Article #10: False Drawer Fronts, Danny Proulx method

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01-14-2006, 8:04 AM
Frank Pellow

5 Attachment(s)

Article #10: False Drawer Fronts, Danny Proulx method

Various methods for doing this were described in the recent thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=29282

This week I replaced two bottom cupboards in our kitchen with four drawers. I built the drawers out of 12mm Baltic birch and the false fronts were made out of ¾ inch poplar. Pocket hold joints were used throughout.

The late Danny Proulx describes an easy and almost foolproof method for attaching door fronts and I took pictures of the steps.

(1) The cupboards with doors removed and dividers and drawer sliders installed.

Attachment 29549

(2) The 4 drawers painted and installed without their false fronts.

Attachment 29550

(3) The four false fronts have been painted and a hole has been drilled into each in the ultimate position of the knob. A temporary ledge is clamped below the two bottom drawers.

Attachment 29551

(4) With one false front resting on the ledge, a large flat head screw is driven through the pre drilled hole into the drawer behind.

Attachment 29552

(5) Making sure that the door is level, drive the screw the rest of the way in.

Attachment 29557

... (to be continued in a second post becuase of the 5 picture limit)
01-14-2006, 8:24 AM
Frank Pellow

3 Attachment(s)

... continued

(6) Drive some smaller screws in from the back side. If you plan to glue the false front, just drive in a couple of screws. I did not use glue, rather I just held the front in place permanently with a small screw in each of the 4 corners.

Attachment 29558

Once this has been done, remove the original screw and drill a hole to be used for the door knob.

(7) To serve as spacers, place a piece (or pieces) of scrap wood on top of the bottom drawer(s). Level the spacers, then place a false front on top and precede as per step 4.

Attachment 29559

(8) Here is the (almost) complete job. I still need to get the correct length bolts for the door knobs.

Attachment 29560

To the bottom right in picture 8 is the book by the late Danny Proulx from which I read about this technique. I highly recommend this book particularly if you are new to pocket hole joinery (as I mostly was 2 weeks ago).
01-14-2006, 8:45 AM
Jim Dunn

Nice write up Frank. Easy to understand and follow. But you gotta quit using those MM sizes, it's to early to get the conversion chart out:)

Jim
01-14-2006, 9:34 AM
Frank Pellow

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Dunn

Nice write up Frank. Easy to understand and follow.

Thanks Jim.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Dunn

But you gotta quit using those MM sizes, it's to early to get the conversion chart out:)

Jim

Hey, it wasn't me who decided to reduce 1/2 in wide plywood to 12 millimetre wide plywood.
01-14-2006, 2:48 PM
Lars Thomas

Frank, thanks for putting that together. I think that will help a lot of people. Maybe of of the admins can move it to the Articles section, Well done. Lars
01-15-2006, 12:00 PM
Frank Pellow

Should this material be in the articles forum

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lars Thomas

Frank, thanks for putting that together. I think that will help a lot of people. Maybe of of the admins can move it to the Articles section, Well done. Lars

Thanks Lars, I hope that it does help.

I am not sure if the material could be considered as an "article", there are so few words. I consider it to be a "picture esay". But, I am a strong believer in the old adage that "a picture is worth a thousand words", so maybe it would be OK there.

It would be good if we had a "how to" section at Saw Mill Creek. Maybe that is what the Articles forum is supposed to be used for, but there is very very little activity in that forum. I would certainly support a revival to re-invigerate the Articles forum with "how to" articles and picture essays.
01-16-2006, 9:53 PM
frank shic

thanks frank!

frank, i just used the method you described from danny proulx's book to install 14 kitchen drawer fronts very PAINLESSLY. i vote to move your post to the articles section as well - this question comes up quite a bit (usually when you're in the FINAL STRETCH of the installation process ) and doesn't circulate nearly as often as the "should i buy (insert favorite overpriced unnecessary tool" posts!
01-17-2006, 9:04 AM
Frank Pellow

Quote:

Originally Posted by frank shic

frank, i just used the method you described from danny proulx's book to install 14 kitchen drawer fronts very PAINLESSLY. i vote to move your post to the articles section as well - this question comes up quite a bit (usually when you're in the FINAL STRETCH of the installation process ) and doesn't circulate nearly as often as the "should i buy (insert favorite overpriced unnecessary tool" posts!

Frank, the method really does work well, doesn't it?

I have sent mail to Aaron and Keith suggesting that this could be an article and volunteering to do whatever might be needed to make it happen,
01-27-2006, 12:40 AM
Frank Pellow

1 Attachment(s)

Two more drawers and a picture of the larger context

Margaret (my wife) liked the conversion from cupboards to drawers so much that she asked me to build two more drawers. I finished them yesterday and, again, installed the fronts using Danny's method.

I am attaching a picture showing all the drawers and a bit of the counter and cabinets above. As you can see, this is very much a working kitchen (much like my shop is a working shop :) ).

Attachment 30476

By the way, I am gaining lots of brownie points with Margaret, by building these drawers. :) Of course, she now wants even more cupboard to drawer conversions. :( The next two will be in our main bathroom.
01-27-2006, 6:50 AM
Keel McDonald

Frank,

I wish you had posted this about a month ago. I just recently build 3 reception desks and spent a good deal of time getting the false fronts square, straight, and the spacing just right between the drawers. Thanks for the write up. I'll definitely employ this method in the future. As a side note, I assume that this method would also work for drawer pulls with 2 screw holes instead of 1. Any insight?
01-27-2006, 11:01 AM
Wes Bischel

Thanks for taking the time to write-up the information on this method Frank. I'd seen the post by Mark S. previously and been interested in making drawers via this method. Your post adds some additional context concerning the overlap drawer face installation process. Since I am new to pocket holes as well, so I took your recommendation and ordered the Proulx book - used the coupon Amazon gave me for messing up my order:D .

Thanks again for taking the time to post your picture essay!

Wes
01-27-2006, 11:49 PM
Frank Pellow

1 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keel McDonald

Frank,
...
I assume that this method would also work for drawer pulls with 2 screw holes instead of 1. Any insight?

I haver used this method with 2 hole drawer pulls but Danny's book contains a project where he attaches a handle with two holes rather than a knob. I am attaching an excert from the book (which I assume is OK, becuase I know for sure that this thread has already caused three people to purchase the book) where this is done.

Attachment 30515

I would do things slightly different than shown in the book and would still only drive one screw through from the front, then level the drawer front as shown in my step 5.