How do you build your drawers?

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

Jim, next time you're making drawers, why not videotape it and put it up on YouTube? Then we CAN see you make them.

I've read that if you have to make more than a couple, once you're set up for lock miters or drawer-lock joints at the router table, it is pretty damned efficient.

So I do believe you, it's just that I will probably never make enough drawers that I'd prefer it over dovetails. Dovetails are good & strong, plus there's just something beautiful about them. My wife prefers dovetails, THROUGH dovetails even, so I think think that pretty much has most of the decisions made in furniture for my place!

Jeremy, Not a bad idea....I'll see what I can do my next drawer run. If not video, at least I can take some pictures.

[Michael Wildt]

Hi Jim,

Thank you for the explanation, makes perfect sense. I assume the plastic front adjusters must hold up pretty good since they are 'only' pressed into the drawer front ? Like a potential drawer handle may not get screwed into the drawer it self only the front.

Based on my drawers 22" deep and 32" wide any recommendation on BB thickness ? should I go to 3/4" for the sides ?

Thanks,
Michael
(Wood novice)

[Tim Thomas]

I'm really interested in the pocket screw method of drawer construction. It looks very strong and it seems that you wouldn't need any clamps during assembly. Am I right about the clamps thing? I would think that once you drive in the screws that there would be no need for clamps to hold it until the glue dries.

Thanks to everyone for sharing their favorite techniques. I have a kitchen remodel in my future and I'm definitely going to be making a LOT of drawers.

[Roger Warford]

Forgive a newbie for intruding on this discussion, but I'm surprised there is no mention of box joints. Are they a poor choice for some reason?

[Joe Chritz]

Box joints are fine.

1/2 blind dovetails don't need clamps if properly milled. I machine them snug (a palm smack to close) and usually pop in a couple staples from the front and back then set it aside to dry. Obviously with applied fronts only.

One advantage to box joints is that it is easy to make a jig to cut them with a stack dado or router and it is free.

Pocket screw should be stronger than butt joint and brads and would most likely hold up for a long time. Alignment could be a problem since it often wants to shift when screwed together.

Joe

[David DeCristoforo]

"...there is no mention of box joints. Are they a poor choice ...?"

Technically speaking, yes they are a poor choice, at least for connecting the sides and front since they offer no resistance to the pull on the drawer front. That's the whole point of the DTs. But with their large amount of gluing surface and the durability of modern adhesives, box joints would probably hold up for a very long time.

YM

[Paul Johnstone]

I do it the same way as the OP.. I use the drawer lock mitre joint on the router table. Although I usually put a few staples in to hold it as well, as I have kids that hang on the drawers.. I tried a few with glue only.. most made it, but one didn't, so I started stapling them to help reinforce the joint.

[Dixon Peer]

Half blind dovetails front and back, 1/2 to 5/8" poplar or maple, 1/2" prefinished maple ply bottoms, Accuride 3132EC glides (undermount, not visible).

[Dave Falkenstein]

I am going to go contrarian here. When I make drawers, I use a drawer lock bit. However, I have installed hundreds of drawers from Home Depot kits that are made with melamine and use BUTT joints with two screws in each joint - no glue. The combination of melamine and butt joints often makes a woodworker cringe. I have NEVER had a call from a client saying their drawer fell apart, and I have been doing these installations for over 15 years.

I will hasten to add that a drawer made with a nice looking joint - dovetail (best), box (good) or drawer lock (OK) - is a better looking joint, and no doubt a stronger joint than a glueless butt joint. However I doubt, from my own experience, that strength is really much of an issue - they all seem to be more than strong enough.

[Gary Keedwell]

I am going to go contrarian here. When I make drawers, I use a drawer lock bit. However, I have installed hundreds of drawers from Home Depot kits that are made with melamine and use BUTT joints with two screws in each joint - no glue. The combination of melamine and butt joints often makes a woodworker cringe. I have NEVER had a call from a client saying their drawer fell apart, and I have been doing these installations for over 15 years.

I will hasten to add that a drawer made with a nice looking joint - dovetail (best), box (good) or drawer lock (OK) - is a better looking joint, and no doubt a stronger joint than a glueless butt joint. However I doubt, from my own experience, that strength is really much of an issue - they all seem to be more than strong enough.

I agree, Dave. Dovetails were used to hold the drawer together because a long time ago they didn't have modern glue or fasteners.
Gary

[Tomislav Biric]

...my wife and I having surrounded ourselves with children of our own making (a fun and inexpensive hobby that somehow got out of hand)* I have to say that I hate the melamine/butt joints in our kitchen cabinets.

About half of our drawers have broken over the years - I've resorted to placing 1 x 1 glue&screw blocks in the front corners. At some point I'll replace the whole drawers (a task that always seems to get de-prioritized).

They would probably for fine for kitchens in houses without kids in the family, without kids that visit, and that won't ever be sold to people with kids...you get the point.

~tomislav

*paraphrased from a book by Patrick McManus

[Karl Brogger]

I agree, Dave. Dovetails were used to hold the drawer together because a long time ago they didn't have modern glue or fasteners.
Gary

Dovetails also adds surface area to glue to along with the mechanical joint.

[Gary Keedwell]

Dovetails also adds surface area to glue to along with the mechanical joint.

I know...but check out all the old drawers in antiques and you will see no glue holding them together.
Gary

[David DeCristoforo]

"Dovetails were used to hold the drawer together because a long time ago they didn't have modern glue..."

Indisputable fact. "Back then" when the best glue known to man was animal hide glue, the question was not "if" the glue would fail but "when". Mechanical interlocks were a necessity.

YM

[Matt P]

Yes, I will be heretical here and state that, aside from the beauty of dovetails and other joints, modern glues have eliminated the *need* for such joints. I lately have been using simple miter joints for jewelry boxes, and hear many people warn that they're not strong. Well, when using modern glue, and considering it's a JEWELRY BOX (i.e. very little force put on it), miters I think are just fine. There was a FWW mag article (Mar-Apr 1998) that discussed a guy who built a 2x2 mitered/glued box, and basically they beat the heck out of it, jumped on it, etc.. no problem with the joints.