I am planning to make a traditional wooden cabinet encompassing a set of wooden flush-mount drawers. I would like an even reveal on the sides, top and bottom of the drawer fronts but I’m not sure how to create the reveal on the bottom.
I plan on sliding the drawers on wooden rails, not hanging them, and not introducing metal or other sliding hardware of any kind.
Is the bottom reveal created by simply chamfering the bottom edge of the drawer front, or by somehow raising the sides on their runs by an amount equivalent to the reveal, or by some other method?
I have several books and articles on drawer construction but none speak to this key step.
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If the drawers are sitting directly on the support surfaces the easiest way is to create the lower reveal as a shadow line after fitting the drawer. A chamfer would work if there is no detail to the drawer front. Don't fit your pulls before the final border is established.
There are a few different approaches I use.
A lot of the time, for customers especially, I build the drawer box to fit. Then, I add a drawer front after assembly. This way I can set the gap all the way around with wedges or spacers.
The other, more difficult, more time consuming, and more traditional method is to cut your drawer itself to fit properly all around. The gap is driven by how you have trimmed your drawer front. It is the last thing I fit. I will make sure the sides and back fit first, then as the drawer finally fits all the way in, it's time to trim the drawer front.
Depending on the end product and where it will be used will drive the gap size. But, I try to shoot for an even gap all around no matter what.
A chamfer on an edge wherever two edges meet will usually make for a cleaner look and leads to the impression of a more even gap between boards. But, unfortunately, is not always allowed for in a design or style...
FiveBirdsCustom (nice name) you are saying in the first example you create a four sided box, fit it, then add an additional drawer front fixed to fit?
In the second you are saying you final fit the front with a hand plane on all four sides by chamfering the edges, is that correct?
Almost...
In the second, I could use a chamfer to make the gap look more even. But, honestly, most of the time I plane them square and may ease the edge very softly with sandpaper, or a block plane. It depends on the look I'm going for, of course.
I do use chamfers, or softening an edge much of the time when two pieces of wood come together, but aren't joined. Box lids would be the perfect example. It helps with wood movement, keeping the gap/joint looking clean.
I make the drawer front set the reveal height higher than the bottom of the sides. On false front drawers this is easy. On box drawers I just hand plane the bottom of the drawer front to the reveal desired. Sometimes I use drawer-tape (UHMW) and this takes care of the reveal without any treatment to the drawer front.
I recommend watching Mike Pekovich's wall cabinet videos on fitting drawers. He walks you through the entire process. Excellent training by a master. These videos are on this website.
Philip Lowe has an excellent video on fitting dovetail drawers with a flush drawer front as well.
Thank you all.
I've never done a chamfer, never even occurred to me, I'll have to try that.
I remove some material off the bottom of the drawer front using a shoulder plane or rabbet block plane.
It can also be done on the table saw using a sacrificial fence, or a router table using an offset fence and straight bit.
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