cock beading on large solid wood drawers

[David Coburn]

Hi guys,

I'm building a large dresser that has double 10, 9, 8, & 6" drawers. They are solid walnut faces that will be mounted onto poplar drawer boxes. I want to put a cockbead around the parimeter of the drawers, but I'm really nervous about doing "applied" cockbeads on solid drawer faces this tall. I'm worried that the beads will either come off over time due to seasonal changes or possibly just the miters pull apart, neither of which would be good... The dresser is very nice and I want the cockbeads to hold up as well. I've considered scratching them in and have actually done a few test runs around some walnut test boards.. none of them came out at the caliber of the rest of the dresser so I'm not quite sure what to do... I've done some reading and it seems that sometimes they run beads just across the tops and bottoms but I've never seen this... obviously this would work fine, but I'm not sure how it would look...

Anyway, I'm interested in any experience you guys have had putting applied cockbeading around large solid drawers...

or...

any other comments or suggestions that you might have would be appreciated.

thanks,
david

[Curt Putnam]

Good question. I'm waiting with bated breathe for good answers, just as are you.

[Mike Henderson]

I've not done that but here's an idea. Use a router to put the cockbeading on the sides of the drawers. Then use an applied cockbeading on the top and bottom. Since the grain will be running the same way you shouldn't have any expansion problems with the applied cockbeading. Leave the applied cockbeading just a bit short on each end so that you have to put a square corner piece on the end of the applied cockbeading. Hand carve that piece to take the cockbeading around the corner.

Mike

[David Coburn]

thanks Mike... Seems like a reasonable idea... I would need to be pretty careful to maintain the same type of look of the flat or gap (see pic below) between the bead and the rest of the drawer face.... Here is a look at one I practiced on with a router and a radius'd v-groove bit.... It doesn't look horrible but it looks much more "country" or "unfinished" compared to the rest of the dresser... It's not done but I'm including a quick pic of the cabinet as well... Just an fyi, there is a 6" top piece that goes onto what you see here as well.. It has molding around the top and a couple of drawers built into that...

I'm about to think the best thing would be to put the beading onto the face frame rather than the drawers. I checked it last night and the blums still have plenty of space to slide and I've built a few cabinets that way as well.. The orientation of the grain would not be a problem in that case...

anyway, any comments or suggestions are welcome.

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[Mike Henderson]

I'm about to think the best thing would be to put the beading onto the face frame rather than the drawers. I checked it last night and the blums still have plenty of space to slide and I've built a few cabinets that way as well.. The orientation of the grain would not be a problem in that case...

anyway, any comments or suggestions are welcome.

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When I did a chest and did cockbeading, that's the way I did it. I put it into the drawer blades and the applied it to the sides. I rabbeted the sides so that when I applied the cockbeading the sides were flush. Putting the cockbeading into the blades requires that you prepare the ends of the cockbeading with a miter before you assemble. Applying the cockbeading to the blades would be easier.

Mike

[Jeff Hamilton Jr.]

Troy Sexton did a casepiece for an article for Pop Woodworking a couple of years ago where he described the method Mike seems to be talking about (sorry, can't remember the issue). I did a dresser/changing table that way and, 7 years later, nothing's moved - or, if it has, I can't see it!After you round over your edges and then cut a relief rabbet on the underside (can use router table or TS), use a handsaw and a bench hook with a 45 kerf cut in the fence and you'll get a very tight, spring-fit bead piece. Good luck. The dresser looks very nice thus far ... BTW :-)

[Frank Drew]

David,

Cock beading was originally intended as a decorative method to protect the fragile edges of veneered surfaces (not solid); older examples seem to have held up well, even given the cross grain issues (veneer was usually applied onto solid).

In this case, applying beading to the inner faces of the drawer openings might be the way to go.

[Bob Coleman]

I've always done them applied to a rabbet around the drawer front. All four sides. I usually raise the beading about 1/8 off the face of the drawer front. Just my preference. I have a dresser my grandfather made probably 60-70 years ago and the beading looks great. If you use brads to attach the side beads, the pieces will flex with season movement. (And finish the insides of the drawers to cut down on moisture movement) I'd attach pictures, but I've sprained my ankle and don't want to hobble over there.

[Bruce Swanson]

My wife has a Baker end table that has that same look. I've been wondering how they did it. Please let us know what you decide and how you did it. Thanks,
Bruce

[David Coburn]

Bob,

Are you saying that you believe I could apply the beading directly to the 10" tall solid drawer face if I were to use brads along with the glue? This brings up another issue that I've often struggled with... I understand the seasonal movement arguments but I also understand that we live in climate controlled conditions... and as such we don't really have a seasonal movement issue.. at least this has been something I have questioned for a long time. I have also done cross grain glue-ups that have so far stood up well... Of course I'm talking 10 years of so, certainly not 50 or 100... haven't been around but 52.. and that would have made me pretty young to be woodworking.. :)

Also, for the inner face frame idea... I did this bathroom cabinet several years ago and I think it looks ok... I'm still thinking that this may be the way to go...

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