I'm in the process of building my first chest of drawers. The basic
plan was derived from here:
http://www.restorationhardware.com/page.jhtml?navHistory=cat160024%2Bcat160035&type=product&categoryId=cat160053&id=511
I have the carcass completed. I am about to start on the drawers and
have a few questions. Will be using ½" ash for the sides, the rest of
the piece is solid wood, quarter sawn white oak. When making the
drawers how much smaller should the high of the actual drawer be
compared to the opening? Is there a general rule of thumb for this?
The cavity is (h)8"x(w)39"x(d)17". Also on the bottom of the webs, I
have seen some dressers that use dust screens? Basically paper or
cloth that looks like it is stapled to the bottom of the web so dust
from an upper drawer doesn't settle on the contents of the drawer
below. I did not use something like this in my design, and was
wondering if it is necessary. I think I could retrofit it onto the
webs at this stage. What would you recommend? Cloth, or something
else? How to attach? Hot glue?
Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks.
Chris
Chris,
>When making the
> drawers how much smaller should the high of the actual drawer be
> compared to the opening? Is there a general rule of thumb for this?
>
No and it does depend on the type/method of drawer slide you will be using.
If the drawer slide (mechanical) requires the drawer to be tilted as found
in kitchen drawers (as one example) then the height of the drawer side is
determined by how much angle is needed to release the drawer from its
slide/s.
In traditional furniture building, such as Stickley (they're located nearby)
their drawer heights are about 1/4" to 1/2" narrower than the opening
height. They use wooden slides and the side of the drawer is rabbeted to
accept the hardwood slider fastened to the carcass. Allow enough difference
in height of the drawer slide to allow for maximum wood expansion so the
drawer doesn't bind but while allowing maximum side height so hanky's, socks
and whatever don't get pushed over the side of the drawer.
The cavity is (h)8"x(w)39"x(d)17". Also on the bottom of the webs, I
> have seen some dressers that use dust screens? Basically paper or
> cloth that looks like it is stapled to the bottom of the web so dust
> from an upper drawer doesn't settle on the contents of the drawer
> below. I did not use something like this in my design, and was
> wondering if it is necessary. I think I could retrofit it onto the
> webs at this stage. What would you recommend? Cloth, or something
> else? How to attach? Hot glue?
>
Stickley uses 1/4 plywood on the pieces I've looked at. They're inserted
into rabbets cut into the web frames. Guess you could use a cloth material
such as found on the bottom of sofa's and stuffed chairs but that seems like
it would becomes a haven for little, many-legged critters after awhile.
Bob S.
Hi, Chris,
Assuming that your wood is well-conditioned and it's going to live in a
fairly stable (MC-wise) environment, you want your drawers to be a very
close fit. I've seen articles which talk about a piston-fit, but IME 1/32 -
1/16th would be near enough. I'd make them fractionally oversize and then
hand-fit them with a plane. You don't want to use sandpaper on drawer sides
or runners, since some of the abrasive will embed itself in the wood and
greatly accelerate wear. Rubbing the stump of a candle on the running
surfaces will help lube things.
I've no experience of the type for dust sheet you describe. The only
arrangements I've seen for dust exclusion are tradional dustboards - these
are effectively horizontal panels grooved into the drawer frames. Since
you've made the carcase already, it's too late for that, but you could
retrofit them by gluing and pinning cleats around the lower edge of the
holes in each frame. If you're using 3/4 stuff for your frame, then you'd
make your cleats 7/16 tall by say 5/16 wide. This would effectively form a
rebate.round the inside of the frame 5/16 x 5/16. You can then make panels
out of 1/4 stuff to exactly fit the hole in the frame, and this will be
supported by the cleats, leaving 1/16 clearance above the panel.
Is it necessary? Well, I'd say that I've seen plenty of chests-of-drawers
without them, but they were usually fitted in high class work.
HTH
Frank
"Chris" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm in the process of building my first chest of drawers. The basic
> plan was derived from here:
>
http://www.restorationhardware.com/page.jhtml?navHistory=cat160024%2Bcat1600
35&type=product&categoryId=cat160053&id=511
>
> I have the carcass completed. I am about to start on the drawers and
> have a few questions. Will be using ½" ash for the sides, the rest of
> the piece is solid wood, quarter sawn white oak. When making the
> drawers how much smaller should the high of the actual drawer be
> compared to the opening? Is there a general rule of thumb for this?
> The cavity is (h)8"x(w)39"x(d)17". Also on the bottom of the webs, I
> have seen some dressers that use dust screens? Basically paper or
> cloth that looks like it is stapled to the bottom of the web so dust
> from an upper drawer doesn't settle on the contents of the drawer
> below. I did not use something like this in my design, and was
> wondering if it is necessary. I think I could retrofit it onto the
> webs at this stage. What would you recommend? Cloth, or something
> else? How to attach? Hot glue?
>
> Any suggestions are welcome.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Chris
>