Attaching drawer frames to chest sides

[Lincoln Myers]

What is the best method for attaching drawer frames to the sides of the chest to allow for movement of the sides and not the frames?

I have the frames made and stopped dadoes cut into the sides. Getting ready to glue the frames in front to back and thought that might not be a great idea.

I saw some info in FWW but it doesn't quite match my setup. The plan I am using if Norm's chest of drawers.

http://www.newyankee.com/getphoto2.cgi?109.jpg

Thanks in advance.
Linc

[Todd Burch]

Hi Lincoln. With web-frame construction, and using solid wood sides, you certainly do need to consider wood movement in that cross-grain situation.

I can think of a couple options.

1) Put the drawer frames in sliding dovetails (too bad you've already cut the dado, but you could fill it and recut.)

2) Only glue the front, say 4" to 5" in the dado slot and leave the rear of the frame in the dado, but not glued. You would do this with a sliding dovetail too, but there would be that mechanical-factor with the sliding dovetail. If your case is either dovetailed or box jointed, (or even rabbetted, glued and nailed), leaving the rear of the frame unglued would be fine. And, with a case that size, I don't think you have any real issues with the case pushing itself apart anyway. Yes, this option would be the easiest. It's what I would do. I would even consider this method from the get-go too.

[Eric Apple - Central IN]

I would put runners/slides on the drawer bottoms and attach to front of case and the plywood back of the case.

This is a snap when attaching slides to the drawer bottoms. The slides generally have an adjustment tung and the track length isn't fixed. Any seasonal movment would stretch or retract the slide. Beyond that, flexing of the plywood back would probably allow use wooden slides. Also the slides are not visible when applied to the bottom of a drawer.

If your set on wood side runners or a bottom slide can't work because of drawer construction, the sliding dovetail idea is practical. Also elongated screw holes with the dado would work.

[Jim Becker]

Another method is to construct the frames such that the front and rear rail are secured to the case and the stiles (side and middle) that ride in the dado are only secured to the front rail. In the rear, the tenon floats. This provides for the case to expand and contract while still providing a strong support structure for the drawers to slide on.

[Lee Schierer]

You didn't say what material you were using for the frames or the sides. Norm typically uses plywood, in which case it is acceptable to glue the frame into the the dado on the sides. If the sides are solid wood of any type, then you need to allow for seasonal changes in width. I've found that pocket hole screws do an excellent job , they allow for wood movement and don't require the use of dados.

[Lincoln Myers]

Thanks for all the responses. I am using knotty pine (Home Depot) for all parts.

I bought the measured drawing for the chest a while back, not the video so I don't know how Norm did it.

I already had the frames made, no dovetails. 2 inch pieces, front and rear piece dadoed and sides and middle pieces had stub tenons. I glued these up tight. (Now know that I should have probably only glued the front joint and let the back float).

Todd, I took your advice and glued only the front 4 inches to the case and the rest is just sitting in the dado. This particular design relies on the top and bottom frame to complete/hold together the case. So what I'll do is clamp the back together (no glue) and then attach the back ply w/ glue and brads in the back dado to hold the back of the case together.

This should (I think) allow the case sides to move.

I also modified the drawer design as I have no dovetail jig and plan on spending some time this winter practicing cutting those by hand. I used stopped dadoes in the drawer fronts. Then cut a notch in the drawer sides to attach. While not an ideal construction method, (no mechanical advantage preventing the front being 'pulled off') I did a test joint and could not pull the pieces apart.

I have pics of my progress for those interested here:

http://www.themyersfam.com/personal/gallery/woodworking

Thanks again everyone!

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Lincoln
Well! everything looks real good.
I even took time to view you website photos.
You've got a really good start on the project.
Daniel

[Todd Burch]

Collectively, here is what I would do today. I like Jim's idea of floating tenons. I don't think screws would work too well 'cuz the case is most likely only 1/2" to 3/8" thick where they are dadoed. Not much to grab.

Also, I would have put some dust panels in too, just for measure.

[Jim Becker]

Collectively, here is what I would do today. I like Jim's idea of floating tenons. I don't think screws would work too well 'cuz the case is most likely only 1/2" to 3/8" thick where they are dadoed. Not much to grab.

You da man! That's exactly what I was describing. In some constructions the front rail is capped or made with the same material as the carcass and dovetailed into the sides for a neat look. 'Depends on the style of the piece.

[Alan Turner]

A good drawing, and article, in FWW about 2 years ago by Lonnie Bird on building a Pennsylvania Secretary covers this quite well. He recommended gluing the front tenon into the front rail and leaving the rear tenon float. He did not use a dado on the runners, but rather attached them with screws, in oblong holes tp permit movement. The drawer dividers, both front and back, are attached to the solid wood carcase with sliding dovetails. From this article I built a diningroom hutch which used those construction features. No problems. Here is a pix or 2, but because of the photography, it is hard to see. Also a pix where it may be more visible, an in process pix.
Alan