any idea how to sqaure a drawer box?

[eddie bee]

i posted some pics of a closet i built with sliding drawers, and everyone here has been a huge help... i was wondering if there are any tips on how to make my own square tool if i dont have one...

I put the drawers in and some dont slide well because they are not perfectly square... all the measurements are exact and perfect but the box is out of square...

suggestions?

thx

more pics to come, i have built 3 closets total, each time is faster, easier and better then the last :-)

[Julio Navarro]

i posted some pics of a closet i built with sliding drawers, and everyone here has been a huge help... i was wondering if there are any tips on how to make my own square tool if i dont have one...

Can you post the link, I'd like to see them?

[Mark Singer]

The drawer bottom squares the drawer just as a cabinet back squares the cabinet. Make sure you cut the bottom square...

[Jim Becker]

The drawer bottom squares the drawer just as a cabinet back squares the cabinet. Make sure you cut the bottom square...

Additionally, measure corner to corner when you are assembling/clamping and be sure that the diagonals are equal...even with the bottom cut square... ;)

[Shelley Bolster]

Hey Eddie. Don’t beat yourself up over boxes/drawers that are out of square……that is probably one of the most challenging things in woodworking - getting drawers to fit perfectly - at least for me. With every dresser or kitchen I do, I know that there will always been that one drawer that will give me grief - one that needs tweaking in order to operate properly. Now, when you mention that the measurement are exact, are you talking about the diagonal measurement? You need, in order to insure anything you assemble is square, to measure corner to corner across the piece on the diagonal to determine if it is indeed square……..and don’t forget about the bottom - flip the drawer over and measure it as well. Depending on the joinery you are using, you can if fact, figure you are dead on with your measurements only to put everything out of whack when you tighten the clamps. The tighter your corner assembly, the less likely that this will occur but you still want to alternate tightening your clamps and, measure once more. So…you measured your drawer and you find that there is say, a 3/8” difference between the two measurements. The way I found works for me to square it up is I put a clamp diagonally on the corners that measured large and at the same time, have a tape pulled across the smaller corners. (on the diagonal as well) With my eye on the tape, I slowly start to “pull” the larger corners together until the tape reads 3/16” larger than the starting measurement……..or ½ of whatever the difference was. I then clamp it and remove the diagonal clamp and check once more. It really does help keeping you box square, to have corners with joints that do not move…..such as a rabbit joint.
Now, after I said all that, I am assuming that your drawers are made……the glue is dried and they are now out of square. Weeeeeel, this is a little harder to remedy. Depending on the amount out of square they are will determine your “fix’. You could possible just sand it square if only out a tad or, you might have to rasp or use a hand plane. This will take a little time, continuing to check on the diagonal but it is doable in most cases. If they are fitting sloppy you can shim the drawers slides. (if in fact you are using slides) If they are really out of whack ….well, a guy never can have enough wooden boxes for storage - you might just have to start again. Sorry.
Just remember Eddie - this happens to all of us, even those who don’t want to admit it publicly…..if they have made any amount of drawers - they have run into the problem with them being not square. Don’t give up……this is just part of woodworking.

[Julio Navarro]

Hi Shelly, how was your weekend? I took your advice and put a A/C unit in the shop. Much more bearable now, the wife comes in more often now, too!..LOL.

[eddie bee]

i have to take new pictures of the other two i built...

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=37336

[Brent Harral]

Not sure if this helps your situation but when building a drawer, I have several sizes of this this simple jig (1/4" ply!) to square them up right after glueing and assembling (mostly dovetailed). They are more square than most metal squares and less clunky to work with :D Right after glueing and assembling, I check it and then can give it a little twist or tug to square the drawer to the "jig". Good luck with your drawer.

