In news:49fe3579$0$21113$ snipped-for-privacy@unlimited.newshosting.com, Jim In FL dropped this bit of wisdom:
Funny thing you should mention:
See "A Few Wooden Drawer Slide Details" on Page 3 of the "Project = Journal" on the website
This doesn't do much for stopping the drawer (one line about a = "button"), but it does a fine job of illustrating a dovetail slide.
This site is by another wreck denizen, but I canjnot remember just who.
P D Q
I'm thinking of building (by her request actually) my wife a chest/bureau type piece for our second bedroom. It's general storage, and not used (open/closed) much. I thought I'd seize the opportunity to try some things I haven't done before. I'd like to make a real nice piece of furniture, similar to a cherry dining room sideboard type thing I remember from my childhood. All wood, frame/panel dust panels, INSET doors/drawers. (Might even try my first beaded face frame - don't know if I want to get that nervy with inset doors though.)
This will be about 16-18" deep, 46-48 long, 42 high. I don't want to use metal drawer guides - which finally brings me to my question. I've searched all over and picked up a lot of tips on integrating the structures that will support and guide the drawers in and out, and the kickers for tipping, etc. But for some reason everything I've found is very vague about stopping the drawers, both going in, and coming out, and the ability to remove them. My thought is that there should be accepted, common methods to do this (many probably, some better than others) and since I'm starting with a blank slate, I can take this opportunity to do it right and learn some new stuff.
Open to all suggestions. Thanks for reading and extra thanks if you've got something for me !
Jim in FL
(Totally unrelated but had to tell someone -> I just made up my mind - I'm going to buy a Domino. Been thinking about it forever to the point where every project I do I think "well I could have done it THIS way if I had a Domino")
Funny you should ask - the June issue of Fine Woodworking has an article on that very topic.
Tom Dacon
"Jim In FL" wrote in news:49fe3579$0$21113$ snipped-for-privacy@unlimited.newshosting.com:
*snip*I've noticed quite a few pieces of furniture don't have stops. With rails at the top and bottom, the drawer won't start to tip until about
80% out.The only dresser I remember having stops had a piece of metal sorta like a filled-in staple at the front of the front brace. The drawer could then be tipped out for removal, but it would stop the drawer from coming out too far. The important thing about stops is to make sure the drawers are still removable.
Congratulations on the Domino purchase decision! I just got a skid steer to get stuck in the mud. ;-)
Puckdropper
Not elegant but I sometimes put a screw at each side behind the drawer to control the depth of closure, jsut twist them in or out a bit to fine tune.
I have thought about drill> I'm thinking of building (by her request actually) my wife a chest/bureau
As far as stopping them going in so that they align with the case front, I've used faucet washers with brass screws through them. You can get a little adjustment by how tight you make the screw, and the rubber is quieter and lessens the shock on the drawer more than wood or metal.
"SonomaProducts.com" wrote
I have thought about drilling a hole in the drawer bottom at the very back and dropping in a small bolt that will act as a stop and can easily be lifted out when needed but I have never actually done it. If I made kids furniture I might do it. =================================
Funny you should mention that. I used to own a massive oak desk and that is exactly what they did for both the drawers and the slideout writing surfaces.
But the bolt the used was a fancy one. All smooth, no threads and a round, flat top. I think it wa bronze?? It looked similar to what is used on a T bolt. No idea where to find them. But something stock can be found, I am sure. It worked well.
The description almost sounds like the male part of a rivet They are often made of soft metals for ease of mashing over the washer side. I remember my father replacing the pads on brake shoes that were held on with copper rivets, He had the tool to knock in the rivet (looked like a punch mounted on a "c" clamp and that was hammered to mash over the ends of the stud, This was over 50 years ago. CC
The "washer" above is called a burr.
I wear a belt I made from nylon strapping material, bronze rings, assembled with copper rivets and burrs.
Why the above construction?
No magnetic materials involved thus no affect on magnetic compass when on the helm of a sailboat.
BTW, check a tool and die hardware supplier for the specialty bolt.
A long time ago, back in Cleveland, there was a company named Jergens Tool who would have had what you need.
Don't even know if they are still in business.
Just Googled, yes they are still around.
Lew
The rails should be a hard wood - I like hickory, sometimes white oak. They should extend almost but not all the way into the grooves...the idea is to provide the drawer a bit of side to side motion but *very* little. They should also be a hair thinner top to bottom than the groove is wide to keep the drawer from tipping. Since they serve to stop the drawer from tipping they need to be firmly mounted.
To facilitate inserting/removing the drawer, you need to widen the top back part of the groove in the drawer sides and/or the top front edge of the rail. Sort of like a rule joint. That allows you to tip the drawer, hook the top of the back behind the face frame and the slide it in; when pulled out, the back will hit the face frame and prevent it coming out unless the front of the drawer is tipped up.
1/4", dammit, 1/4"
I have a fine old antique walnut dresser in my office that has small walnut blocks glued to the underside of the horizontal drawer rail?/ divider? that holds the face of the drawer in alignment to the face of the rail. I have often speculated that a small sliding piece of wood at the top of the drawer back could engage the other side of that block to keep the drawer from falling out, but the original maker didn't do it, and I haven't either.
Old Guy
Well, *there's* your problem...
Many thanks to everyone - lots of good info here.
Tom - you were right on - the article says it all. Good timing huh ?
It also pushed me over the edge to go ahead and subscribe to FWW like I've been threatening to forever.
Jim In FL
the website
it does a fine job of illustrating a dovetail slide.
Sorry about that ... here is what a "button", used on the back of a drawer to stop it from being pulled all the way out, looks like:
TIP: by gluing/screwing a mating block above the drawer in the appropriate place, you can allow the drawer to be opened only as far as desired. I use this in cases where a fully opened drawer may interfere with a cabinet door, like in a corner cabinet situation.
Simple, effective, elegant, and as old as the hills.
wisdom:
opportunity
Journal" on the website
"button"), but it does a fine job of illustrating a dovetail slide.
Now I remember who was doing the web-site.
I'll remember to properly attribute this one.
P D Q
... snip
Thanks for that, coincidentally, I've been trying to determine how to install stops on the drawers for my end tables (yeah, I'm still working that project -- life has gotten in the way of spending a lot of shop time to finish). The drawers are only 3 1/2" tall, so I can't get an arm in back to install the stops. I overcame the issue for the wooden drawer guides by installing them before carcase assembly and will fit by tuning the drawer groove. What I was struggling with was depth control with back stops. I don't need the top stop (the drawers are flush to the dust skirts, but attaching a tuned block to the back drawer is exactly what I needed.
Picked up the "block with flat head screw for drawer depth adjustment" from the old cabinet maker I worked for in England some 45 years ago. His family had been making cabinets and furniture for over 200 years and he was an encyclopedia of similar wisdom.
I'm certain that he would be tickled/proud to know that it has been passed on.
Unfortunately we are losing much practical wisdom in this supposed "age of enlightenment".
BTW, saw where the average IQ in the US has has supposedly dropped to 98 ... nothing surprising about that, eh?
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