Cutting the groove on a bow front drawer to accept the drawer bottom?

[Jeremy Rayburn]

So I plan on making some bow front drawers for a cabinet I am making, and as I was thinking this through, how (and when) would I cut the groove in the drawer front that would accept the drawer bottom?

[Pete Bradley]

I haven't done quite this situation but I've done something close with a guided bit in router table, freehand if there's a enough curve to hold it perpendicular, clamped to a right angle jig if not.

Pete

[Jamie Buxton]

Slot-cutting bit in a router, or a router table. You might want to put a different bearing diameter on it to set the depth.

For instance http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/v146-0130/ea_-_slot_cutters, and http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/196-0022/ea_-_slot_cutters

[Bill Huber]

I have never done a curved front but I have done a lot of flat ones and just used a slot cutting with a larger bearing on it. I used the router table to cut them with no problem.

http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/v146-0130/router_bits_-_ea

with a bearing kit.

http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/196-0022/router_bits_-_ea

[Mike Henderson]

Assemble the drawer (except for the bottom, of course). If your joints aren't tight enough to hold everything together use packing tape to hold it.

Then set up a slot cutting bit on your router table with the proper amount of cutting depth (change the bearing size to give you the right depth). Put the drawer over the bit, so the bit is in the center of the drawer, and route the slot. If you need to make it a bit wider, raise or lower the bit and do it again.

The corners will not be fully cut so you'll have to use a chisel to finish those.

The advantage of this technique is that the boards are held in the proper upright position, and the slots on all the boards are guaranteed to line up. Sometimes when doing dovetails you get one board a small amount "off". If you cut the slot on each board individually, the slot on that board will not line up with the other slots. This technique fixes that.

Also, the slot is not visible on the sides of the drawer as it would be if you cut the front individually.

Mike

[Dan Friedrichs]

Also, the slot is not visible on the sides of the drawer as it would be if you cut the front individually.



That's an interesting idea, Mike. I might give that a try next time I build a drawer...


Since no one else has, I feel compelled to suggest the option of a bow-top table saw (*groan* :) )

[David Keller NC]

So I plan on making some bow front drawers for a cabinet I am making, and as I was thinking this through, how (and when) would I cut the groove in the drawer front that would accept the drawer bottom?

Mike's given you a very good way to do this with a router table and a slot cutting bit. If you're not comfortable with the high speed and instant results (or disaster) of a router, a good hand-tool equivalent is the Lie-Nielsen copy of the #66 Stanley hand beader. The LN version comes with a couple of front-bent router blades that will cut the groove for your drawer bottom.

It is also possible (and quick) to do this with a chisel and a mallet. The key to getting it right is thoroughly immobilize the drawer front on your bench (sawn cauls underneath work well), and use a mortising gauge to deeply mark your two layout lines. You then just use the chisel, bevel down, and light mallet strikes to excavate the drawer bottom groove. The bottom of the groove will not be clean and neat, but that doesn't matter in this case, since it will be hidden by the drawer bottom.

[Jeremy Rayburn]

I was thinking slot cutter on the router table, but didn't want that deep of a slot. Sounds like I just need to get some larger bearings for it.

[glenn bradley]

I use Mike's method whenever possible. Works very slick.

[mike holden]

Jeremy,
Lee Valley makes a router bit specifically for drawer bottoms.
They work beautifully (as you would expect - grin)
Mike

127318

[Tom Veatch]

My Whiteside slot cutters are 1 7/8 diameter and the arbor uses 5/16 ID bearings. From what I've seen, that's pretty standard across the company lines. A 1 3/8 bearing, B26, gives me a 1/4" cutting depth - different bearing, different depths. That cutting diameter and depth, leaves about 5/16" uncut in square corners and a total of about an inch of slot that needs to be hand worked to extend it into the corners.

A smaller diameter cutter such as that on the specialized drawer bottom bits from Lee Valley would cut closer into the corner and reduce the amount of hand work necessary. Which you use depends on what you already have available, what you'd need to buy, and whether the reduced hand work is worth the ~ $30 for the Lee Valley bits. The larger diameter bits with a set of 5/16 ID bearings is more versatile. Don't know whether or not the cut depth on the Lee Valley bits can be varied with bearing replacement. You takes your choice and you pays your money.

[Peter Quinn]

I'm having a vision of a plunge router, spiral carbide down shear, and a curved base plate for the router with a hole in it. Sound crazy?

[Jamie Buxton]

I'm having a vision of a plunge router, spiral carbide down shear, and a curved base plate for the router with a hole in it. Sound crazy?

You could do that. But you'd have to build the curved base plate. You'd also probably have to build a curved nest to cradle the workpiece while you rout on it. The slot cutter does the job with less effort.

[George Hoppen]

I'm having a vision of a plunge router, spiral carbide down shear, and a curved base plate for the router with a hole in it. Sound crazy?

This sounds like something I would try, spend 6 - 9 months making it, then (possibly) finding it's a little off, so spend another 3 - 4 months fixing it, and in the end the cabinet drawers never get made!! :) Slot cutting bit sounds great, if I could only get my brain to comply....

[Steve Wurster]

Make the drawer front bowed on the front and flat on the back; then you won't have this problem. :)