I plan to build a pantry in the garage. It will be 80″ h x 48″ w x 24 ” d. I have two questions:
Is it wise to dovetail 3/4″ plywood or would I be better off with rabbits and the Kreg pocket hole system?
Also what are the best drawer slides that will handle the weight of cans, etc and do I need any support under the drawer?
Help from anyone would be appreciated.
Thanks, James R.
Replies
Regarding the dovetails, are you talking about the drawer boxes? If so, I think finger joints are probably a better choice with plywood. It would also be good to use Baltic birch or some other high-quality, multi-ply material.
Any decent kitchen-type drawer slides should be able to handle the weight (assuming the drawers aren't too huge). Ball-bearing slides will operate more smoothly and last longer than nylon roller slides. Two side-by-side banks of drawers should work well, and if you make the drawer bottoms at least 1/2" thick, you won't need any additional support. Three banks would be even better, but then you start cutting into the storage space significantly.
-Steve
Thanks for the feedback.
I plan to make the drawers out of poplar and I had planned to use dovetails. I'll use 1/2" plywood for the drawer bottoms and the drawers will be about 21" wide. The carcase will be plywood and that is where I wondered about dovetails. Maybe I'd be better off with the pocket hole system. I can't believe the cost of baltic birch plywood lately. Thanks again, James R.
Again, I don't think dovetails will work very well with plywood. Assuming that this is a kitchen cabinet-style piece, I would assemble the carcase with biscuited butt joints, and glue in the back for additional racking resistance. I don't have experience with pocket screws, but I assume that they would work as well as biscuits.
-Steve
Edited 5/1/2008 9:57 am ET by saschafer
I will not use dovetails on the plywood. Thanks for the warnings, I'm sure you've saved me time and trouble. With the price of the BB plywood I don't need any do overs.
James R.
Edited 5/1/2008 1:24 pm ET by James R.
Edited 5/1/2008 2:01 pm ET by James R.
Even the best plywood tends to splinter and have messy edges when you dovetail. Especially in the workshop where I'm not obsessive about appearance, I rabbet and glue and screw. It's not the best situation for glue, but it helps. Pocket screws hold very well, but you have to be careful about clamping as there's a notorious problem with slippage if you're not careful. There are a few older threads on the subject. Pocket screws work best on faceframes.
The price of BB has shot up in Canada too, despite the stronger dollar.
Jim
Thanks for the help. I think I'll rabbet, glue and screw. I'm more concerned about stability than looks.
Thanks again, James R.
Edited 5/1/2008 1:23 pm ET by James R.
I have lot's of drawers in my kitchen and pull outs in my pantry. When my cabinet maker was working on the drawers, he set up both Blum and Hettich drawer glides for me to test. Although not a scientific study by any means, the Hettich seemed slightly beefier but the Blum action slightly smoother. The Hettich did have more ball bearings, so I went that route thinking that'll hold up better with weight over time. But honestly, I just wanted to be a contrarian and get something different than Blum.
Thanks for the drawer glides info. I'll check out both brands.
James R.
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