A Rolling Cabinet of sorts.

[Tim Wagner]

I posted a while ago about some stains on a rolling cabinet I am constructing. What I need now is some more suggestions.

The box is built from Birch Plywood, with a poplar face frame I constructed with some pocket screws. I was going to build the box drawers from some standard Pine boards. as everyone knows pine is rather soft, and after watching a woodworks episode, DM says that drawers should be built from Maple. Maple is supposed to be 12% denser than oak even. Would Maple be the wood of choice for drawer boxes? And secondly should I make the box and install it, then construct some drawer face's out of some curly maple and attach them with Screw's? Or would it be better to use standard maple for the back, side's and bottom, and make the frt panel from the curly maple, as part of the box? no drawer face to screw on. I am thinking I can use a dovetail dato to make the drawers with.

seeking suggestions, Tim.

[Brian Hale]

Yes, maple is stronger than pine but pine is plenty strong for drawer boxes, it just depends on the "look" you want. For shop cabinets and the like pine and plywood are good choices but for something like a buffet or sideboard i might opt for maple or birch, whichever i have on hand or is cheaper.

I tend to make the drawer boxes and add a screwed on front of the pretty wood.

Brian :)

[Jim Becker]

Drawer boxes are a "use what you have/can get" type of project...I most often use poplar, for example, cause I have a ton of it!

[Greg Deakins]

attaching the faces allows solid drawer construction, coupled with ease of replacement if say, you gouge out a chunk practicing your sword juggling act. if not attached well, however, they will loosen and have to be re-attached. my shop cabs have drawer faces made simply of MDF... easy to paint, easy and inexpensive to replace.

[Jim O'Dell]

The drawers I made for my Quick N' Dirty bench a few months back were made with 1/2" baltic birch ply for the boxes, and some faces cut down from existing faces I found from cabinets that used to be in the kitchen here, but replaced and the carcasses thrown out. Plenty stout for shop cabinets, and should stain up nice if I ever get to that point. :rolleyes: Jim.

[Tim Wagner]

This is more like a end table with three drawers, and will be on wheels. So I do want it to look nice, and If you knew my mom, the thing has to be practically bomb proof. Put it to you this way. the deepest drawer will be 7" deep and I got 120lb full extension sliders for them. So if that gives you an idea on how packed this will be....:D

It's also a Nice project for me in how to build something out of anything more than 2X4's and CDX.:)

[glenn bradley]

My favorite for shop cabinets (and other service type pieces) is 1/2" BB ply. It is in short supply right now and the price is out of sight. Poplar is always good for drawer boxes; mills nice, a bit tougher than pine, can have some odd green color to it so select your pieces with care.

I do have a rolling table with pine drawer bodies and 3/4" MDF false fronts. My RT is BB ply with 3/4" BB ply false fronts. I have other drawer units with web frames and flush drawers without false fronts. I prefer false fronts at this point due to my skill level. Much easier to get good even spacing when you can jockey the front before attaching.

Love these little buggers for lip pull or double screw-on pulls:

http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/0810-SRZ/Zinc-Super-Round-Washer-Screws

The Danny Proulx method of using a slightly oversize hole for a single machine screw held knob is handy as well. You adjust the false front and use the knob to hold it while you get it right; then screw from the back to lock into place. Did that make sense?

[James Carmichael]

Ditto the poplar for drawer boxes. It's inexpensive and mills easily. I prefer it to plywood since with a J/P you can mill to whatever dimensions you want. You also have many more joinery options for drawer construction than with plywood. Also no pitch to worry about as with pine.

As Glen mentioned, poplar may have green in but it, it turns brown with age and exposure to air. Drawer boxes I built 2 months ago that were green are now a dark brown.

I don't think the wood is as important as the construction method for shop drawers, they can take a beating.