Options for drawer construction

[TrevorBenjamin]

So in building some built in wardrobes soon and I'm wondering what would be the best options for the construction of the drawers they will be 600x700 and I have 16 to make I might reduce them to 600x600 to save the waste of I use sheet materials. They will be on runners if that makes any difference and also I would like to keep the cost down. Thanks

 

[Jacob]

If you do them traditionally you won't need runners, they'd last longer and you get more drawer volume for a given frontage

 

[MattRoberts]

If you can't dovetail them with a dovetail jig, then I'd recommend using a half dovetail joint like this:

 

[RobinBHM]

15mm birch plywood with tongue and groove joint I find works well. Cut up ply large enough for multiple sides or fronts, say 3 or 4. Machine the joint, then rip to size and rout for groove

 

[TrevorBenjamin]

I like the half dovetail that looks neat, thanks for your suggestions, would ply bed best for the bases and what thickness to avoid sag

 

[MMUK]

If you're on a budget, use 1/4" ply for the bases and add a brace front to back underneath Otherwise, 3/8" ply should be sufficient to cope with heavy G-Strings

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You can use 9mm ply - you don't necessarily have to use a 9mm housing. I've had well overloaded drawers for years with 6mm ply and even hardboard - well glued in.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I like the half dovetail that looks neat,

Looks neat, but is hardly better than a lap joint. All the contact points have at least one surface endgrain. And the joint itself provides no mechanical strength.

 

[Beau]

Done a fair few as Robin suggests and proved rock solid under heavy use

 

[DaveyP]

The only problem with draws.... is that there's 12,647 different ways of making them ('ish) :roll: and every different way has its merits

fastest overall method may be router table with dovetail bit, doing the 2 different steps in a batch, then finally step to slot everything for the base.

Here's the video that converted me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMDNgFqyBLo

 

[Adam9453]

Depends on the materials IMO.
If using MDF then i'd just but joint with decent glue and screws orientated so the screws provide the mechanical strength (with an overlaid front to hide runners).
As others have said, virtually all the methods work well but some depend on what you are making the drawer from as to which joint is appropriate.

Theres also something else to be said for Jacobs comment about doing them the traditional way, It will save you a fortune in buying runners.
Nothing particularly challenging about making drawers the traditional way, unless you are aiming for piston fit drawers.

 

[TrevorBenjamin]

Yeah I'm going for the cheaper options maybe mdf, i forgot to mention that I have a domino and Iv just came across the domidrawer anyone tried this method?

 

[Woodmatt]

I have but didn't like the finished product.Ended up scrapping the first design and going for sliding dovetails.

 

[petermillard]

Yeah I'm going for the cheaper options maybe mdf, i forgot to mention that I have a domino and Iv just came across the domidrawer anyone tried this method?

If you have a Domino, then don't faff about with anything else, unless you want the aesthetic appeal of, say, dovetails - simple butt joints with dominos and plenty of glue is the quickest way I know to make a drawer. I tried DomiDrawers when they were a new thing, way back - this one's from 2010:-

Worked pretty well, but they're not necessarily quicker, or easier, or look nicer, so I went back to the simple way.

HTH Pete