Replies

1. 
   billballeza | Mar 19, 2005 05:03am | #1

   In my opinion that's too thin. But if you decide to go that way I think you're going to have an interesting challenge trying to clamp the fronts while the glue sets.

   If you can get them glued up straight and square to one another I think the pulls will be sufficient to keep them from separating from the drawers.

   Good luck.

2. 
   lwj2 | Mar 19, 2005 05:35am | #2

   If you've got the capability of resawing, you might consider ripping your 3/8 sycamore into 1/16 veneers and then applying the veneer to your drawer fronts.

   Leon Jester
3. 
   mudman | Mar 19, 2005 06:29am | #3

   screw and glue should work. If you are worried use extended time glue. after the front is adjusted add clamps for good measure.

   Mike

   please excuse my spelling.
4. 
   nikkiwood | Mar 19, 2005 08:58am | #4

   I have used false fronts down to 5/8" -- but never tried anything thinner.

   Questions:

   1) What size stock are you using for your drawer stock?

   2) Are you using a drawer handle that bolts through the drawer and the front?

   3) What are the size drawer fronts we're talking about?

1. 
   jpohja | Mar 19, 2005 03:38pm | #6

   drawer stock is 5/8"

   haven't decided on knob type. I suppose I can use any type

   two different size drawers: 5x12 inch and 7x24 inch

1. 
   nikkiwood | Mar 19, 2005 04:45pm | #8

   I think you could probably get away with gluing the fronts to the 5" drawers.But I would be less optimistic about gluing the fronts to the 7" drawers -- since I would be concerned that in time the fronts would curl across the grain.I think my counsel would be to rethink your strategy. Either remake the fronts using thicker stock, or redo the drawers so the fronts are an integral part of the drawer itself.

5. 
   cicero | Mar 19, 2005 09:06am | #5

   Just laminate two of the 3/8 bits and start again.

6. 
   joinerswork | Mar 19, 2005 04:06pm | #7

   jpohja,

   You can glue the false fronts to the "real" ones.  If the drawers are the same size, do two at a time, and clamp them together, face to face, with newspaper between the false fronts to  keep them from sticking together.  Titebond will work. If the drawers are graduated, then you will need to cut a piece of heavy plywood , or solid stock to size, to act as a caul for the largest front. Use plenty of clamps.  Then cut down the caul to suit the smaller fronts.

   A shop I once worked in used to do this regularly, to "restyle" antique chests of drawers.   They'd take an inexpensive (at the time) "cottage chest", knock it apart, and plane the drawer fronts down to the dovetail pins.  Overlay a layer of good wood onto the front and use the overlay to make a lipped front.  Build a solid end case around the old drawers, and sell it as a Chippendale "style" chest.  Save the labor of dovetailing all those drawers, and it looked good inside to boot. 

   Of course you couldn't do this nowadays, it wouldn't be cost effective, ethical issues notwithstanding.  The shop did NOT attempt to sell these as old chests, but you have to wonder how many of them have changed hands and lost their true provenance.

   Regards,

   Ray

7. 
   DougF | Mar 19, 2005 05:33pm | #9

   Before I "knew better", I built several 11-drawer chests laminating 1/4" resawn curly maple to a poplar substrate.  Some of the drawers were 8" in heigth.  Thus far, 2-years later, the fronts are holding and there is no noticeable creep, edge curl, splitting or delamination. 

   Knowing what I know now, I would resaw your 3/8 fronts, laminate to your substrate(front and back) and then run through a thickness sander or planer until the veneer was down to 3/32 or 1/16. 

   Doug

8. 
   jpohja | Mar 20, 2005 03:02am | #10

   thanks for the insight and expertise. you've given me some good ideas to ponder.  john

1. 
   Eric | Mar 20, 2005 08:39pm | #11

   John,

   I made finished a chest about six months ago where I used ~3/8" drawer faces glued to birtch drawers as high as 13" w/7/16" overlays.  I aligned the drawers and then put in some screws to act as indexes for the glue-up.  Then I taped the overlays and painted PSA over both the back of the false front and the front of the drawer-box.

   To clamp the fronts on while the glue dried I used straps around my bench and reversible clamps in the "Push" mode (one end pushing against the strap, the other end pushing against the drawer.

   This worked well, except for the first (the 13" bottom drawer), where I bent the drawerbox.  This sucked.  After that I braced the inside of the drawerboxes and it worked fine.  There is little/no curl in the overlays. 

   That said, I wouldn't do it again.  If I were to do it again, I would make 3/16" veneer and attach it to the stock for the front before I made the boxes.   The only reason I didn't do it this way was because I was experimenting with my dovetails, and didn't want to experiment with expensive wood.

   Best of luck.

   Eric

9. 
   wchips | Mar 20, 2005 09:57pm | #12

        Before i knew better i did about the same thing, I built a dining room set ,on the table apron i lamated crotch walnut over plain sawn walnut boards, both were 3/8'' thick. That was about 20 years ago and they still aer like new. I would like to add that the aprons are only 3 1/22'' wide.     

                                                           Have a nice day Lee