Replies

1. 
   LeeGrindinger | Oct 11, 2005 08:30pm | #1

   Yup, glue em.

   There are no expansion/contraction issues since it's all plywood and the strength added by glueing will help down the road.

   Edit: Technically it's a groove since it runs parallel with the grain. Dados run across the grain.

   Lee

   
   

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   Edited 10/11/2005 1:31 pm ET by LeeGrindinger

2. 
   notDusty | Oct 11, 2005 08:46pm | #2

   Hi Matt ,

                  You are going to set up and make box joints , I would imagine for strength and perhaps looks as well , if the bottom is  glued in even if the box joint failed the bottom will prevent the drawer box from coming apart in theory . So I absolutely agree with Lee , ayup go for the glue .

                    dusty

3. 
   ring | Oct 11, 2005 10:03pm | #3

   Matt,

   Let me just ask why you feel you need to entrap the bottoms at all?   If you make the rear piece of the drawer box short, so that the bottom can be slipped into its dados from the back, you gain several things -  1) you don't need to fuss with the bottom at the same time as you are assembling the 4 corners.  2) you can finish things separately and assemble the bottoms after everything is painted.  3) There is no chance that the bottom will interfere with the tight fit of the corners.

   A few screws thru the bottom into the rear piece will keep it in place, and if the fit is reasonable in the dados it will give the drawer as much rigidity as you'll ever need.

   And also - you didn't say what kind of slides you are using, but in some cases trimming that back piece is desirable, if not downright necessary.

   DR

1. 
   matt3138 | Oct 11, 2005 10:26pm | #4

   Everybody

   Thanks for the verification.  I guess I needed someone else's opinion.  Glue it is.

   Ring,  the bottoms will be inserted just as you indicated, with the short back piece. 

   Some of the drawers are approx. 30" wide, and will be filled with pots and pans etc.  I want to glue the bottom into the dado to ensure that over time, the sides would not pull apart from the bottom.

   The slide HW is 100Lb full extension slides, side mount. 

   Thanks for the help.

   Matt

1. 
   cicero | Oct 11, 2005 11:06pm | #5

   I don't glue the bottom in,but do use glue blocks.

4. 
   mikec38 | Oct 12, 2005 12:04am | #6

   Matt,

   If you put a centre support front to back, say 3/4" x 3", on a wide drawer you can get away with a 1/4" ply bottom and still be strong enough to take pots and pans.  Glue the support front and back,but slide the bottoms in and screw the back.   You need a tongue at the front to fit in the groove and a lap at the back to go under the back of the drawer.

   smudge and glove