Drawer guide pics

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

An earlier post asked about getting a reveal at the bottom of an inset drawer...so here are some pics of a dovetail guide solution. These are 'in progress' pics, so the pieces aren't cut to length yet.



I put a stretcher between the front face frame and the back of the case, flush with the top of the bottom of the opening (got that?)



After using a router bit to chamfer the sides (ripping on the saw would work just as well, but not as cleanly), I plane down to desired thickness. I do this in two steps...since I used the router, I plane with the 'ears' up first to take off the waste that didn't get chamfered, then, turn the piece over and work from the other side. This piece can be as wide as you want it, I guess...but I made these 2-1/2"...plenty for these nitestands.





My drawer bottom is right at 1/4" up from the bottom of the drawer sides...so if I want something around 1/16" reveal at the bottom of the drawer I make the guide 5/16" thick, then attach it 'ears up' to the stretcher. With careful measuring, you can also use the guide as a 'stop' to set the depth of drawer travel.



'Mating' chamfered strips are attached to the drawer bottom to slide over the guide.

KC

[Robert Goodwin]

Thanks A lot!!! I very much appreciate you taking the time to snap a few shots. I will be building the cabinet carcass this week and hopefully the drawers over the weekend. Well see. My daughter woke up with a sore throat, so it might be a week of sleepless nightt without the shop.. err garage.

Thanks Again,
Rob

[John Tarro]

I have seen this type of guide only once . . . in a set of lab cabinets. They seemed to work beaurifully. How do you attach them to the bottom of the drawer and is there an easy and fool-proof way of setting them laterally to match the piece attached to the spreader?

Thanks for the post!!!!!

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I have seen this type of guide only once . . . in a set of lab cabinets. They seemed to work beaurifully. How do you attach them to the bottom of the drawer and is there an easy and fool-proof way of setting them laterally to match the piece attached to the spreader?

Thanks for the post!!!!!

I just glue and and shoot some brads to hold them to the bottom of the drawer. The stretcher is centered in the drawer opening, so turn a drawer upside down and lay the guide in the middle of the drawer bottom, then put ONE of the pieces on...butting it up to the front of the drawer so it's square. After the first one is glued in place, put the other one in place so the guide piece slides comfortably in and out...then glue the second piece down. If you're off a bit on placement, you can compensate when you place the guide permanently on the stretcher. Lay the guide on the stretcher where you think it's close and use a spring clamp to hold it at the back of the case. The clamp will hold it steady enough to slide the drawer in and check for proper reveal at the sides. When it's right, screw it down.

Sounds harder than it is.

KC

[John Tarro]

Makes more sense. I had tried to think it through first attaching the bottom guide to the spreader and fitting the drawer attachments to it. (I also almost always use dust shelves under the drawers so it makes for problems getting at lower drawers.)

Makes much more sense to attach the guides to the bottom of the drawer and then attach the bottom portion to the spreader, adjusting to the drawer.

Thanks Kirk.

Nice to have good information so easily available from you folks!!!!!!!

[John Tarro]

Forgot to ask something. My wife's grandfather used to use shiny thumb tacks on the fromt rail under each side of a drawer as a glide for the sides of the drawer. (Did that make any sense?) Anyone here ever use them or anything like it?

[Doug Littlejohn]

Great methode!! Thanks for sharing.