The right way to Construct Straightforward Small Drawers


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Reduce accomplished containers from a easy glue-up.

In case your store is like mine, each horizontal floor collects stuff—the mandatory trivialities of woodworking. It’s all great things, to make sure, however it will probably additionally create an actual mess. Small drawers or storage containers are the reply, however making them individually is a ache, as a result of every field requires chopping, becoming and assembling 5 items. That’s 45 items to make the 9 2-3/8″ x 5″ x 8″ containers proven right here. Right here’s how I made them utilizing solely 13 items.

Make a ‘field roll’

The trick is to attach up one lengthy meeting after which reduce the finished drawers from it, as for those who have been chopping slices from a jelly roll. I exploit 1/4″ MDF for the perimeters and backside of the meeting and suitably dry 2×4 inventory milled to 1-3/8″ thick for the dividers—they’ll finally develop into the field fronts and backs. The dividers decide the scale of the containers: Their width determines the peak, their size determines the width and their spacing determines the depth. The size of the “field roll” meeting is determined by the variety of containers and their depth. The 9 containers proven right here got here from a 78″ lengthy meeting.

Begin by chopping the dividers to width and size. To find out their width, subtract the thickness of the MDF backside from the field peak you’ve chosen; to find out the size, subtract the mixed thickness of the MDF sides out of your chosen field width. To make containers like those proven right here, reduce 10 dividers to 2-1/8″ x 4-1/2″. Make certain the ends are sq..

1. Glue evenly spaced dividers onto a size of 1/4″ MDF. Make certain their ends are flush with the MDF. Clamping to a flat floor distributes the stress evenly throughout the joints.

Rip the 1/4″ x 78″ lengthy MDF backside 4-1/2″ extensive, so it matches the size of the dividers. Then use a sq. to mark strains throughout it spaced 8-1/8″ (the chosen field depth plus the width of the noticed kerf). Apply glue and place a divider flush with every line (and at all times on the identical facet). Make certain each ends of every divider are flush with the underside after which clamp every divider (Picture 1). Right here’s a tip: Wait 5 minutes earlier than making use of the clamps. This permits the glue to set, so the items gained’t slide out of place when clamping stress is utilized. Go away the clamps on for at the very least half-hour.

2. Glue extra lengths of MDF onto either side of the meeting. Make certain the perimeters are flush.

Rip a pair of 1/4″ x 78″ lengthy MDF sides 2-3/8″ extensive in order that they match the peak of the meeting you’ve simply glued collectively. Glue on the perimeters one after the other so you can also make certain they’re flush from finish to finish with the underside and the dividers (Picture 2).

Reduce out the containers

3. Reduce by the centerline of every divider to create the containers. The blade’s vertical chopping capability determines the utmost field peak.

Mark a line down the middle of every divider. Then transfer to the tablesaw. Connect an extended, stout fence to the miter gauge and use the centerlines on the dividers to chop the field roll meeting into particular person containers (Picture 3). Stand the containers on finish to examine their depth—some variation is probably going. If you wish to make the depths constant, select the shortest field and use it to place a cease block on the miter gauge fence. Then reduce all the opposite containers to match.

Field your storage containers

The 9-drawer storage cupboard  proven at prime is manufactured from 1/2″ birch plywood. Its sides are rabbeted for the highest and dadoed for the cabinets. A 1/2″ x 1/2″ plywood strip fills the hole under the underside shelf. The within width of the assembled field measures 1/16″ greater than the mixed width of three storage containers. The cabinets are spaced 2-7/16″ aside. The again of the field is rabbeted for the 1/4″ again. 


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