# double fronted drawers



## Valhalla (25 May 2021)

Can someone tell me which is the best way to deal with the central stile in a double fronted chest of drawers. I'm aware that the central stile is tenoned into the top and bottom rails, but what happens at the intermediate rails? Are the stile and rails half-lapped and is the joint appearance better horizontally or vertically (or is that just aesthetics)?

Cheers
Dno


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## Jacob (25 May 2021)

Haven't checked but I'd expect that most double fronted chests of drawers will have horizontals going through and the dividers stub tenoned.


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## Valhalla (25 May 2021)

Jacob said:


> Haven't checked but I'd expect that most double fronted chests of drawers will have horizontals going through and the central stiles to be stub tenoned.


Does that apply to only 2 drawers or any number of drawers.....if the rails are 18mm those tenons are tiny. I can make the rails 23mm (7/8") to give them a bit more room.


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## Jacob (25 May 2021)

Go and have a look at some chests of drawers? Or at Ernest Joyce's book.
Stub tenons are small - they often aren't structural they just keep things in place.
Just had a look at my chest upstairs - very ordinary 1900 ish pine two top drawers 3 full width bottom.
The horizontal rails are 20 x 60mm
The single divider between the top drawers is 20 x 40mm tenoned through into the rails above and below.
The solid sides are only 15mm.
There's more structure involved, what with runners, spacers, kickers etc.
Often things aren't obvious but with trad furniture the more you look the more it makes sense.
It's really important to look at furniture itself (and the books) otherwise you are trying to reinvent the wheel, flying blind etc etc!


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