options for cabinet drawer construcion

[chris fox]

curious to know if dovetail is considered to be the only "good" method for building drawers? It looks great and ideal for ultimate strength. But I dont have a dovetail jig and really cant buy one right now and I am at the point on a vanity build where I need to build a set of drawers out of 1/2" BB.

I was thinking a rabbit joint or even using biscuits? The bottoms would be dadoed - both can be done pretty quickly with decent results. I think biscuits would give me a little leverage for setup over rabbit joint.
What would be a an ideal joint second to dovetail?

thanks,
Chris

[Derek Stevens]

how many drawers? if less than 8, and you have a chisel, just hand cut them. a half blind with a chisel and a drill takes less time than setting up some damn jig, and you still end up with doves on your handbuilt cab.....do it.

[Charles Cannon]

The "Wood Magazine" site has a free video on making drawers that might help.
http://www.woodmagazine.com/wood/file.jsp?item=video/player&temp=yes
I'am not sure this link is allowed, if it is I hope it helps.
Cannon

[Bob Genovesi]

I've used what's called a lock rabbit joint. They're very easy to make and just as strong as a dovetail joint. The only difference is they're very quick to make and they don't require special tools.

[Fred Belknap]

I don't have a dt jig either. Most of the time I use locked rabbit, works good, easy set up. Box joint are strong and look good, but a little more set up and time. Never used biscuits in a drawer but am sure they would work fine, quick and easy.

[Joe Scharle]

Millions of kitchen cabinet drawers are held together with simple butt joints pinned and glued.

[Dave Falkenstein]

If you have a router table, a drawer lock bit would be my choice for the "ideal joint second to dovetail". Here is a typical drawer lock bit:

http://www.holbren.com/home.php?cat=16

You can find setup instructions here:

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/cmtdrw1.htm

When making drawers using baltic birch, it is best to make a scoring cut on the table saw for the side pieces to eliminate tearout on the cross-grain router cut. There are numerous bit manufacturers and several sources for setup instructions. If you need more information, please ask.

BTW, a rabbit is a furry little animal, and a rabbet (or rebate in Europe) is a wood joint.

[Jim Becker]

There is no rule that says "dovetails" are the best way to build drawers. There are plenty of methods that are plenty strong. Dovetails, while certainly providing some good joinery strength, have a larger appeal for aesthetics...people...err, woodworkers and some others...like how they look. The average person probably doesn't even notice them.

Honestly, for utility drawers, I've taken to using pocket screws for assembling drawers since I always use false fronts anyway. But I've also tried what I'll call lock joinery and have even done a few with simple butt joints when they are small and not going to be asked to do a lot of work.

[Steve Clardy]

Millions of kitchen cabinet drawers are held together with simple butt joints pinned and glued.

Yep. I've seen a bunch that way. I used to do all mine that way till I got a dovetail setup.

[Bill Arnold]

I use lock rabbet joints for nearly all the drawers I build, whether I use solid wood or plywood. All it takes is a 1/4" straight bit in a router table -- nothing fancy. On my shop drawers, the joint shows when you pull the drawer out but, after all, it's a shop. On furniture pieces I've built, I place solid wood strips on the top edges of the drawer boxes, so it conceals the joint.

Edit:
If you don't have a router table, you could make the dadoes and rabbets for a lock rabbet joint using a table saw. You could use a dado set or just make multiple passes with a single blade.

[Rob Blaustein]

If you have a router table, a drawer lock bit would be my choice for the "ideal joint second to dovetail". Here is a typical drawer lock bit:

http://www.holbren.com/home.php?cat=16

You can find setup instructions here:

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/cmtdrw1.htm

When making drawers using baltic birch, it is best to make a scoring cut on the table saw for the side pieces to eliminate tearout on the cross-grain router cut. There are numerous bit manufacturers and several sources for setup instructions. If you need more information, please ask.

