Integrated Drawer Handle - Construction Methods?

[alex grams]

I am trying to cut handles into drawer fronts as shown below, however I am having a hard time figuring out the best way to do this. I want the drawer front to all be from the same block, so the handle is only formed by removing material around the slot. THoughts on how to cut this?

I would thinking a vertical router bit, but it would be a 1 1/2" height for the bit to cut, which becomes a risky cut, even in a jig.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

[Jacob Dahn]

Why not rip the board into three sections, top, handle, and bottom. Cut the two (top and bottom using a bandsaw, shape and finish them, and reglue. The glue line would be hidden by the handle and nearly invisible since it came from the same board.

Otherwise you might want to look at a CNC or a lot of hand tool work.

Jake

[Bruce Page]

I would do it in 3 pieces as Jacob suggested.

[Jamie Buxton]

Three pieces would be the easiest way. However, if you really want to do it in one piece, it can be done. I'd build a jig that swings a router like a swing. The arc would be cut with the tip of a straight bit. The jig would have to have some way to slide the swing sideways, and an index to prevent the router from cutting into the handle.

Or instead you could use something like a dovetail bit, to undercut the top and bottom of the handle.

[Matt Day]

Taking light cuts with a template and router bit would work, but I understand your hesitation.

I suppose you could also bandsaw it all at once, trim the offcut to the handle size you want and reglue it.

Any way you do it, do a trial run first with some scrap.

[alex grams]

3 piecing it with a bandsaw really isn't an option because I have already dovetailed the ends.

I may play around with a router jig for slopnig the drawer face.

The dovetail bit would be a good idea, however the width of the cut from the bit would change depending on the height of the bit, so the handle would not be a consistent width. (hard to explain, let me know if that makes sense)

[Bill Huber]

I am not sure I see the problem, in fact I am sure I don't understand it.

If you make a template that is the same size as the drawer fronts, cut the arch on the band saw and smooth it all out. Now put the template on the drawer front with double back tape. Put it on the band saw and cut 1/16" away from the template. Now put it on the router table with a trim bit and cut it. With a 45 degree chamfer bit with a bearing cut the underside of the front to give you the handle.

[Rod Sheridan]

Template and rebate head with a ball bearing rub collar in a shaper.............Rod.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Although I haven;t quite digested Bill's suggestion, it does lead me to another.

Make a square sub-base for your router (square is essential as a round base would be difficult to hold upright later on, you'll see).

Cut a template with the arch in it. I think the template will have to have the arch exagerated to compensate for the long subbase on the router. The arch will be more exagerated with a full-size 6"ish base than with a palm router and a 3"ish base. The router will contact the template only on either edge, hence the necessity for the square base, where the leading and following edges are straight (line contact) instead of round (point contact)

The template will need to be as long as the drawer front plus the length of the router sub base plus the diameter of the bit.

Use a straight bit and go to it.

[alex grams]

I agree with Anthony, I don't really grasp Bill's suggestions. I think I grasp it, but a vertical cut with a router over a 3"+ height would be a precarious cut at best.

I mainly want to make a low profile drawer handle that is integral to the drawer face and would be contiguous to the wood which makes up the drawer face.

Another option would be this, which would be a little simpler and easier in construction with a few router templates:

Any other designs/thoughts?

Thanks again.

[Peter Quinn]

I've seen jigs for chair seats that basically act as a pendulum to swing a router with a mortising bit from above. Making one would certainly be an option, but it depends on how many you have to make. A ships compass plane is perhaps another option depending on how few you have to make and how much you like spending money on hand planes. Like Rod i would use a shaper with a few rub collars and be done with it quick. Perhaps you can cut the curve with a BS like a curved resaw operation, then glue the handle back on after adjusting the fit. perhaps scribe a template to the curved drawer face and flush trim the off cut strip to the template? I can imagine different approaches depending on how many of these you need to make.Ú

[Anthony Whitesell]

Now that ones a piece of cake. Router all the way. Straight bit for the outside edge, dovetail bit for the inside edge.

[Bill Huber]

Forget everything I said, I was not looking at the image right.

So now you will have to hang the router from a cable, well 2 cables so it will not go side was and the length of the cable will be the radius of the arc.

[alex grams]

Still debating on how to go about this.

Does anyone else have any integrated handle design ideas?

[Jeff Monson]

Alex, Not sure if you have a shaper?? But if you do Rods suggestion of a rebate cutter, rub collar and a template would be a piece of cake to make this cut. Rebate cutters are really versatile.

[Bill Huber]

Still debating on how to go about this.

Does anyone else have any integrated handle design ideas?

Now this is not a very good drawing but I think you can get the idea from it as to the way you could do the first drawing of your drawer fronts. Use a straight bit to do each side and then a dovetail to give the center pull something to grab. Just an idea, I think it should work if the raduis is set correct.

180961

[Alan Schwabacher]

Rather than cutting into the center of the front, you can profile the bottom edge of the front in various ways. I think that looks good and works well.

If you do want to cut it as originally described, I prefer the handheld router versions over the router table. To do it that way, I would joint and plane some scrap to square and parallel, then resaw a shallow curve. I would smooth both convex and concave surfaces, using each as a sanding block for the other, then rip each down the middle. The two concave pieces would be glued back together with blocks spacing them apart at each end to form the template. This template would have a shallow curve running front to back, thinnest in the middle, with a narrow slot along the center for the bit. The blocks at the ends would be set a little below the curved surface. The two concave parts would also be glued together with blocks, but these blocks would be longer, leaving only a small gap for the router bit, and the blocks would drop below the curved bottom a little. They then register in the gap of the template, allowing motion only forward and back without twisting, and clear the lower blocks.

To use, attach the concave template to the drawer front and the convex part to the bottom of the router. Moving the router along its track will cut a groove most deeply in the center, and you can make the cut in several passes to get to the depth you want.

[alex grams]

No shaper unfortunately. :(