Replies

1. 
   theRev | Mar 10, 2003 01:49am | #1

   hi gary,

   what's "slightly" out of square? 1mm? .5 mm? 10mm? if it is a very small amount, i would correct it by fitting the drawer to the opening. that's the best way to make drawers anyway. fit the front , back and sides first, then cut your dovetails and assemble.

   scott

   sorry for the lower case. trying to balance out all you upper cases.

   <g>

1. 
   GSTONE | Mar 14, 2003 12:48am | #3

   The opening is out a 1/32 in 28 inches of length, also what is a good spacing

   around a flush front drawer to allow for expansion in the summer months. The

   drawer fronts are made of solid birdseye maple.   thanks

1. 
   theRev | Mar 14, 2003 01:56am | #4

   Gary,

   Gee, 1/32 in 28 inches makes it square in my shop!

   Not sure of this, I'm sure someone else can help me here, but I seem to recall hearing "nickel in the winter, dime in the summer." In other words, when you make drawers (season-wise) will make a difference. Depends if it is staying in your area (whatever its climate may be) or is going somewhere else after it is made.

   That all being said, I personally think that about a 1/16th (although I'm a metric kinda guy) all the way around looks good and ususally performs well.

   Lots of variables to think about, but hell, if you spent all your time worrying about them, you'd have no time to make sawdust.

   Have fun. Oh, try a search here for drawer construction. I'm sure there are a couple of threads on marking drawer parts and assembly.

   Scott

2. 
   ChasStanford | Mar 14, 2003 03:16am | #5

   Sounds like a good fit to me.  Does it look ill-fitting as is?

   A weak 16th is good spacing.  If you need to take one plane pass off it this summer then cool.

   Edited 3/13/2003 8:18:54 PM ET by CHASSTANFORD

2. 
   ChasStanford | Mar 10, 2003 02:28pm | #2

   The standard answer is to fit the drawer to the opening, but The Rev has raised the most important question - just how out-of-square is the thing.  You might need to doctor the openings a bit, but I'll admit that I've never had to do this. 

3. 
   berryo | Mar 14, 2003 05:19am | #6

   I ran into this very recently. I cut the drawer fronts, and sides to equal the greatest dimension, in width. Cut the length so that it's a 1/32 short on each end (front ). I then cut my dovetails, assembled, and fit the drawers with handplanes until they just slid in on the runners. Next, I planed to get my 1/16" opening. This worked fine for me, and I'm only two clicks from being a newbie (I hate that word).