Replies

1. 
   saschafer | Aug 31, 2007 06:12pm | #1

   I think you're asking for trouble. It sounds like the drawer fronts themselves will be 1/4" plywood, right? Will they have frames? What about the drawer sides? Anything less than 1/2" for the structural parts of a drawer is asking for trouble, I think.

   -Steve

    

2. 
   doorboy | Aug 31, 2007 07:04pm | #2

   If it's a flat 1/4" panel in a stile and rail drawer front, why not reinforce the panel from the back side with another 1/4" piece cut to fit within the frame. Then you would have 1/2" with which to mount your pulls.

   "She wrote a long letter, on a short piece of paper." Traveling Wilburys
3. 
   JMadson | Aug 31, 2007 07:31pm | #3

   What kind of drawers are you building? What joints are you using to fasten the front to the sides?

    

1. 
   Cheatah | Aug 31, 2007 08:08pm | #4

   Here are more details about the drawers:

   1. The drawers are 1/2" PB with melamine. They use rabbets that are pin nailed and glued for joinery.

   2. The drawer faces will use stub mortise and tennon joinery for the frame and the panel is 1/4" ply with a birds eye maple veneer.

   I liked the suggestion of using another piece of 1/4" ply behind the panel for reinfocement.

   Thanks,

    Thank you,

   Cheatah

1. 
   stevemorris | Aug 31, 2007 09:32pm | #5

   build your drawers and fronts as you described then when installing the fronts add a washer or two between the box and the front and fasten the knob with a longer bolt through the box and front, i do it all the time

4. 
   WillGeorge | Sep 01, 2007 10:21pm | #6

   For what it is worth I agree with Steve..
   However you never stated how wide/high the drawer is. For a reasonable size (whatever that is!) 1/4" in some type of frame is still plenty strong.

5. 
   Dave45 | Sep 02, 2007 05:12pm | #7

   I think the 1/4" ply panel should be strong enough - unless you're dealing with large, heavily loaded, drawers without drawer glides.

   I make my drawers from 1/2" baltic birch plywood so the opening force is carried by the drawer box - not the drawer front.  On flat panel drawer fronts,  I usually put a filler between the drawer box and the panel so I can tighten the drawer pull without bowing the panel.