Replies

1. 
   sewells1951 | Feb 04, 2008 03:39pm | #1

   I would think that would be fine given that you are using plywood for the bottoms.  I usually glue only the back and the sides at one spot on each, just to keep them from rattling around in the slot the bottom fits into but with plywood I would think you could glue up all the way around without any problem.

1. 
   bares | Feb 05, 2008 05:53am | #2

   Thanks. 

    

   I am a little concerned with getting the bottom panel to slide all the way in with glue the full length of the dados.    

2. 
   user-148830 | Feb 08, 2008 08:34pm | #3

   Hi,
   It's my feeling that you should be consistent when it comes to wood movement. I do it because it makes it easier for me whenever I'm designing.

   So, lose the ply back or make your entire drawer box out of plywood and plant a solid front on with screws slotted to allow for wood movement. You can't mix plywood with solid wood sides in drawer construction. The solid wood will want to move and the plywood won't. You can go one way or the other.

   As for the bottom, since it's plywood you can glue it in if you want. There's no real need to but it will prevent it from ever rattling around. Good luck. Gary

1. 
   bares | Feb 09, 2008 12:46am | #4

   Gary,

   I appreciate your advice.  Unfortunately, it came too late.

    

   Probably the more serious issue is the point you made about mixing plywood back with the maple sides of the drawer.  I sit here with six drawers constructed that way.  The drawers sides range in height from 6 to 10 inches. The half dovetails are glued together.  Any advice on what, if any, corrective measure(s)  to take?

    

   With regard to gluing in the bottoms:  I sized the dadoes in the sides so the bottoms could be pushed in by hand during dry fit.  I found the hard way this will not work if you want to glue.   Bottoms start to get suck about halfway in.  I encountered the same problem with the tapered sliding dovetail joint at the sides to drawer fronts.  Dry fit, those joints would slide together until the last inch.  With glue it required some serious use of a mallet.  Am I misunderstanding something about joint construction?  I use Titebond 3 and work quickly.

    

   Steve.

1. 
   user-148830 | Feb 12, 2008 08:20pm | #5

   Steve,
   Oh well, use the drawers as is and see what happens. They'll probably be fine with some kind of finish on them. If not, you can cut off the plywood backs and just nail or screw on a solid back. If the drawers are wide enough you might also be able to run a small dado across the inside of the sides. And then fit in a back. Now as to sliding joints. Glue changes everything. You can have the sweetest fitting joint and then add glue and it's a mess, it won't fit, it won't slide. Disaster strikes instead. What fun woodworking is!So, I prepare myself for a sliding dovetail with all sorts of clamps. No hammering. You can't get enough force with a hammer without damaging your work. [Of course sometimes this is what you want if you can't get the joint together.]Let's say you're clamping a drawer side to a front. Clamp your drawer face on edge right close to the edge of your bench. Make sure it's secure. Then have your drawer side ready with a clamping caul taped on to its top edge. You can damage that instead of your drawer side with clamping pressure. Make sure the caul fits inside the sliding dovetail. You want pressure right where you need it, on the joint. Have two pipe clamps ready with their threads completely unscrewed.
   Apply your glue, mostly in the drawer front, oh, make sure the bottom of the drawer side is slightly relieved, a pass or two with a hand plane will prevent any undue scraping of the joint. Then get the drawer side started by hand, get as far as you can before it seizes up. Then apply your clamp and get started clamping. DO NOT BLOW YOUR NOSE! Any time you stop to go get a clamp, to answer the phone, to blow your nose, the joint is seizing up. The pop you hear when you resume clamping is the glue joint breaking apart. It's very unnerving!Keep clamping the drawer side until you run out of thread. When you do, throw that clamp away and grab the new clamp and continue with clamping pressure. You don't have time to unscrew the first clamp. See the key is to keep this joint moving. Run the drawer side all the way home. Now you can alleviate some of this pressure by using a slower setting glue but even if you are gluing in a drawer bottom, [for which there is no need, but if so], then you'll need 4 clamps ready to go so you can clamp on both sides evenly at once. It's a dance, but if you're ready you can do it successfully. Once finished, buy yourself a beer.
   Good luck.
   Gary