Orientation of Flatsawn Boards for Drawer Sides

[Don Boyce]

I'm building a lamp table with a drawer and have heard that the orientation of the flatsawn boards for the side pieces is important to anticipate possible cupping. I expect that there are two possible alternatives, please see diagram attached. Is it A or B? Thanks

[Dixon Peer]

Which way do you want the boards to cup, toward the inside of the drawer or outside? In any event, the boards will try to straighten their growth rings. In other words, they'll cup toward the outside of the tree. So, if it really matters to you, make your choice.

[Brian Hale]

Inside of the tree, outside of the drawer.

Think of it this way..... The arched rings you see in the endgrain are going to want to straighten out over time so you want them to put pressure on the top and bottom of the drawer joints as opposed to trying to pull the joints apart.

Brian :)

Oh, Welcome to the Creek!!

[Ken Werner]

What Brian said. Another reason is that an arching bulge in the middle of the drawer side will hang up less than the top and bottom.

Welcome to the Creek too.

Ken

[Gil Mitchell]

the way I remember it is the outside of the tree goes to the inside of the drawer :rolleyes:

[Greg Funk]

If you are starting with dry wood I wouldn't worry about it. If it is a nightstand you will likely have a small drawer and you will never see any warping.

In any case it seems to me the direction of warping depends on whether the moisture content of the wood increases or decreases. I am not aware of any mechanism for wood to 'straighten' their growth rings unless the wood is drying out.

Are you making a piston fit drawer?

Greg

[Jim Becker]

If you are starting with dry wood I wouldn't worry about it.

Exactamundo. I orient the drawer side pieces so they present the best "look". In fact, I do that no matter what I'm building and that includes table tops. The presentation trumps all.

[glenn bradley]

I'm with Jim. Since I started milling rough lumber for pieces, I look for the figure I want and create the board I want around that. I don't care where the 'original' straight edge is or which way the grain is going. Just make sure your lumber is ready (aclimated, dry, whatever) for working.

[Stuart Johnson]

I was told to remember the word idiot

I nside of the
D rawer
I s the
O utside of the
T ree

[Joe Chritz]

I was told to remember the word idiot

I nside of the
D rawer
I s the
O utside of the
T ree


Several people have told me the same thing. Although I think for entirely different reasons. :eek:

I seem to do more drawers for kitchen cabs from BB ply then solid anymore but the ones I have done with solid weren't sorted for in/out at all. They went from a stack to the Leigh jig.

Joe

[Dixon Peer]

I my opinion, if you're constructing drawers with KD material, which in my neck of the woods should be dried to about six percent moisture content, and you're doing a good job (dovetails and glue), it won't matter which way the grain is oriented. I have never had a problem with drawers seizing up or falling apart.