Making Drawers
Q 1: what material (MDF, or pine laminated pieces)
2: what thicknesses of material (Its gotta be ½", 5/8", 11/16", or ¾", nom. or not) 3: what joints for front and rear (dovetail, rabbet and dado, lock or bit) 4: what material and thickness for the bottom (white(hard)board, plywood or other) 5: max. Drawer widthMy first choice for materials for making drawers is Home Depot. I don't know what to use. They will be installed up against an exposed stud wall in basement. All drawers will eventually be behind the middle 4' sliding mirror door. Sides will be painted or covered with pegboard. Top will be a shelf at approx. 52" from floor.
All the light bulbs, all the widgets and hardware, all the screws and nails, etc. It may get heavy in some of these drawers. All will be full. Could be rags. Large width drawers are for convenience not weight. Absolute exterior dimensions of the drawers will be approx.:
(3x) 4.5h" x 13.7"w x 18.5"d
(2x) 4.5h" x 21.2"w x 18.5"d
(9x) 9.0"h x 13.7"w x 18.5"d
(2x) 9.0"h x 21.2"w x 18.5"d (you could fit 8w x 7d empties inside except the cases & 1/3" off top)
A case of beer is (1x) 9"h x 10"w x15"d
I am going to use side mounted ½" gap bottom supporting 18" roller slides (from HD). Appearance is not important, so built with through dovetails at front, and false door fronts will never be added. I may just drill or cut pulls into the fronts to maximize depth. Fronts will all be painted white to match pegboard and wire shelving, and all else orange shellac flakes and lacquer thinner. No face frames, only edge on ¾" mdf to support glides. Utility, strength, durability, longevity. Planning same thickness for front, rear and sides, unless wrong.
Joints: I am willing to choose through dovetails by hand for the front and spend on a hand dovetail saw and guide<
I understand a lock joint can be weak. I may have 4 gallons of paint in these drawers on rollers. Is there any other type of router bit that can create a quick strong joint?
E.g.. <
Haven't seen anyone mention rabbet and dado for the front.
Material: I can use that 11/16" solid pine sideways-laminated that comes either loose or in plastic. Both have suitable surface, and no more expensive than plywood laminated in the other direction. Great. But will the laminate come unglued? They did on my top doorjamb (the laminates split
3/32" at end x 3" long, but that was screw-stress related). Are they biscuited? Are they lasting?What about mdf? Can you cut a dovetail out of mdf? How does a lock joint work in mdf? How does a rabbet and dado work in mdf? How is mdf for drawers?
Thickness: Solid pine laminate only comes in 11/16" (actually not sure if nominal). Should I be complaining it is too thick. Its not a full .750". But mdf comes in ½", and 5/8" nominal. That seems a better thickness than ¾", or even 11/16", no?
Bottoms: I know there are lots of thin plywood ( like approx. ¼" or mm): which is good? What kind of core What about that thin stuff that backs some furniture. The cheap stuff. (Hard)board? Comes in white, etc?
Width: I can't remember why drawers have a limit to width and I don't know if my plans exceed this. Am I all right? The 21-3/16"w drawers MAY get split bottoms front to back for bottom strength, but will they twist or something? Was that width rule by wall thickness, or twist; I can't say.
I have a 3 h.p. 10" table saw with a 1/8" 36-tooth carbide tipped combination blade. I do not want to buy a dado or other blade(s) unless necessary because I may not keep the saw long.
I have a ¼" shank 1-1/4 h.p. 9,000 -27,0000 rpm variable speed router, a router table with a fence and mitre, and a 26- piece router bit set including 1/2" dovetail and 1/8", 1/4", 1/2", and 3/4" straight bits. I am willing to buy more bits if necessary. Like a 3/8" or 5/8" straight, which I don't know if I need also anyway?