Need opinion

[Byron Trantham]

I am installing some drawer fronts that will have knobs screwed in from the back. The drawer fronts will then be premantely attached to the drawer box. Once installed, we won't be able to retighten them as the screw will be buried. Should I epoxy them into the drawer front so they can't move? I'm afraid that after awhile, they will loosen and then we won't be able to tighten them as the screws could turn.

Thanks.

[Jim Becker]

Either epoxy the screws or use Loctite on the threads...or both!

[Jason Roehl]

How about throwing a little Loctite Blue on the screw threads before you put the drawers on? They shouldn't ever loosen, then.

[Greg Heppeard]

What happens when you decide to change styles of knobs??? When I have to attach a front to a drawer box, I drill all the way thru the box then push the screw in. That way the knob can be swapped out if needed.

[Byron Trantham]

What happens when you decide to change styles of knobs??? When I have to attach a front to a drawer box, I drill all the way thru the box then push the screw in. That way the knob can be swapped out if needed.

Well, gee Greg; [slapping my forehead..] "I shoulda' had a V-8!" Good idea! :rolleyes: Couldn't see the forrest for the trees! :D

[Scott Banbury]

When i do overlay drawer faces on 5/8" drawer boxes, I drill all the way thru and use longer machine screws :)

[Bob Smalser]

Don't bury the screw heads...or countersink them so you can get at them....all drilling done from behind the drawer front.

Epoxying the knob will make repair impossible some day if the knobs are wood.

If the knobs are metal, then epoxy can be released easily with a soldering iron applied to the knob and that's OK.

The drawer front will shrink and swell just enuf to loosen those screws over time....tightening them up is routine maintenance....locktite won't help because the drawer front got a tad thinner in the shrink cycle.

If you insist on gluing on wood knobs....use hide glue that can be released easily with steam.

Otherwise some restoration guy like I used to be is gonna cuss your work some day.

[Bob Hoffmann]

While this probably won't help now, when we build drawers we put a "smily face" on the front -- a dip along the front edge that goes down around 2" and is around 5" wide and then curves up to the level of the drawer sides. In this way, you have access to knobs and locks that are attached to the drawer front.

These "smily faces" are done on a pin router before the drawer is assembled. I guess that a router would word after it has been put together. The shape uses a template.

But as others have said, a longer screw that goes through both is simplier. Just thought that I would give another approach to drawer fronts.

[Chris Padilla]

Byron,

You could just epoxy the screw to the front so it is flush on the back (or vice, countersink the drawer box a bit for clearance). So now you have a screw that doesn't and won't ever move and you can twist knobs off and on it all day long.

[Keith Christopher]

Use a process similar to pocket screws. drill a larger hole, through the face of the drawer (large enough to accomidate the screw head -leaving about 1/4" of material) then finish the hole with a hole large enough for the screw shank. Basically recessing the screws. If you worry about the holes in the drawers, well make you some plugs for them. :)