<img src="http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL563/2750473/9448194/153162722.jpg">

[eddie bee]

everything else (being the length and height and slide Assembly is dead on) so the drawers are just slightly torqued which throws the slide off just a bit... its not so bad but i would like to get it right because unfortunately the bottoms were not cut by me and are not exact, so i can square it with that... i had an idea to make a fake bottom out of cardboard that i would cut exactly square, and then pre-drill everything

[Don Baer]

Eddie,
Several years ago I bought some of these to make squaring a lot easier.

http://www.homedepot.com/cmc_upload/HDUS/EN_US/asset/images/eplus/044295916608_3.jpg (javascript:openFeatureFlex()

There only about $9 each and they take all of the guess work out of making square drawers..:D You can pick them up at your local borg.

[Jim Benante]

I noticed you used srews. I did too, but used the kreg jig. The Kreg jig system of making drawers worked very well for me on my first try. No squaring problems, although I do really recommend the 90 degree clamp. I did it without and had some trouble when screwing it all together. Got it done, just a little frustrating trying to hold it in place and crew it, the clamp would have helped. In addition if you search for Mark Singer's way of making drawers with the Kreg jig you can hide the crews from view.

[Ted Shrader]

Eddie -

Had the same problem in some nightstands I built. One drawer was out of square. They were dovetailed and I didn't want to make the drawer over again.

The drawers run on wooden glides. Made the glides for that drawer tapered (i.e. thicker at the front(L)/back(R) and thinner at the back(L)/front(R)). Technically the drawer slides in at an angle (as referenced to the case, but straight as referenced to the glides.)

Ted

[Jesse Cloud]

These little gadgets make it practical to accurately measure drawer (or carcass or whatever) diagonals to ensure squareness. You just mill a couple of sticks so that their combined thickness is the same as the opening in the gauges. Then to use it, loosen the screw, and slide one of the sticks until the combined length is exactly the diagonal. Then just try it on the other diagonal. If one is longer than the other, fiddle with the clamps until they even up.

The trick is that you don't have to know how long in inches or whatever the diagonals are, just that they are the same - whatever that is.

Its so simple and precise, its a delight every time you use it.

If you are one of us who just can't bring themselves to spend a few bucks on a storebought tool, I'll bet you could make one pretty easily out of some scrap, glue, and a screw....

Here's the link to Lee Valley:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32585&cat=1,43513

[eddie bee]

i'm going to try to make a stick that will keep it square while i screw in the back... i think in the future buying a tool would be good, but i just dont have time now, and i dont know what or where a "borg" would be...

[Steve Clardy]

Lumber yard, Home Depot, Lowes, etc.
You can pick up a framing square for around $8.00

[Don Baer]

i'm going to try to make a stick that will keep it square while i screw in the back... i think in the future buying a tool would be good, but i just dont have time now, and i dont know what or where a "borg" would be...

BORG... Big Ole retail Giant... (Lowes, Home Depot etc)

[eddie bee]

BORG... Big Ole retail Giant... (Lowes, Home Depot etc)

makes sense now

i kinda wish i had put a backing on my carcase now... i didnt understand why everyone was telling me too. i just figured it was a huge piece of 1/4 inch birch ply wood thats 30 bucks times 3, not to mention i can fit it in my car like the rest of the pieces

[David Eisenhauer]

Eddie: You can screw/nail a couple pieces of scrap wood to whatever you are using for a workbench at a 90* angle so as to create a "corner" to push your drawer pieces into when screwing and gluing things together. You will need to go to the BORG and drop the $8 Steve told you about to get something to set the 90* angle with. When you first raised this topic, I asked what tools you had to work with and, as I recall, your answer was a bit hazy:p . You are going to have to arm yourself with a couple tools at the least. I'm not advocating going out and dropping $5,000 on stationary woodworking machinery, just a couple cheaper items to help you out. I also advocated buying a book to show you what some of us are trying to describe, but you said you are under a time thing here and don't have time to stop. I hope you do take the time later on to read up a little before the next project because, from here, you're doing pretty good without anything (experience or tools) to work with. I'd hate to see you get a "bad taste" about this woodworking thing due to the first experience.