I shoulda asked for help before this.. I consider myself an advanced beginner, though maybe I’m moving toward intermediate….
I’m building a cabinet for my kitchen. After much consideration I decided to build flush drawers to match other cabinets (even though the wood won’t match-but will match another piece very close at hand that my dad built 20 years ago) and to put a face frame on the case. Now, how do I cut the spacers for the drawer glides? Can I use plywood?
Unfortunately, the case isn’t perfectly symmetrical, though I tried. It’s off by a 1/16″. How did that happen?? The face frame covers all flaws more or less BUT the spacers need to be different depths. I need to get them flush to the frame, right?
Here’s the real question. Can I cut plywood and screw the glides into the ply face? (I’m not sure how to describe.. if you cut plywood it exposes the layers of the ply. That’s the face that would face the glide.) Will it hold?
Thanks for helping. It’s a basic question but I don’t know whom else to ask.
Replies
I should wait and let some one else answer this as I'm an intermediate working my way towards a beginner. As I understand it, you are wanting to put a screw into the edge of plywood. Some plywood nowadays is glued very poorly. That being said, I sometimes clamp the area of plywood where the screw will enter. That seems to keep it from separating. You may want to drill the screw hole to a reasonable diameter. It may work.
Are you talking about something to fill the "gap" inside the cabinet between the edge of the faceframe and the cabinet carcass? How wide do your spacers need to be?
I usually just rip something to the width I need and glue/screw it to the carcass. If your carcass is only off by 1/16", one or two small washers between the glide and the spacer can easily handle that.
tobias,
I usually do what Dave suggested, attach wood strips or ply to the carcass to fill in the space between the drawer and the faceframe however, do usually screw them in so I can shim to eliminate that 1/16". That should work unless your drawer face is flush with the sides ie. no overhang?
Washers! Very interesting. That way I don't have to fiddle with stripping different widths! I think my answer is NOT to try to screw into the ply. But yes the drawer front needs to be flush...Thanks for help...
Screws perpendicular to the plies are fine. You just don't want to screw into the "end" grain (parallel to the plies).
Thanks. You found a way to say it.. and yes I was questioning screwing parallel to the plies.Had a feeling that was a bad idea. Cut the spacers this morning.. using regular wood! better to size. Onwards..
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