Any movement problems here ?

[Jake Darvall]

Never had a need to bead my draws before now.

Looking at this photo now, my gut says those bead mitres may open up in time, being attached cross grain like that.

Guessing it should be ok for small draws, but I've got deep draws in mind and I'm thinking no.

What do you think ? Has anyone noticed this to be a problem with old furniture ?

Thanks.

[Jim Becker]

More potential for opening on tall drawers...not because of the molding itself, but because of the drawer getting taller or shorter seasonally. But for the average drawer, the applied molding will have little issues. A lot of work gets done this way, both now and in the past.

[Mike K Wenzloff]

A lot depends on the material used for the drawer front. Traditionally, a wood with little movement is used--what that wood is doesn't matter as much as its potential for movement.

Hardwoods, and especially quarter sawn hardwoods, make great choices even for taller drawers. Often there is a fielded veneer on older work that the beading protects and even there, the veneer hasn't separated or split from seasonal movement (at least on my on antiques nor those I have personally seen).

I suspect much would depend on just how tall of a drawer front you are thinking of and what wood you are thinking of using.

Take care, Mike

[Jake Darvall]

Thanks.

I just don't know. Normally I try and avoid the concern altogether by just planing the moulding into the end grain. But this time the idea is to actually paint the moulding in advance, after which I'll mitre and pin it into the rebate.

crisp paint lines on natural timber sort of look I suppose.

The rebated fronts will be blue gum(not painted) and some of them will be near 18" tall or more. Figure that to be quite a fair bit of movement.

I'll try and ask somebody around here as well who knows blue gum.

The drawings a bit ruff. sorry.

[Mike K Wenzloff]

Blue Gum has what is considered small movement in service. At 18" tall...just don't know. If it were Mahogany or Makore, I would do it because I am familiar with them. But I would still use QS to minimize the amount of movement in those cases at that width.

A possible alternative for the tall drawers is to veneer them and do solid on the drawers of lesser width (if there are any). I've done case doors that way, including 1/8" edging. They look exactly like solid, a bit more work and the bead will hide the face veneer perfectly.

I think the drawing shows an excellent alternative to the veneered fronts. Less fussy and depending on how well the bead/astragal fits in the rebate, probably will be difficult to tell.

Take care, Mike

[Steve Wargo]

I totally agree with Mike on this one. I'd certainly opt for the veneered drawer front for an 18" tall drawer. Good advice here. On drawers less than 5" I've actually glued the cockbeading into the rebate. No problems (to the best of my knowledge). Good luck.

[Jake Darvall]

Thankyou kindly for the advice. fingers crossed.

[Dave Anderson NH]

One additional comment Jake, but unfortunatey with your drawer size it won't help you. If I have doubt about the dryness of the wood to be used for the drawer front or the dryness of the cockbead wood, I'll give it 3-5 cycles of about 1 minute in the microwave about 5 minutes apart and wrapped in a paper towel. This will cut down on wood movement and though movement on the length of a part (the cockbead) is minimal, even a .032" gap shows up on a miter glaringly. It's an old woodwurners trick fro drying bowls.

[Jake Darvall]

Thanks Dave. I've never applied tricks like that before. I'm pretty green on veneering too unfortunately. I don't really have the means at the moment to try these tricks either. But will keep them in mind. thankyou.

I'm kinda inclined to stay within what I know I can do right now. uno.

What I'm considering at the moment, so as to bipass this potential movement problem ( it may not be a problem, its just I'll be worrying about it all the time uno) is to just make a frame for every drawer front.

The outside of the frame is rebated. I'll mitre it and put it together like a picture frame. Sit a raised panel in it. And attach the drawer sides with wedged M&T. Just plane the wedges flush and stick on the painted moulding.

Which is a shame I think, because I like look of dovetails when you open a draw , but at least this way there shouldn't be any risk of movement problems on big draws.

Can kinda get an idea I hope from my sketches. Green moulding strips to go with green knobs. Feel it'll look ok as long as I keep the moulding strips thin. As long as shes happy.

I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work, but I'd appreciate anyones thoughts. Might be something I've missed.

[Alan Turner]

jake,
I fear you may have the same problem since you will be cross grain, assuming your drawer sides are solid wood. Baltic Birch ply on the drawer sides and you will have no movement, of course.

[Jake Darvall]

I suppose. At work I make doors like that, at the bottom rail. But, I guess its not a door.

and was hoping not to use ply.

primarily just don't want those painted strips opening up. uno, someone pointing at it crossly sometime in the future looking at me saying...' whats this !...a gap ! ' ...might have to pretend it wasn't my work.

Thanks Alan. I'll give it some more thought.