I am building my first chest of drawers. Well, not a full size Chest, but a minerature library card catalog set of drawers. It is about 25 inches high and about 19×19 wide and deep. 3 pairs of drawers to fit recipe cards for my wife. I am basically a beginner, but have a few projects under my belt.
The style that I like, and that I comfortable building, and have built before is what I would like frame and panel, post and panel type construction. 4 posts, rails and stiles between them, and glued up panels between the rails and stiles.
My question concerns the drawer guides. Having read some articles on them, where they consist of four independent pieces mortised into the sides, etc, that would cause me some concern insofar as the glue up. Assembling all that stuff would really be a pain in the sit down, and I won’t have a lot of time to fool with that while the glue is curing in this heat.
I am also wondering how to attach such drawer guides to the back of the frame and panel design. I won’t have rails back there for each pair of drawers. I am also toying with the idea of using a web frame, which I could assemble ahead of time and fit into the carcass during glue up.
What is the best system for drawer guides for this type of mini-chest of drawers? How are the guides attached to the back (I’ll shim/screw them to the sides and mortise or bisquit them into the posts)? Would a Web Frame work better? How are they attached?
Thanks, fellow Knotheads!
Kevin
Replies
KDo,
Like yourself, I don't have a whole lot of experience but do like frame and panel construction. I've noticed that some plans call for adding ply on the inside of the panel which makes it easier to deal with the draws. Personally, I don't care for that solution. On my last project I did something that worked fairly well..however, I'm not sure its appropriate in the long run. I used a web frame and put the guides/runners on the web frame on the inside of the draw sides. Before I put the bottom in the draws, I placed the draw in the case and slid the runners into position and screwed into the web frame. I then put the bottom in the draw and slid the draw into the case....nice and tight, centered in opening. If the draw gets to tight...take out the runner hit it with a plane and your back in business. Just a thought...
My suggestion if for you to pick up a Taunton Book, which I think is Chests of Drawers, or something like that.
I too and a newbie, but joining web frames to the frame, in a frame and panel construction, is done with either sliding dovetails, double tennons running with the face grain, or a dado, or combinations of the three.
I think I would attach the front web frame with a double tennon, and the back of the web frame with a dado, and shim out the gap between the panel and the frame with some plywood and attach it there with a screw.
But whadda I know?
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
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