The Saga of the Messed Up Drawers

[BKind2Anmls]

Does anyone at NCWW make dovetailed drawer boxes? I would rather buy them from a member than from somewhere else.

Here is my sad tale.:gar-Cr
A friend of mine is helping me build my new shop. In exchange, I was building the drawers and doors for his new kitchen cabinets. He built the cabinets but hates dealing with drawers and doors so I said I would do it.

I carefully measured all the openings then sat down on the computer and created a spreadsheet that calculated the drawer width minus the allowance for the Blumotion drawer slides they bought. I determined how long each drawer side needed to be.

Then I jointed, planed, sanded and ripped the raw wood. I glued up panels for the taller drawers then I cut each side to the approprate length, dovetailed each drawer and cut the grooves and plywood for the bottoms. I then glued them up. All of this has taken weeks since I was working it in around my job. My friend has been very patient but you know how it is when someone is waiting on a project from you. It tends to feel like a weight on your shoulders.

Today, I was gluing up the last drawer (hallelujah!) when I realized that all my drawers were going to be too narrow for the opening. For some reason, I had looked at the calculated drawer width and then subtracted an additional allowance for the Blumotion slides. This meant that each drawer was more than an inch too narrow for the opening.:BangHead:

Well, she has waited long enough for her drawers and I really don't want to start all over; I don't have the heart for it. So, I am going to purchase the 8 drawer boxes I need so whe won't be without a kitchen any longer than necessary, So, if any NCWW makes drawer boxes and can do so fairly quickly, please let me know. Otherwise, I'm going to a local cabinet shop.

Thanks

 

[nelsone]

Ouch!!! I know that hurts the ego, but it'll be cheaper to remake them yourself. I'm sure you won't make the same mistake twice (although I have managed to do so in the past!).

 

[DaveO]

Susan are the drawers going to have false fronts? If so you are in better shape than you might think. Too narrow drawer boxes can easily be shimmed. To wide become fire wood :eusa_doh:You can either shim the slides inside the carcass or on the drawer box itself depending on how the carcass is constructed. Make ½" thick shims out of the same species wood as the box or carcass, the same width as the slide and no one but you will know they are there. BTDT

Dave

 

[MIKE NOAH]

Susan if at all possible do just as Dave suggested. I tend to shamefully put myself in this situation because I changed a facing width without thinking about the consequences or recut drawers because I wasn't satisfied with fit/tear out and shimming the slides out will cover all sins.

 

[BKind2Anmls]

They will have false fronts. The cabinets are face frame with rear hangers instead of side mounted drawer slides. The slides are the Blumotion undermount so if I did any shimming it would have to be on the sides of the face frame itself in order to move the slides over towards the center. I 'm afraid this wouldn't look very good and I hate to cheat her out of 1" of drawer space.

I went back out and found out I had made the mistake on "only" 5 drawers. So, that will save me a little money on having them made. If I made them myself it would take another two or three weeks and she shouldn't have to wait that long. Besides, I still have to make the frame and panel doors.

Thanks

 

[Joe Scharle]

Susan, if you were in my zip code, I'd volunteer.
However, Rockler sells made to order drawers.

 

[BKind2Anmls]

Well, just got around to reading my email. Due to lack of funds, my teaching program at the prison has been cancelled starting tomorrow(possibly to be restarted in August.) So, without a job I'll have plenty of time to rebuild the drawers.

Thanks to all who responded.