Drawer Issues

[Matt Woessner]

Ok going to try and get through all the questions. I milled my stock slightly over size and made a final pass over the jointer. There are not actually slides attached to the drawers themselves. The drawer simply rests on two hardwood pieces in the frame. The plywood bottom is glued in the bottom of the drawer which rests in another rabbet cut.

I tried to posts pics but I don't have a website that I can upload them from. I tried to do a search that would help me but found nothing.

[keith micinski]

When you make a post go down to the middle of the page and you will see a tab for manage attachments. That is where you post pics on this web site and then they will always be there with your post.

[Matt Woessner]

IMG_0397.jpgIMG_0396.jpgIMG_0391.jpg

OK here are some pics.

[Matt Woessner]

Shucks one is slideways.

[Philip Rodriquez]

My solution would be:
· Construct a web-frame to trap the drawer and limit the movement. This may pull everything flat… and it may not. If you go this route, you will also need to wax the drawer parts so they will still slide.
o Since you attached false fronts, you should be able to remove them and reattach them, square to the opening. I hope they are not glued on yet!
o Lastly, reinforce the rabbets with dowels.

[Matt Woessner]

Philip,
I thought of doing that basically create a top "slide" for the drawer to force it into place. I also thought even with a wax would a small child be able to open? I think the lesson learned here is that stay away from all wood products found at the BORG.

Question on pinning the rabbets. Would this really help with movement? I have glued them and would not expect them to move. I can understand racking even with ply installed in the bottom, but I would have thought the ply bottom would have halted any movement. I think I will go ahead and proceed with the pinning of the rabbets with dowels it sure can't hurt at this point.

Yeah the false fronts are there to stay, a nice amount of glue several days ago.

The biggest issue is getting them square at this point, which, is after the fact. I hope that I can force them into place with a upper "slide".

Would purchasing a pair of slides and attaching to the drawer and the frame help hold everything square?

The drawers are approx 13" x 24"

[Chris Ricker]

Matt;
Is it possible to use the band saw to separate the fronts from the drawers then joint the faces and reattach them square to the carcass?
Just a thought
CR

[keith micinski]

I don't have much help for the warping at his point other then shim the bottoms flush with the slides to stop the rocking. I would scrap the fronts and cut them off. Then I would make new ones and instead of glueing them on I usually counterbore a hole on each side of the drawer carcass and then use screws to attach the false front. This holds it solid but does leave you the option of making an adjustment later or even changing the fronts out for something else at a later date.

[bill schmoott]

Matt, I just wanted to say good looking table. Everyone on here runs into problems with projects at one time or another. You may never figure out exactly what occurred, but you will most likely avoid that type of construction again.
Honestly here are my thoughts. Scrap the drawers. you have a great looking project and if you do not, it will aggravate you every time you look at it if you try to go ahead and finish. Take the drawers back apart. If you want to re-use the wood, trim the sides cut out the bottom and start over. I know many may look at my post and disagree, but here are my drawer making tips.
Ok,
1. I would never, ever, ever, force a drawer. Cut it, trim it, plane it to size, whatever, but do no force it.
2. I never understood false drawer fronts. Make the front one piece and integrate it with joinery into the sides.
3. I would avoid rabbett joints. Pinning would work, but what would it actually do. The drawers are already out of square. I would personally recommend dovetails on all 4 corners. If your stock is not square, you will know immediately. I have never had a drawer that was dovetailed twist on me.
4. Let the bottom of the drawer float set in all 4 sides of the drawer. I like a heavy drawer bottom. The heavier the better. I use stock used in the project, 3/4 (such as your walnut or sides) or full stock cedar. Why. I dont like putting all that time and effort into a drawer, opening it up and seeing a plywood bottom, but thats just me.

You have a great looking table in the works. Take a deep breath and ask yourself if you want to take a little time to re-do the drawers or walk by it every time and say, man I wish i would have re-done those drawers.

By the way, I think what caused your problem was a combination of joinery technique and gluing the drawer bottom.
Good luck

[Philip Rodriquez]

Pinning the rabbets will not do anything for the wood movement. Pinning them will simply add mechanical strength to the joint. As it stands now, your construction is relying on the strength of the glue bond, which is weakened because the wood fibers are running perpendicular to their mating surfaces.

Personally, if it were my project, I would just remake the drawers. As others have said, you can band saw off the fronts and save the wood. However, I would remake everything else. The cause of the twist was either from the plywood bottom, the moisture content of the wood, or both.

[keith micinski]

A false front gives you a drawer that will always be good and the ability to change the face of the drawer if for some reason down the road you want to go a different way. Also if you don't glue it but instead use screws in an over size hole you have the ability to make adjustments for wood movement and if you get a drawer made out of a piece of wood that goes crazy you could just square the drawer front up and if the actual drawer itself was twisted a little no one would ever know or care. I find the false fronts a little more forgiving when doing flush fit drawers because you are only trying to tune in one piece not 4.