Lock Mitered Drawer Tutorial

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

I’m more a cabinetmaker than a furniture maker. For me the only way to make a drawer is the lock miter. It’s strong and attractive and after you finish the one router table setup, it’s quite fast to make. Over the years, every time I got a kick out of seeing Norm make drawers with dovetails for cabinets. Not only that, but he used a tongue and dado for the rear joint….even more setup time. And when you go to a kitchen cabinet store, all of the high end drawers are dovetailed. I think that’s because people only associate quality drawers with dovetails. Now you traditionalists will tell me that dovetails are the best joint for drawers and I agree to some extent. For period pieces, dovetails fits the bill. But for any place a mechanical slide is used, kitchens, vanities, shop cabinets, try the lock miter bit.
Because of its shape, the lock miter has lots of glue surface and plenty of resistance to forward and backward motion. You might say there’s no resistance towards downwards shearing like with a dovetail. But I argue with a ½” (or even ¼”) drawer bottom locked into a dado in the sides, there’s plenty of resistance to downwards shearing.
I don’t want to argue the merits of either methods on this thread. Seeing Norm make drawers the way he did all those years made me think he’d never heard of the lock miter bit so maybe a lot more haven’t either. So I thought a step-by-step tutorial is in order. And maybe next time it comes time to making a drawer (or 10 or 20), give the lock miter a try.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

The Setup: 2 things involved: bit height and fence depth. The first step after you have your bit chucked and position roughly approximated, mill 2 pieces of scrap the exact thickness of the stock you’ll be using, in this case, ¾”. Mill these flat on the table as shown using a miter gauge to push them through.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

Setup Cont.: Take the two pieces you’ve just milled, invert one of them and slide them together as shown. Raise or lower the bit until the test pieces are flush with one another. This may take several test cuts. If adjustment is needed, I cut off the profiles in my miter saw, raise or lower the router bit and start again. Once the height is correct, I take a fresh piece of scrap and mill it laying flat and save it as a template for future setups.
The fence depth is a little easier. Fence position is correct when the work piece is at the point where it doesn’t reduce the length of the stock.

[Tony Shea]

I agree in that the lock miter joint is great joint for quick, easy and solid drawers. I will say this, dovetails do produce a stronger joint but is not necessary in most applications. Mostly it's use should be focused on peices with large heavy drawers such as dressers and such. But I agree with you in that the lock miter joint is often over looked for its' durabiliy. I'll be looking forward to your tutorial.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

After setup is complete, it’s time to get started. Stock preparation is key to achieve tight miters and perfect squareness. I rip the sides an extra 3/8”- ½” wider than I need and I’ll explain why later. Use a stop block system of sorts to cut the sides to length. I use a sliding table on my table saw. This is what I like about the lock miter: if you need a drawer 18 1/4” x 24”, you cut your stock to exact lengths of 18 ¼” x 24”. There’s no math required for rabbet offsets

It doesn’t matter which you start on first, the fronts/backs or sides. But one thing is key, always mill the fronts/backs lying down on the table and the sides are milled vertically against the fence. The reason is the shape of the profile milled vertically is better suited to resisting the forwards and backwards forces of the drawer opening and closing. Here I’m milling the fronts/backs first. Notice I’m using one of the scrap test pieces as a backer to reduce tearout. All pieces are milled in one pass. If using a real hardwood, do it in 2 passes. For plywood and softwoods like poplar, 1 pass.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

Next run all of your sides vertically through the bit. I made this simple jig out of 2 pieces of scrap and a toggle clamp to hold the work pieces solidly against the jig.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

Once you are done its time to route or saw the dados. I use a stacked dado cutter on my table saw. If there are any dividers in the drawers, now is the time to crosscut the dados for them as well.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

To calculate the size of the plywood bottoms, I dry fit a drawer and measure the insides then do my guzzintas to account for the dado. I like to cut the plywood an 1/8” shorter than the inside depth + twice the dado depth. This gives me 1/16” clearance all the way around.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

Before assembly, its a good time to finish sand the insides of the drawer and both sides of bottoms. Now for some assembly: I simply apply a thin layer of glue to opposing mating surfaces and put it all together. I also add a dab of glue in the middle of each dado to help keep the drawer from racking.
I use band clamps for clamping. One clamp is enough for a drawer this short. I use 2 clamps for any drawers taller. And when I do, I use those metal corner thingies included with the clamps. Some wax paper between the wood and the clamps simplifies cleanup.
When you have opposing sides cut exactly the same length and your miters are cut at exactly 45 degrees, it doesn’t take a whole lot of clamping pressure while the glue sets up.
Here’s why I rip the stock a little bit wider than I need: tear out. You sometimes can’t avoid it. I clean up the glue with a chisel and rip them on the table saw, top and bottom, to final height.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

The final product is a very clean looking and strong drawer. I've made drawers like this by the hundreds over the years and I've never had one fail. I hope you give it a try.

[Mark Bolton]

Great post Jim. One trick I read on another lock miter setup page was using the card trick to gauge your misalignment on the initial setup. That is to say, mill the two pieces flat, then slide the joint together, stack playing cards on the lower piece til' you find flush, then take 1/2 those cards, and use that height to adjust your cutter down. It seemed nifty.

I am awaiting shipment of a Freud 1 1/4" bore lock miter shaper cutter as we speak. Your tutorial will be much appreciated.

With regards to cabinet drawers is does seem the market has come to expect them in quality cabinets and that may be tough to over come.

Thanks again,
Mark

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

Tony, The lock miter is plenty strong enough for dressers. I've made a few tall kitchen drawers for pots and pans. I'm talkin 18"+. They don't get much heavier than that. Over 15 years and still going strong.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

That is a good tip with the playing cards, one that I haven't thought of. Though if you have a router lift, it's real easy to make fine adjustments.

[glenn bradley]

Tony, The lock miter is plenty strong enough for dressers. I've made a few tall kitchen drawers for pots and pans. I'm talkin 18"+. They don't get much heavier than that. Over 15 years and still going strong.

+1. I use drawer lock joints on shop drawers with plenty of weight in them. Opened and closed every day for years; no failures. I'm sure the lock miter is as good if not better.

[Jim Eller]

Jim,

Thanks for the info and your time.

Jim