Drawer Front Clearance

[Tom Winship]

I'm sure this has been posted before, and I'm sure the answer is a personal preference one, however, here goes.

I'm building an 8 drawer shaker dresser out of mesquite. The drawer fronts are flush with the rails. At the moment I have fitted each front where it will barely fit the opening. I know this is too tight (it surely looks good, though).

What opening gap should I leave around the ends and top/bottom? (I'm guessing 1/32" on all 4 sides?)

[Jamie Buxton]

It may depend a bit on what you've done about drawer slides. Some slides have more play than others. If your slides have enough play that the drawer front can catch on the casework, you need a bigger gap around the front. Try pushing the drawers in while pushing the drawers down, or sideways to see if you get rubbing.

[Tom Winship]

The drawers will slide on the side rails and drawer side bottoms.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I would go with the 1/32" on each end since wood doesn't grow or shrink very much in length. For the height I would check out Mesquite in one of the tables which give moisture content vs expansion/contraction and adjust the height based on your drawer height. In no case would I go less than 1/32" at the top. The bottom isn't an issue if the drawer is sitting on rails and the gap will always be zero.

[Frank Drew]

What Dave said.

Also to consider is where the chest will be living; you can reasonably count on much less seasonal movement in the desert Southwest than in, say, coastal Georgia.

[Tom Winship]

Thanks, all. I thougth 1/32" would be a good number. I have the drawer fronts where they will barely go in the openings. Normally it is recommended that the front be 1/32" proud of the sides when laying out blind dovetails. Therefore, when plaining the fronts flush with the sides, one would have the 1/32" you recommend.

[Tony Shea]

A little off the original question but another almost more important cosideration is the space left for the drawer sides. Depending on materials used I woul consider at least an 1/8" for the fit inside the frame for the sides. The fine line is how much do you want the drawer to drop down when fully extended. This is the area I see a lot of jamming when full wood expansion is present.

As for the gap around the front I would think that 1/32" is a decent place to start. You may find that you have to go a bit more but like you said, less always looks much better. I couldn't give you a specific measurement as I've never in my life measured this gap. It's always just a feel and sight thing.

The best looking drawer fronts have a consistant gap all the way around, which can be tuff to do when using wood rails. I end up creating an illusion that there is a gap on the bottom with a slight chamfer all the way around with the bottom chamfer slightly larger than the rest.

[john brenton]

Thank you. I moved to Savannah, GA from Fresno, CA a few years ago and it is a real challenge. Fresno: Dry as hell. Savannah: Sweating in the shower.

My lumber cups five minutes after planing. Well...not really but it sure seems that way.


What Dave said.

Also to consider is where the chest will be living; you can reasonably count on much less seasonal movement in the desert Southwest than in, say, coastal Georgia.

[Frank Drew]

John,

Some years ago, I did the final fitting of the dovetailed drawers of a china cabinet I'd made in my at that time un-airconditioned (but closed-doors) shop shortly before delivering it to a residence a few miles away, here in Virginia. In August. The cabinet's new home was similarly without AC but all the windows were open I could almost see the humidity rolling in and thought "This might not be good."

Sure enough, by the next morning I had to go over there and take a bit more off the drawers.

[Tom Winship]

My lumber cups five minutes after planing. Well...not really but it sure seems that way.[/QUOTE]

Actually, mesquite is pretty stable. Here in College Station, the humidity is also a little less than along the coast. When we lived in Houston, you could open the front door and drawers would no longer close.

[Jon van der Linden]

Your question has two answers. For drawer fit, it should be as tight as conditions allow. That is taking wood type/movement into account and yearly humidity swings. For the reveal at the drawer front (which may or may not be the same as fit) it's an aesthetic decision that should be thought about carefully.

If this is a piece you're keeping, then you can make it a bit tighter. The risk is always the same. Some years ago I was being given a tour of a museum by the director, when we came upon two workmen who had just succeeded in opening a mechanical desk by Riesener, splitting the front in half. Funny how for over two hundred years it was fine and then some workman over a thousand miles from where the desk was built decided to muscle it. I'm sure that repairing the marquetry was not fun. That's what wood movement can do - you don't want it fitting like it was made in Asia for Pottery Barn either.

[lowell holmes]

According to the instructors at Homestead Heritage in Elm Mott, Texas, mesquite has the lowest coeficient of expanson from moisture.

I have a mesquite rocking chair made about 8 years ago that shows no movement from moisture or any other source.

Frank Strazza at Homestead Heritage can answer your question. He used mesquite in a Federal desk and a dresser (Both were prize winners in the Kerville show).

[Tom Winship]

According to the instructors at Homestead Heritage in Elm Mott, Texas, mesquite has the lowest coeficient of expanson from moisture.

I have a mesquite rocking chair made about 8 years ago that shows no movement from moisture or any other source.

Frank Strazza at Homestead Heritage can answer your question. He used mesquite in a Federal desk and a dresser (Both were prize winners in the Kerville show).

Funny you mentioned Frank. I was up there a couple of weeks ago and should have asked him. Thanks.

[Frank Drew]

Slight thread drift: I've never seen any numbers to back this up, but as I understand it a main reason why Royal Paulownia is so prized in Japan is because it moves so little, so musical instruments and very close fitting chests of drawers are possible in that humid country.

[Tom Winship]

Probably would make the $8-$10/ft for mesquite sound cheap?