawer slides
Some make the draws with integrated wooden slides, some make them with a replaceable hardwood strip for when they wear out. Slides at the bottom of the draw, in the mid section of the draw, a single slide in the centre and stiles on the side. There are many ways to create wooden slides, choose one that suits the cabinet design and that will take the weight that you intend to put in the draws. And add a bit of candle wax to the slides every now and then for smooth running

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

Don’t use drawer runners! Derek’s photo of his fantastic apothecary chest shows the drawers running full height and width in the framing, no drawer runners used.

So true.

But if your work does not match Derek's level of precision, there is no where to hide.



Cheers

Graeme

Originally Posted by woodPixel

Is there a good design document, book, PDF, webpage, etc covering what the various components of an "excellent" old fashioned (..errr....early?) drawer were/are? I remember waaaayyyy back in year 7 and 8 we had a scrappy old woodworking book for shop that had this in it. I recall there being many names for many parts. It was quite detailed.

Ummmm..... Front, back, left side, right side, bottom, face (optional)

I know that door components all have proper names, but drawer parts having names is definitely news to me

Originally Posted by woodPixel

By Zeus, I think this an excellent set of responses!

Bohdans - ... making only one size draw, only changing the front height to create multiple sizes
Cals ... Tilt-up-space-needed example
Elan ... multiple sizes are PITA

.... covers the modern use-rails manufacturing thinkings (been meaning to try bottom mount rails...........

Hi Woodpixel

Eight years ago I rebuilt our kitchen, and as practice I built a nineteen drawer cabinet for my shed, and trialled virtually every type of drawer slides that I could find.

In my opinion, the best three in order, were:

1. Blum bottom mount rails,
2. Hettich metal sided drawer sides/runner units,
3. Blum metal sided drawer sides/runner units.

Best value for money were the silver Chinese full extension side runners then sold by both Blum and Hettich agents for around $15 pair.

The powder coated ones stocked by BigChains were grossly over-priced garbage.

Ten years later I have not changed my mind.


Cheers

Graeme

Originally Posted by woodPixel

But Derek, AlexS and others (Kuffy is just being facetious!) have also made me think a lot too... drawers look pretty easy and I suppose I don't give them a lot of thought, but they are pretty important really... not an afterthought.

Not only are they not an afterthought they are really hard. I'm sure there are harder things to make in woodwork but getting drawers right is pretty much the biggest grief I've given myself. You need to get your proportions right or it'll look like a hatful.... you have to get your clearances right and if solid you have to account for movement. Then you have to get them to open and close smoothly and easily. There are so many options for slides for example and the joinery. You can really get your head in a muddle with them.

you have to get your clearances right and if solid you have to account for movement.

In 2002 when I was at Sturt, we had the driest year on record. The night before our graduation exhibition opened, it rained. Guess what happened.

Almost everyone who made something with a drawer was up early planing a bit off - once they'd worked out how to get the drawer open. I was one of the lucky ones. If mine had jammed I'd have had to drill a hole from underneath or behind, and blow it out with compressed air!

Drawers are interesting. Perhaps one of the more difficult areas to design and build. Love this!

Think about building a joint in 3D. Every side needs to fit - too much leeway and the drawer will rattle and rack. Too little leeway and it will get stuck. When it is stiff, which edge/side/end do you trim? The wrong part can stuff it all up.

Dovetails? A world into itself.

Length vs width ... if you get the proportions wrong, you will end up with a racking drawer.

Look up Japanese piston fit drawer videos

Do not even think of bow-fronted drawers if you have even half a brain! (=compound dovetails).

Regards from Perth

Derek

Being a Cabinet Maker by trade, my 3rd year trade school project was a serpentine front 4 draw chest, in those days you could not go down to Bunnings (or anywhere else ) and buy drawers, drawer sides or drawer runners you had to make them and yes
the sides and the fronts were the same size

Originally Posted by China

Being a Cabinet Maker by trade, my 3rd year trade school project was a serpentine front 4 draw chest, in those days you could not go down to Bunnings (or anywhere else ) and buy drawers, drawer sides or drawer runners you had to make them and yes
the sides and the fronts were the same size

China, I am very impressed!

For illustration of this, David Boeff does very good work: David Boeff Furniture Maker: February 2015

Regards from Perth

Derek

What a great blog!

Those Bombe chests are pure evil - both in look and making

This was my version of a modern bombe ... curved, tapered sides and a bow (curved) front. The drawers were fitted exactly, requiring compound dovetails ..





Drawer construction: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furnitu...heDrawers.html





Regards from Perth

Derek

Yes very similar, unfortunately after all the hard work, I received a distinction ( highest mark ) the trade school was broken into over the holidays any many items stolen, my chest was among them

Originally Posted by China

.... the trade school was broken into over the holidays any many items stolen, my chest was among them

I would be completely chuffed if my work were stolen over the tools!

Either the thief had good taste or he was taking items of obvious value... both ways, a win!