Thread: Help with drawer design please

Do you mean the drawer bottoms with the panel set into woooden slips rather than directly into the sides? Have a look in the gallery at Sturt - I think most of the drawers there will be done like that.

The slips can be any nice hard wood. The bottom panel is usually a straight-grained light timber. The height of the drawer back + th ethickness of the slips = the height of the drawer sides,
To do them, rout a rebate on the top sides of the bottom panel, leaving a lip that fits into slots in the slips. The tops of the slips and the bottom panel should be level. Also, cut a rebate on the bottom front of the panel, leaving a lip that will go into a slot on the front of the drawer. Size everything so that the widthe of the panel + two slips is a smidgeon wider than the inside of the drawer when they are assempled. Then plane the slips down 'til the assembly just fits into the drawer, and glue it in place. This allows the sides of the drawer to be very thin while still keeping a strong bottom that can move with changes in humidity.

Some drawers use rare earth magnets. You can put one in the drawer frame and one in the bottom of the drawer front, where they won't be seen.

Thank you. Sturt is where I have seen them. Now to think about all those words you have sent me and get my head around it all.

Cheers,

CP