BTW, a rabbit is a furry little animal, and a rabbet (or rebate in Europe) is a wood joint.

Interesting--on John Lucas's site referred to above he says:
My final thoughts: I like it. It is not as strong as a through or half-blind dovetail nor does it have the "dovetail look of craftsmanship", but it makes a clean, strong joint that certainly can be used for utilitarian drawers and boxes.


But in the video on the Wood website referred to in Charles's post, they say this joint is actually stronger than half-blind dovetails in their testing.

[Steve Griffin]

Simple rabbet works great, but use lots of glue AND brad nails. Use as much glue as you can and not get splooge-out on the interior corners. I keep my rabbets to 1/8" deep or less--they mainly help you locate the front and back and keep the glue from making a mess on the inside.

-steve

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Chris, don't know if you saw the Fine Woodworking mag from two months ago, but they had a decent story on this very question. Made the front cover actually.

[Craig D Peltier]

If you want quick, I agree with butt joints. Glue and some 18 gauge brads will hold up just fine. Bottom locked in with dadoes.

I also like the router bit method.

Which one depends on what you have and how much time you have.

[glenn bradley]

Dovetails are good looking when that is primary. I use drawer lock joints as they are quick and reliable for me. I have used pocket hole assembly as well when I want something quick and they have never failed. Try a few methods and for utility, you will find the one that works best for you. For looks, well that is a different question. This is interesting: http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pdf/DrawerBuildingBasics.pdf

[Dave Falkenstein]

Interesting--on John Lucas's site referred to above he says:
My final thoughts: I like it. It is not as strong as a through or half-blind dovetail nor does it have the "dovetail look of craftsmanship", but it makes a clean, strong joint that certainly can be used for utilitarian drawers and boxes.


But in the video on the Wood website referred to in Charles's post, they say this joint is actually stronger than half-blind dovetails in their testing.

Hmmm. I suppose opinions are like drawer joint preferences - everybody has one. :) :) :)

ps - I have built and installed many closet and storage systems from Home Depot, both for myself and clients. I have assembled hundreds of drawers in these kits, and every one of them is a simple butt joint with screws and no glue. I have yet to experience my first failure after at least 15 years of installing these drawers.

I prefer a drawer lock joint when I build my own drawers, especially in 1/2" material. If you are REALLY concerned about the "dovetail look of craftsmanship" on a drawer that nobody can see unless it is open, then dovetails are the right answer. I'm more of a utilitarian myself.

[chris fox]

Locking rabbet loosk like a good solution and have the means to do these prety quickly. I did butt joints for drawers on a lateral cabinet and it was a chore with two hands at glue up time.

thanks,
Chris

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I use rabbets, pin nails & glue only. I do have a dovetail setup but it's too big for drawers.

[Peter Quinn]

If the drawers are installed running on kickers or any wood to wood, non mechanical hardware fashion I like a good strong box, and dovetails top the list. I made a handful of half blind dovetails for the front to side connection, using a router table and a simple jig to cut the pins and chopped the tails by hand. Don't believe anyone that tells you this is a quick procedure for the inexperienced relative to the alternatives, but it is doable without a dedicated manufactured jig. A drawer lock works well too and is pretty darn strong where it needs to be. Both are good options for drawers with integral fronts too.

If you are using mechanical slides with applied fronts, then dovetails are for aesthetics, there inherent strength is IMO unnecessary as the slides and sides bear all the weight, the front to side connection does not experience the same forces as a furniture type box. Any method should suffice. Biscuits, lock rabbits, dowels, pocket screws, but joints and staples, take your pick.

[Fred Belknap]

Don't type or spell very good. Always use spell check, guess it wouldn't catch something like that. Thanks.
Fred

[Jim Kountz]

Dont quote me on this but I think it was David Marks I saw do a simple rabbeted joint then reinforced the joint with small brass dowels, like 1/8" or so pins. He put like three of them on each end. The look was really nice and it added some strength at the same time. Certainly is easy enough to do.

