Thread: Fine furniture: Drawer Front Question

I just want something that does not fall off when I open the drawers

Originally Posted by Tonyz

I just want something that does not fall off when I open the drawers

That made me laugh!

You and me both then!

Id just glue them on slightly over size and plane them to perfection after its dry . Screws would be time consuming and lead to problems with them coming loose later probably.

Ive only ever done false fronted drawers on workshop pieces to save time. One unit I did has many drawers and they were all just a nail gun job. It looks fine though. In a traditional looking way. They were also finished with an incised bead around the edge. With turned knobs.

that chest was recycled and went to provide heat on a recent bonfire, rest assured no pics

Firstly, smart move to do false fronts. I only once (actually I recall now I did it twice! The second time with a Shaker inspired seven drawer dresser) did a piece with inset drawers and integrated drawer fronts… OMG what a thing to finesse! I usually screw my fronts on. Overlay is easier but if you’re doing inset then I use a double sided tape to mount the fronts virtually perfectly before screwing, then remove the tape and rescrew. Use shims to get even gaps when you press the front home on the tape, or leave the front a little tight and finesse with a plane as Auscab said. Use a bit of glue when screwing if you like.

Originally Posted by auscab

Id just glue them on slightly over size and plane them to perfection after its dry .

My drawers will have very fine raised beading around the edge aswell, so I guess I would have to be careful when planing them so as not to misshape the beading.

This is it . Pretty rough but I needed something fast to hold carving chisels , polishing gear , all my air tools and nails for the different nail guns. I gave it a coat of yellow and didn't take it any further. It is supposed to be a wood grain paint finish and the yellow is the starting base coat.
The nailed up boxes which are the drawers have a thick front and back which is good for fast nail and glue construction. Then the fronts were glued on planed and moulded. If I was trying for a fine job but still fast I'd use a thick back and thin front so when the false front went on the two would make up 17 to 19mm thickness together.
This whole unit is chipboard screwed carcase and radiata pine the rest. Its full of mainly steel tools in the drawers. A lot of weight in it . The false fronts hang down lower at the front and stop on the nailed in drawer runners that had to be set in the exact distance for that to work. That is on the left , right and middle wider drawers. Even though the fronts are glued on and many of the drawers are full of steel, no fronts have come loose. The fronts take the full force of the drawer stopping.

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Rob

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

When making fine furniture how do you folks generally attach false drawer fronts?. I ask the question because I've
only ever used screws, but that was shop furniture though. Is it acceptable to do the same in fine furniture?.

Serious question: Does one consider drawers with false fronts "fine furniture"?

I have never done this, even with drawers which feature compound angles.




Lipped drawers ...







Regards from Perth

Derek

It depends on what you mean by "Fine Furniture". There are many ways to build drawers, but to my way of thinking Fine Furniture implies the use of top quality materials and bespoke craftsmanship a la Derek's shown and Rob's reproduction furniture not the quickie shop stuff.

My take on fine furniture would include hand cut dovetailed drawer carcasses. Even machine cut dovetails would be pushing it.

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Does one consider drawers with false fronts "fine furniture"?

One does. Depending on the materials used, design, attention to detail and finish of course.

Originally Posted by Fuzzie

It depends on what you mean by "Fine Furniture". There are many ways to build drawers, but to my way of thinking Fine Furniture implies the use of top quality materials and bespoke craftsmanship a la Derek's shown and Rob's reproduction furniture not the quickie shop stuff.

My take on fine furniture would include hand cut dovetailed drawer carcasses. Even machine cut dovetails would be pushing it.

Well I think I win on the materials aspect with white oak, the drawers I'm afraid are not hand cut dovetailed but box jointed. My craftmanship is nowhere near the standard of Derek and Rob's stuff and never will be, Rob's considered one of the best if not the best cabinet maker/restorer in the country, so all I can do is learn.

Despite this I do have an art & design background and can draw up plans for anything in whatever perspective and to whatever scale in any medium from pencil/pen to computer.

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

My drawers will have very fine raised beading around the edge aswell, so I guess I would have to be careful when planing them so as not to misshape the beading.

Bead them last after all the planing and fitting is finished.

Originally Posted by auscab

Bead them last after all the planing and fitting is finished.

Good god, now I didn't think of that!, thanks Rob!. That will actually be much easier now.

When you say beading, do you mean moulding aswell Rob?, or is tehre a difference between the two, beading/moulding?.