My shop is heated in the winter but not cooled in the summer. I am designing, in a
fashion, several drawers to go below my workbench. Each drawer will be about 24" wide
OD and of different heights with the smallest at the top, etc. . The bottoms will be
1/4" ply. Due to the width of the drawers, I think I need to put muntines in them. I
will affix the muntines fore and aft in some fashion between the fronts and backs of
the drawers and up against the drawer bottoms - probably mortise and tennon or wide
dovetails. My questions relate to how those muntines should be installed.
1. Are the muntines attached to the bottoms at all? I would think not.
2. Should the *tops* of the muntines be sealed and waxed before the bottoms go into
the slots of the drawers in order to allow the drawers to move atop them with their
seasonal adjustments?
Any tips on muntine installation and precautions will be appreciated.
Hoyt W.
Just recently finished drawers in my shop, and although not as large as
yours (genetics?), I too felt that 1/4" ply was not enough. Instead of
muntins, or stiffeners, I made the bottoms of 1/2" ply. But I still put the
groove in the drawer sides at the same place as if I had used 1/4" bottoms.
The secret is to run a rebate around the perimeter of each 1/2" drawer
bottom so that it is only 1/4" thick around the sides. You will enjoy the
panel stiffness of 1/2" ply, but still fit it in 1/4" grooves and not lose
any drawer depth.
--
Bill Pounds
http://www.billpounds.com/woodshop
"Hoyt Weathers" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My shop is heated in the winter but not cooled in the summer. I am
designing, in a
> fashion, several drawers to go below my workbench. Each drawer will be
about 24" wide
> OD and of different heights with the smallest at the top, etc. . The
bottoms will be
> 1/4" ply. Due to the width of the drawers, I think I need to put muntines
in them. I
> will affix the muntines fore and aft in some fashion between the fronts
and backs of
> the drawers and up against the drawer bottoms - probably mortise and
tennon or wide
> dovetails. My questions relate to how those muntines should be installed.
>
> 1. Are the muntines attached to the bottoms at all? I would think not.
>
> 2. Should the *tops* of the muntines be sealed and waxed before the
bottoms go into
> the slots of the drawers in order to allow the drawers to move atop them
with their
> seasonal adjustments?
>
> Any tips on muntine installation and precautions will be appreciated.
>
> Hoyt W.
>
On Sun, 04 Jul 2004 12:53:55 -0500, Hoyt Weathers <[email protected]>
wrote:
>My shop is heated in the winter but not cooled in the summer. I am designing, in a
>fashion, several drawers to go below my workbench. Each drawer will be about 24" wide
>OD and of different heights with the smallest at the top, etc. . The bottoms will be
>1/4" ply. Due to the width of the drawers, I think I need to put muntines in them. I
>will affix the muntines fore and aft in some fashion between the fronts and backs of
>the drawers and up against the drawer bottoms - probably mortise and tennon or wide
>dovetails. My questions relate to how those muntines should be installed.
>
>1. Are the muntines attached to the bottoms at all? I would think not.
The drawer bottoms should rest in grooves in the muntin. The muntin
can be let into the drawer front using a dovetail.
>
>2. Should the *tops* of the muntines be sealed and waxed before the bottoms go into
>the slots of the drawers in order to allow the drawers to move atop them with their
>easonal adjustments?
Not necessary.
>
>Any tips on muntine installation and precautions will be appreciated.
>
See Encyclopedia of Furniture Making by Joyce.
>Hoyt W.
On Sun, 04 Jul 2004 18:12:10 GMT, "Leon" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>You do not need any reinforcement IMHO. I built kitchen drawers that are
>about 30" by 22". I can stand in them and they have 1/4" plywood bottoms.
>See for your self, cut a piece of plywood a bit larger than a drawer will
>require and weight it down.
>
>
Seems that Atkins diet is working for you.
Maybe just go with thicker bottoms??
John
On Sun, 04 Jul 2004 12:53:55 -0500, Hoyt Weathers <[email protected]>
wrote:
>My shop is heated in the winter but not cooled in the summer. I am designing, in a
>fashion, several drawers to go below my workbench. Each drawer will be about 24" wide
>OD and of different heights with the smallest at the top, etc. . The bottoms will be
>1/4" ply. Due to the width of the drawers, I think I need to put muntines in them. I
>will affix the muntines fore and aft in some fashion between the fronts and backs of
>the drawers and up against the drawer bottoms - probably mortise and tennon or wide
>dovetails. My questions relate to how those muntines should be installed.
>
>1. Are the muntines attached to the bottoms at all? I would think not.
>
>2. Should the *tops* of the muntines be sealed and waxed before the bottoms go into
>the slots of the drawers in order to allow the drawers to move atop them with their
>seasonal adjustments?
>
>Any tips on muntine installation and precautions will be appreciated.
>
>Hoyt W.