[Bill Arnold]

Dont quote me on this but I think it was David Marks I saw do a simple rabbeted joint then reinforced the joint with small brass dowels, like 1/8" or so pins. He put like three of them on each end. The look was really nice and it added some strength at the same time. Certainly is easy enough to do.
Yep. He did that on the "Treasure Chest" episode #505. Beautiful execution and no question the joinery will hold up.


http://www.djmarks.com/photo.asp?image=/photos/woodworks/505_treasurechest1.jpg

[Brian Buckley]

I have used Miller Dowels for many drawers. They hold very well, but are expensive. If you are making a small number of drawers, this would be a good time to learn how to cut dovetails. They are not as hard as they appear and give a great deal of satisfaction

Brian

[Kevin Groenke]

Since nobody else has mentioned it...

I've used french (sliding) dovetails for many utility (and nicer) drawers that employ side mounted slides. IMO these are stronger and not much more difficult than any butt or rabbet joint.

This works great for 3/4" drawer fronts and 1/2" drawer sides. A simple bushing guided router template makes cutting these easy as sleeping. I've saved a few templates in a drawer for different depths of drawers and drawer front offsets. The bottoms and backs of the drawers are dadoed in.

-kg

[Joe Trotter]

Dovetails are good looking when that is primary. I use drawer lock joints as they are quick and reliable for me. I have used pocket hole assembly as well when I want something quick and they have never failed. Try a few methods and for utility, you will find the one that works best for you. For looks, well that is a different question. This is interesting: http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pdf/DrawerBuildingBasics.pdf

That is good information Glenn!

I am glad I read the post even though I did not have an answer.

Thanks, Joe

[Chip Lindley]

Handcut dovetails for a bathroom vanity seems a bit over the top unless one just enjoys the work.

I stress over the back piece of drawers, thinking a butt joint is just wimpy for the long run! I have seen too many drawer backs that have separated from rough treatment over years of use (and abuse.) I just assume a drawer may be slammed shut in some fit of human emotion! Abuse, or *over-closing* in todays politically correct jargon, affects the back when contents suddenly come to a stop and enertia is transferred to the joint of the back and sides. Applied false fronts also suffer from *over closing* if they overlay the faceframe! Of course, the new *easy close* slides do counteract this to a degree. Otherwise we are left to our own devices.

For a clean sturdy drawer, just cut shallow 1/8" rabbets on front, and 1/8" rabbets inset 1/2" from the rear of drawer sides. This simple interlocking helps hold drawers together for construction, and also reinforces the back against blow out. Glue and pin! Then contemplate what material you will use for the drawer bottoms. Plain ol' plywood or hardboard are porous and stain with spilled *bathroom stuff.* I enjoy going the extra mile to cover bottoms with thin vertical grade laminate or use that slick white epoxy coated 1/8" hardboard at Borgs everywhere. both are inpervious to all but the most caustic vanity contents!

[David Giles]

If you are using Baltic Birch, then you must also be using a false front on the drawer. This is the "show" wood that needs the detailed attention. Baltic birch is a perfectly acceptable drawer material for mid-range quality woodworking projects. Kitchen and bath cabinets usually fall into this category. But it's hard to dovetail without splintering.

Any joint will work. Even a simple butt joint with nails and glue should stand the test of time. And if it doesn't, well, you are a woodworker, build another one then.

Lock rabbets are a great joint that helps keep everything flush and square during glueup.

My "quick and dirty" drawer joint is a butt joint with Kreg pocketholes. Use at least three pocketholes per joint to keep the edges flush. Two clamps and one screw to start with. Prefinish the baltic birch with shellac and sand smooth before glueup. Slide the 1/4" bottom into the groove after finishing is complete and staple it to the back edge.

[John Nesmith]

I have used simple rabbets and pins a few times. Quick and easy.

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