Attaching drawer frames to chest sides

[Todd Burch]

Collectively, here is what I would do today. I like Jim's idea of floating tenons. I don't think screws would work too well 'cuz the case is most likely only 1/2" to 3/8" thick where they are dadoed. Not much to grab.

Also, I would have put some dust panels in too, just for measure.

[Jim Becker]

Collectively, here is what I would do today. I like Jim's idea of floating tenons. I don't think screws would work too well 'cuz the case is most likely only 1/2" to 3/8" thick where they are dadoed. Not much to grab.

You da man! That's exactly what I was describing. In some constructions the front rail is capped or made with the same material as the carcass and dovetailed into the sides for a neat look. 'Depends on the style of the piece.

[Alan Turner]

A good drawing, and article, in FWW about 2 years ago by Lonnie Bird on building a Pennsylvania Secretary covers this quite well. He recommended gluing the front tenon into the front rail and leaving the rear tenon float. He did not use a dado on the runners, but rather attached them with screws, in oblong holes tp permit movement. The drawer dividers, both front and back, are attached to the solid wood carcase with sliding dovetails. From this article I built a diningroom hutch which used those construction features. No problems. Here is a pix or 2, but because of the photography, it is hard to see. Also a pix where it may be more visible, an in process pix.
Alan