Help with attaching false drawer fronts

[Alex Berkovsky]

Folks,
My project was idle all winter long collecting dust. Now that the weather is warmer and days are longer, it's time to resume. My WW mentor, who always helped me, passed away a month ago and I felt a little intimidated to tackle this part of the project alone - making drawers is a first for me. Maybe I am not giving myself enough credit since I made the boxes (NK style) on my own. <patting myself on the back> :D
I read somewhere that Rockler's drawer front adjusters (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=205) are one of the methods to attach the false fronts. I am thinking of giving them a try. Has anyone used them? I am really afraid to mess this up and asking for some hand-holding attaching the fronts.

As far as the space between the fronts and drawer opening is concerned... is a gap of 3-4 playing cards enough for expansion?

[Jay Jolliffe]

Nice job on the chest of drawers so far. If you dove tailed the drawers I wouldn't be afraid to do the drawer fronts. What I learned here a while back & it's the way I've done them on the last few chest I've made was to figure out where you want the drawer knobs & drill a hole through the drawer front where the hole will be for the screw,I used a # 6 trim head screw . That's if you will be using screws. Then align the fronts like you have them on the top & screw the drawer front to the drawer box from the front. Then screw from the inside of the drawer into the front to hold it onto the drawer. Remove the screws from the front & drill the hole for the knobs. I've also used double sided tape to position the drawer fronts to the boxes then screw them together. I hope it make sense. It works for me. I bought a whole bag of the adjusters to use but haven't yet. You need to get the forstner bit that fits the adjuster.

[David DeCristoforo]

Have used them by the millions. OK, by the thousands.... They work great for positioning the drawer fronts but not worth a dime for holding them on permanently. You still need to use some screws after the DF is adjusted. Some people just use the drawer pull screws to keep the front in place and that may work OK if the front is small and the pull has two screws. But I always use a screw in each corner with a decorative washer to lock the fronts in place after they have been adjusted.

[Alex Elias]

As far as attaching the fronts what I would do is remove the top and the drawers exept the lower ones and start from there. Pre drill the holes on the drawers and cut some spacers the thickness you are going to use. Sit the front on the spacer also put the spacers on the sides and that will center the fronts. Now that you have the fronts where they go, use 2 small clamps through the opening of the uper drawer to secure the fronts to the drawers and drive the screws.
Regarding the space for the wood movement I doubt that is enough. Thare are quite a few variables. The type of wood you are using and how tall the fronts are going to be. Don't forget that place where the piece is going to sit. I live in the desert so wood movement is not as much as yours. I think would go 1/16 arround.
Good luck

[Paul Girouard]

I use 1/8" aluminium bar stock for spacers. I use 1" screws , or the right length screws so they ( the screws ) don't come out the face of the draw front.

I pre-bore 4 or more holes in the draw box sub front , which it appears your using a front attached to the draw box , I start two of the 4 screws so they stick out 1/8 of a inch or so , hold the front up to the closed draw box , properly spaced left / right / up / down. Then tap on the draw front to grab or at least indent the back of the draw front , then drive those two screws in IF you like the adjustment , you can tap the draw a lil bit so fine tune that adjustment , when your happy drive the remaining screws in , bore for your pulls or handles , they do give some added holding power as well like David said.


Predrilled draw box :


http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b299/PEG688/sept17010-2.jpg

Attached draw front with 1/8 " spacer over properly adjusted door:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b299/PEG688/sept17012-3.jpg

The beauty of Blum or euro hinges is their adjustment, on a case like this fine tuning gets done on the job after it's all installed .

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b299/PEG688/sept17014-2.jpg


Oh and IF you don't like how the fronts get set after the first try , you can back out the first two screw and re adjust the front with the other two screws. Use screw cross corner from one another BTW .


If you want tigher gaps I'd use some P.lam scraps rather than playing cards , but thats just MO.

These where set the same way ,

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b299/PEG688/Jan20th1.jpg

The bar stock works good for "regular " man doors as well ,

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b299/PEG688/Aug17th13.jpg

They really are handy I think .

[Steve Flavin001]

that I use. Incidentally, to have come this far and with dovetails, you will have no problem. I assume you have each drawere box completely done and any slide hardware in place, and are placing the drawer front over the box as described. As to the Rockler adjuster eccentric cam thingee I definitely prefer to not us those.

