# drawers



## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

My son's dresser as 2 drawers that are ruined. so I get to make new ones. My first real project!

The openings are 28 inches wide, 16 inches deep. the top opening is 7 inches high. the lower 1 is 6 and 3/4 inches high. So, what should the actual dimensions of the drawer be?


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

This is so that I can record what type of drawer slide it is


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

This might sound too simple, but what were the dimensions of the damaged drawers? Or am I not understanding the question.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

This stupid phone app keeps crashing when I try to add an attachment.

I do not have the original drawers. We were going to throw the dresser away, But then we decided to make new drawers for it instead. So at this point I cannot figure out what the original sizes were


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## tcleve4911 (Dec 16, 2006)

Are you planning on using the same hardware?
The height should be approx 1" shorter with 1/4" play on each side.
Make a separate drawer front attached to the drawer carcass by fastening from the back side.

You might consider upgrading the hardware to self closing European drawer slides.
Not soft close $$$ just nice simple ones from the box store.
Make the drawer 1" narrower than the opening.
The slides call for 1/2" clearance on each side.
Do an overlay door like the doors above.

Hope this helps....


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Yes that does help, Thanks.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*here some links to a similar issue*

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/search.php?searchid=1352625

I did one here: http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/antique-dresser-repair-11477/


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

I'd keep it simple Chris. Taking a cue from the look of the doors, they look to be 3/8" inset and about the same overlay. 
Trash the drawer slides. Make the sides and back 1/8" smaller than the opening and the front 3/4" larger. Put a 3/8 x 3/8" rabbet around the fronts and build the box with rabbet/dado joinery. Instead of drawer slides put runners from front to back for the drawer to ride on. I've had good luck avoiding the wood to wood sliding problems by inlaying a 1/8" thick piece of UHMW in the runners, leaving it a tad proud, for the drawers to slide on. 
:smile:


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

Chris - you don't need the mechanical slides, that rail in the center is what the original drawers slid on. If I'm right, looking at that slide from the front, it looks like a "T". Go to the hardware store and spend about $2 for a drawer gide that mounts on the back of the drawer. It's like the mono rail system. They do come in different sises so measure the width of the top of the T the thickness of the top of the T for the size you will need. 

I'm building a dresser for one of my granddaughters and I'm using that system because she is 6 years old, but unlike your dresser, I'm adding an interior web (like the one in the picture of Woodnthings' antique repair posted above). The web is a good idea and the lack of it is probably why the original drawers failed. They had to be a bit flimsy not to break that rail, assuming the rail is wood. 

As for the opening or drawer size, it's simple preference. You can give it sides that are 1 inch high and deal with things falling out or you can make your sides exactly the same size as the openings and deal with trying to get the drawer into the cavity and swelling and not being able to open the drawer. My preference is to give them a 1/4 inch play.

One more point... those mono rail system guides also keep the drawer from tilting out when pulled past the half way point. With the web system, I cam add a drawer stop. I also plan on adding wooden guides on the sides of the web to keep the drawer from moving side to side (I think that movement is called racking). Good luck


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Exactly!*



BernieL said:


> Chris - you don't need the mechanical slides, that rail in the center is what the original drawers slid on. If I'm right, looking at that slide from the front, it looks like a "T". Go to the hardware store and spend about $2 for a drawer glide that mounts on the back of the drawer. It's like the mono rail system. They do come in different sises so measure the width of the top of the T the thickness of the top of the T for the size you will need.
> 
> I'm building a dresser for one of my granddaughters and I'm using that system because she is 6 years old, but unlike your dresser, I'm adding an interior web (like the one in the picture of Woodnthings' antique repair posted above). The web is a good idea and the lack of it is probably why the original drawers failed. They had to be a bit flimsy not to break that rail, assuming the rail is wood.
> As for the opening or drawer size, it's simple preference. You can give it sides that are 1 inch high and deal with things falling out or you can make your sides exactly the same size as the openings and deal with trying to get the drawer into the cavity and swelling and not being able to open the drawer. My preference is to give them a 1/4 inch play.
> ...


A little wax on the side runners and a center rail and you are good to go. I had to rebuild the side supports, since they were worn, and if I remember, I just added new strips to the drawer sides at the bottom for make them new again. 
Since the drawers will have fronts that are larger than the openings, any gaps at the edges will be covered, so no issues there.
I posted the link to show what can be done with an old dresser if you are willing to take the time. It was a rewarding project for me. :yes:


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Rockler has center guide kits with instructions for mounting that will give you an idea of what is involved, instructions here:
http://www.rockler.com/tech/29892.pdf


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Thanks for the replies folks. This is a VERY cheap dresser in a beach house, and it gets very little use. The doors are MDF, as is pretty much everything else it is made from. There is a matching nightstand that has a drawers which were glued and edge stapled together. I think I will make the new drawers from 1/2" ply with dado/rabbet joinery and a 1/4" lauan bottom. I guess I'll use MDF for the drawer fronts. The new drawers will certainly be better than the old ones.

I think I'll use the same tracks that are already there and get guides that are like the way they were originally.

Then I will prime and paint the whole thing (and the nightstand) and be done with it.


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