Locking drawer bits

I just made a set of kitchen drawers using a similar bit and 1/2" baltic birch. It takes about 15 minutes and a few test cuts to set up, especially if you've never done it before, but once done you can proceed fairly fast (at about a minute or two per drawer). I'd think the drawers are plenty strong for kitchen use. There's a lot of glue surface making for a robust joint.

This is a personal opinion. It seems to me nobody who is in the cabinet business for kitchens uses dovetails. Things like locking drawer joints and pocket hole joinery are what a commercial cabinet maker needs to keep their costs down and have reasonable quality work. Dovetails are for fine furniture and hobbyists who don't need to make money with woodworking.

Bob

My opinion, with lots of glue area and the interlocking design any great strength difference between a drawer lock joint and dovetails isn't worth mentioning.

As long as you want random musings... I just bought a drawer lock and used it for one drawer. It was a somewhat different shape than the one you show. I had a cherry front and poplar sides.

As long as I have the bit I will certainly try it again, but I don't think I could recommend buying the bit.

One small suggestion. When you get the bit set up so that your ready to cut the drawer parts, cut a piece of scrap and save it so that you have a gauge for the next time. It makes setup a whole lot eaiser.

I do. No I don't do kitchens exclusively, but when I do a set of cabs for a kitchen every drawer is dovetailed. If your jig is set up right it really doesn't take any longer to half blind a drawer than it does to make most any other joint. I guess its like you said, its a personal opinion.

Jim

Now you tell me...I didn't do this, but I've wished a couple of times I had. The bit takes a little fiddling to get it right, but works great once you get it set up. I made 8 large drawers for a dresser using it about a year ago and even though some of the drawers are used daily the joint has held up great. Once you get it set up do save a scrap piece that you can use as a gauge for the next time.

FYI, you don't need a special bit to do a locking-rabbet drawer joint. It can be done with only a 1/4" straight bit. For that matter, you can do it all on the TS with a 1/4" dado blade.

Toller, what thickness was the poplar? The link you listed indicates the bit #7851 is for 3/4" stock and #7852 is for 1/2" stock.

Bob

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by a locking-rabbet drawer joint. Could you describe it to me so I can learn something?

Bob

No, you don't, but the advantage of the drawer lock bit is that once you have it set up you can cut both sides and fronts/backs with the same setup, and the joints are very tight and precise. With the straight bit or tablesaw, you'll need to change the setup between sides and front/backs.

I use this one:

It looks just like the joint produced by the drawer lock bit. It looks like it would take 3 setups and 3 cuts to make on a tablesaw. Am I missing something? I can see where a drawer lock bit would be much, much faster and accurate. I watched the guy a the woodworking show using a drawer lock bit. There's no way I could compete with him using a table saw.

Bob

You're not missing anything. You wanted to know what the joint looked like, I showed you. How you want to effect the joint is up to you, your wallet, and the equipment you have on hand.

Note carefully that all I remarked was that it _could_ "also" be cut on the table saw.

IME, it is wise to not lock yourself into one way, or one tool, to do things, no pun intended ... relying on specialty router bits when all the stores are closed, or out of stock, can cost you in a pinch.

FWIW, when I first learned the joint some 40 years ago, it was called a "half blind lap joint" ... those who say it is as strong as a dovetail are fooling themselves, IMO.

Thank you for the complete reply, Swingman. I didn't mean to challenge you. I just didn't understand. I agree - a dovetail is about as strong as it gets for this application.

Bob