Help with Drawer bottoms

[Ron Wright]

This is my first posting. I am a novice woodworker and have a question about drawer bottoms. I have a Leigh dovetail jig and use this to cut my dovetails for drawers. I purchased a Lee Valley drawer cutting router bit that allows you to cut a 1/4 in deet by 1/4 inch wide slot around the inside of the drawers when they are dry assembled. The problem is that the corners are rounded. You are to round off the corners of the drawer bottom, but sometimes I round off to much and there is a gap.
What is the most effective and simple way to cut the drawer bottom slots without cutting through the dovetail:confused: ?

Great articles and I have enjoyed reading and seeing all the postings.

[Mike Henderson]

I cut my drawer bottom slots the same way, with a slot cutter and the drawer dry assembled. But rather than round the bottom, I complete the slots in the corner by hand with chisels. That way, the slots are cut "square" but not all the way to the end - so you don't cut through the dovetails - and the bottom is square.

And just to make sure that we're both talking about the same thing, I make my drawers, cutting the dovetails in all four corners. Then, I take a slot cutter bit that is the proper width - usually about 1/4 inch but may be different for the thickness of plywood. I select a bearing so that I get about 1/4 inch penetration for the slot. Then I dry assemble the drawer. If I was too loose on any of the sides, I just put a loop of rope or something around the drawer to make sure it it held tight together. Then I set up the slot cutter to the proper height, and put the drawer on the router table with the bit inside the drawer. Starting the router, I move the drawer around and cut the slot in the bottom of the drawer, which leaves "round" corners. I then take the drawer apart and complete the slots by hand with a chisel. I don't cut the slots all the way to the end, just enough that the rounded corners are now square.

Mike

[Dennis McDonaugh]

The easiest way is to make stopped dados with a 1/4: straight bit and router. The second way to go would be to draw the radius of the cutter on each corner of the drawer bottom and just cut away the line.

[Dennis Peacock]

I cut mine with two passes over the tablesaw. I position it to where the dado is hidden when the dovetailed drawer boxes are assembled. Quick and Easy. No fuss or muss.

[Cecil Arnold]

I've used the table saw and stopped dados, both work well. Welcome to the creek, you'll like it here.

[Steve Clardy]

Welcome to the creek Ron!

[Kurt Loup]

I cut mine with two passes over the tablesaw. I position it to where the dado is hidden when the dovetailed drawer boxes are assembled. Quick and Easy. No fuss or muss.

I agree with Dennis. Assuming you are using half blind dovetails, center the slot in the bottom tail cut on the drawer sides. When the joint is assembled, the slot is not seen. I use a few passes on the tablesaw or the router table to make the slot.

Kurt

[Charlie Plesums]

I cut mine with two passes over the tablesaw. I position it to where the dado is hidden when the dovetailed drawer boxes are assembled. Quick and Easy. No fuss or muss.
Me too. With the Leigh jig you can adjust spacing so it matches where the bottom groove will be.

Welcome to the creek.