Case of drawers design options

[Daniel Rode]

While this is a simple project, I thought it might be interesting to work through the design here. So I'm essentially thinking out loud.

I began doodling some designs in sketchup last night. I made a tall version and a wide version and worked from simple drawer layouts to more complex. The top right tall version is not too bad, but that shape is not a great fit to the space in my shop. The top left is my favorite design aesthetically and fits the space better. It's also the most complex in that each row features different heights and widths.

The bottom left design is plain and simple with 15 drawers of the same size. It may also be the most useful for it's intended purpose (to hold screws). It can be cut down to 12 drawers with ease. 12 drawers is enough, but an odd number of rows looks better and extra the drawers will probably be handy.

The best looking design may lose out to the most useful design. If I choose to go with the bottom left, I think I'll work on the drawer proportions (currently 2.5 x 5.5" x 6.5) to see of I can come up with something more appealing.

The middle left is a compromise. It has some interesting elements but only uses 2 drawer sizes. One last note. These all show horizontal dividers. There's a good chance (80%) that I'll opt for side hung drawers and eliminate the 2 horizontal pieces. That would not be the case with the more complex layouts.

I'd be happy to hear any advice or constructive criticism.

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[Jim Koepke]

How do you buy your screws?

I like brass slot head screws. One size that is used often is ordered in a lot of 1,000. A 2-1/2 X 5-1/2 X 6-1/2 drawer might not be big enough to hold an order of them. It should be a touch bigger to accommodate a new supply of screws to replenish a low supply of screws.

Another problem for me is over the years I have accumulated many odd sizes of screws. I have bins or boxes with mixed screws, usually separated by size and types.

Are you such a purist to keep some extra drawers from holding plane blades, rulers, nails or other hardware?

One of my small drawers is the perfect home for my shoulder plane. Another houses some compasses and dividers.

You may also want to consider having vertical dados on the inside of the drawers to allow for vertical dividers.

jtk

[Reinis Kanders]

You will be making drawers all winter:) Nice way to get good at it.
I planed ash and fir for what seems all summer for workbench top, definitely improved my stock prep skills.

I like the a squarish layout better. Maybe go for golden ratios throughout and see what it works out to be. Google Tansu boxes, there are some cool designs there.
Greg Merritt recently made really nice box of boxes:
http://hillbillydaiku.com/2015/07/03/hb-hobby-tansu-1-part-15-complete/

[Daniel Rode]

Thanks Jim,

I've given this some thought but I'm still mulling it over.

I'm neither a purist nor a perfectionist. I'm a pragmatist. The drawers may well evolve to hold more that screws. The drawers will not accommodate every screw size in every amount.

There are certain screws that I use regularly and having an organized, ready supply of them makes sense. Today, I have stacks of various sized boxes on small shelves. It's hard to find what I need and hard to tell what I have available. I have bins and boxes of specific screws and collections of mixed screws and bolts. That will probably continue to be the case. I just wont have to dig through them to find and 1 1/4" #8 or a 3/4" #6.

I've thought about making dividers within the larger drawers for smaller screws. I could probably fit 50 each of 4 different types. That's a lot of variety :)

[Daniel Rode]

Thanks Rennis,

The tansu boxes may be a little fancy for this project :) It sounds like a lot of drawers, but I don't think it will take that long. Once you get going, dovetailing goes pretty fast. It's more than a weekend, tho :)

[Judson Green]

This is one of those projects.... paralysis by analysis. And I know em well, everyone of my projects seem to be that type. I don't envy you.

I think I like the lower left one just cuz they're all the same. You might find yourself taking out 2-3 drawers and bringing em closer to the project, be nice if all the drawers would fit into any opening. And its simpler... kiss.

What ever you do show us along the way please and thanks.

[Martin Shupe]

Top left looks best to me, but it's your project.

[Reinis Kanders]

I think having them all the same size is a very good point made by Judson. I find that to be very handy with my basic plastic bins when I decide to reorganize them.


This is one of those projects.... paralysis by analysis. And I know em well, everyone of my projects seem to be that type. I don't envy you.

I think I like the lower left one just cuz they're all the same. You might find yourself taking out 2-3 drawers and bringing em closer to the project, be nice if all the drawers would fit into any opening. And its simpler... kiss.

What ever you do show us along the way please and thanks.

[Brian Holcombe]

Bottom right would be my choice. Unless this is sitting at the edge of a cabinet, you may want to consider small feet or a plinth of some sort.

[Pat Barry]

For me, unlike Jim, drawers as big as 2.5x5.5x6.5 are way way too big. I would use subdividers inside each of those monsters. In fact removable sub-dividers would be a good addition to your Drawer design

[Mark Stutz]

For pure aesthetics, the top left appeals most to me. If they will only be used for small part storage, then either of the bottom ones I think would be most functional, but if it general storage, then various size drawer boxes will be useful.

[Steve Voigt]

Dan, when I first looked at the upper left image, I thought you were going for the kind of graduated drawers used in the Phyfe toolchest. I think that would like nice if, similar to the Phyfe chest, there were 6 drawers on top, 5 in the middle, 4 on the bottom. But if there are 5 in each row, I don't think it's as successful, so I would prefer the bottom left or bottom right.

[Pat Barry]

One more thought for you since it seems your committing to dovetails. Lets say you have two dovetails per drawer side (pins and tails) and 15 drawers, that's 60 sets of dovetails right there for the drawer fronts. Add in the case itself and what, maybe another 8 to 12 dovetails per corner and you are up to 40 more sets of dovetails. Then of course the dividers where you will want at least some of them to be dovetailed and you have another 20 or more pairs of dovetails to do. I'm thinking when you are done you will never want to hear the word dovetail again.

[Mark Stutz]

I'm thinking when you are done you will never want to hear the word dovetail again.

That, or "Bring it on" since he'll be so good that he can do them in his sleep!:eek::D

[Steve Voigt]

I think that dovetailing all the drawers is a great idea. I think people get stressed out about dovetails because it feels like a high-wire act, when in reality it's a simple, straightforward joint that should be pretty routine and relaxing to do. I'm not the world's greatest DTer, but if I knocked out 15 drawers at a time, I'm sure I would be better.

[Jim Koepke]

I'm thinking when you are done you will never want to hear the word dovetail again.

Two cabinets I made for the laundry room have a total of 104 dovetails. Three of them were actually cut as lovetails > http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?135061-Cabinets-and-Dovetails <. This thread shows the lovetail layout starting with the sixth post in the thread.

Cutting that many dovetails hasn't reduced my enthusiasm toward dovetails one bit. If anything it has made me want to do more. The "practice" involved in doing so many dovetails actually did a lot to improve my dovetailing ability.

Mark is right, after doing that many dovetails, "Bring it on," may be the more likely feeling with the triumph of finishing the cabinet.

jtk