As one person said, start at he bottom and place the DF in place with finished overlap, holding it on to the box with double side tape. Open and close the drawer gently to test alignmnet, pull it out and drill your holes with it standing on its back.

Use knob screws completely through the DF and box front for any handles or knobs. Also place a wood screw from inside the drawer into the front toward each corner being careful not to drill through the DF obviously :p

To locate and drill identically accurate holes either make a jig for the holes or Rockler and all the other stores have such jigs to choose from for alignment. :cool:

[Lee Schierer]

I use pennies for spacers. I put four screws through the front of the drawer box and screw in the screws so the tips stick out about 1/16". Then I put some weight in the drawer box to insure it is at its loaded position. With the drawer box in the dresser and weighted I place the drawer front in the opening with the spacers under if. Once the height is set I adjust the drawer front left to right so it is centered then I tap the four screws lightly with a hammer while holding he drawer front in place. This makes small dents on the back side. Remove the drawer front and use the small dents as a guide for a small pilot bit for the screws. Carefully align these pilot holes with the screw tips and tighten the screws. If your drawer fronts are hardwood scrape the screw threads on a chunk of beeswax before putting them in the holes.

[Paul Girouard]

No photos Lee?? :rolleyes: :D

The copper from those pennys may ruin your finish BTW.








Just kidding :D

[Randal Cobb]

The last drawer faces I did, I used some good two-sided carpet tape. Not the "foam" or thick stuff, I found this tape in a BORG store and is like packing tape only sticky on both sides. I installed the drawers then used the tape to stick the fronts in place long enough to align them and get a good look. I then slid the drawer out and ran in four screws through the drawer into the face.

I don't think it would work with the "foam" two-sided tape, it would cause too much of a gap between the face and the drawer.

[Joe Chritz]

I use jays method of predrilling for handles and running a couple screws in them to hold the face on. Open the drawer and sink a pair of screws from the inside. I normally use one on each side about in the middle (top to bottom) since I don't need to account for expansion that way.

If there are no handles then I would use the double stick tape method, very carefully.

Spacers, I use 1/2 usually which is a chunk of ply from the scrap pile.

3mm is standard for frameless cabinets for gaps. That is just shy of 1/8", 3 playing cards is likely a lot less than that.

Since I finally remembered to order 1" assembly screws with a cutting point drawer fronts are much more fun. The wood screws available locally are obviously produced as some form of torture.

Project looks good so far.

Joe

[Per Swenson]

Hi all,

We try to keep it real simple.

2 oversized holes for adjustment and

super washer head screws like these.

http://www.mcfeelys.com/super-round-washer

Adjust by eye.

Per

[Alan Schaffter]

I think I do it the same as Per. Really simple. Drill the drawer fronts for the hardware (handles or knobs). Shim the front in place and mark or partially drill through the front into the box. Remove the front and drill all the way through the box with an oversized bit. Attach the front in place with the hardware using (large) washer head machine screws and tighten gently. With the drawer front in place and lightly tightened you can just tap it (L/R Up/Down) to fine tune the position. Once aligned, pull out the drawer, tighten the screws fully, and add a few brads or screws to maintain alignment. Quick, easy, and it allows you to do final alignment on the job site.

[Alex Berkovsky]

Hi all,

We try to keep it real simple.

2 oversized holes for adjustment and

super washer head screws like these.

http://www.mcfeelys.com/super-round-washer

Adjust by eye.

PerPer,
Thanks for the link. What size hole would I have to drill for #8 screw?

[Per Swenson]

Allen,

We drill a 3/16 hole.

The shaft of the screw is 1/8th and the washer head

is a eensy teensy shy of a 1/2 inch.

So if you also wanted to hide the screw inside the drawer,

start with a 9/16 Forstner bit about a 1/8th deep and cover with these when all is said and done.

http://www.fastcap.com/caps.aspx?id=376
http://www.fastcap.com/caps.aspx?id=382

or don't bother. Lemme explain myself, you can go this extra little for yourself,
and the special customer, Frankly no one but you is going to notice that the screws are hidden.

Per

Per