Attaching drawer stops

[Jan Bianchi]

I forgot to route a groove for drawer stops on the top of the bottom stretcher of my country hutch before I assembled it. I don't want to screw them in place, but I've only got 6 inches of vertical space to work in so I can't route or cut them by hand.

I thought about drilling through the stretcher from below so I could secure them with dowels.

Do you have any other ideas how I might secure them?

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Jan,

I am having difficulty determining if the stops are to keep the drawer from going too far into the case or if they are stops to prevent the drawer from being withdrawn from the case by accident.

Pictures always help to see the problem and to formulate a fix.

If these are to stop the drawer from being pulled out, it might be possible to install a stop onto the back of the inside stretcher. If attached with a screw, it could be easily flipped aside for those times the drawer needs to be removed. Make it just tight enough to stay in place so it isn't a trick to get the drawer back in place.

jtk

[Jan Bianchi]

Thanks Jim. The 1/4 inch high stop is to prevent the drawer from closing too far into the case. The sides and front of the drawer extend about 3/8 below the drawer bottom. The stop sits right behind the face of the drawer front about an inch from the edge of the front stretcher. It prevents the drawer from being pushed in beyond the case and getting out of alignment with the case. You tilt the drawer up to get it past the stop when you first put in the drawer.

Rob Cosman's drawer fitting video suggests doing this so that the drawer front will stay relatively flush with the case even if seasonal wood movement tends to push the drawer front out proud of the case. But I can't figure out how to attach it without having routed a groove for it before assembly.

[Jim Koepke]

My tendency is to put blocks at the back of the drawer. There shouldn't be much movement to make the drawer longer or shorter over the seasons.

In you case is it possible to glue a block in place.

Maybe an L shaped block could be glued to the back of the stretcher and then a few swipes of a rabbet plane or a chisel would adjust the depth.

jtk

[Jan Bianchi]

I the L-shaped block with glue is probably best option. Thanks for your help.

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks for your help.

You are welcome.

Let us know (see pictures) of how it turns out.

jtk