I am currently working on my first real piece involving a drawer - a simple shaker nightstand/end table. I'm approaching the point where the carcass is nearly complete, and I'm starting to think about the drawer. My question is about the height of the drawer sides. How tall should they be... does it necessarily need to be "piston-fit" snug or is it acceptable to have the sides 1/8th of an inch or so shorter than maximum height? I understand the front need to be precise in order to make the front look appropriate, but do the sides need to be exactly the same height? What is the rule here? I'm just thinking that if they are slightly shorter, it may be a little less fussy to fit.
I would appreciate any insight on this or any other advice on drawer fitting since this is my first go at it. So far, I've tried to learn from various online resources, but putting it all together and applying it is an entirely different adventure.
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Just for fun, this is the last picture I took of it while still working on the carcass. Please go easy on me... I'm a rookie.
nightstand.jpg