Drawers - how do you rabbet yours?

[LancsRick]

Making some heavy duty drawer units at the minute for the back of our pickup and whilst I appreciate the difference between various joints (dovetail, mitre, etc) I can't say I've ever applied any science to how I do rabbet.

I typically do mine as 50/50 cuts, i.e. I set the router depth and width of cut to half of the board thickness to make two equal L shapes. I know some folks would just rabbet the entire width of a board along the face of another and leave the first board untouched. I'm sure some people will have a specific ratio of depth/width of cut they use for rabbet.

So my question out of curiosity is how do you do yours, and why?

 

[Distinterior]

Well,....I wouldn't do one at all, coz I live in the UK and we cut rebate's here, not rabbet's....A rabbet is an American term.

 

[johnnyb]

The most important thing is accuracy not of the joint(also important) but the finished drawer. It needs to be the right size and square to work well.

 

[Sachakins]

Depends on the load the drawers carrying, personally I just butt joint, glued and Brad nailed, then glue and Brad nail the bottom panel on. That's assuming an all plywood construction to the drawer.

 

[Cabinetman]

I was taught to call them lap joints, quite right about rebate/ rabbet. Dado grrrrrr.
The proportions, well the lap isn’t just cosmetic to cover the end grain it helps with the strength as well. So certainly a lot less than half the thickness on the wood but not so thin that it losses it’s strength, probably a minimum of 3-4 mm. Any nails or pins used (as well as glue) go through the other bit of wood into the end grain next to the lap.
Not just used on cheaper drawers either, they can be used in all sorts of applications and widths.
Ian

 

[Inspector]

A few with the table saw. One cut vertical and the other horizontal. Lots, I would use a dado blade in the table saw.

Pete

 

[HOJ]

Most of the drawer boxes I make are in 1/2" ply, my preferred solution is what is know as the 1/4-1/4-1/4 method, but can be applied to thicker stock as well using different ratios.

Easiest way to explain it is shown in Stumpy Nubs video:



I like this method as when you get it set up right the drawer box locks together, making it far easier to glue up and in some cases I pin them and have put some domino's in once they are made for extra resilience.

 

[LancsRick]

Most of the drawer boxes I make are in 1/2" ply, my preferred solution is what is know as the 1/4-1/4-1/4 method, but can be applied to thicker stock as well using different ratios.

Easiest way to explain it is shown in Stumpy Nubs video:



I like this method as when you get it set up right the drawer box locks together, making it far easier to glue up and in some cases I pin them and have put some domino's in once they are made for extra resilience.

Fab thank you

 

[djellworth]

Well,....I wouldn't do one at all, coz I live in the UK and we cut rebate's here, not rabbet's....A rabbet is an American term.

Rude! (and no apostrophes needed)

 

[RobNichols]

Just as an alternative approach, I think this is interesting:



He suggests using draw slips.

 

[Agent_zed]

Just as an alternative approach, I think this is interesting:



He suggests using draw slips.

I was going to ask why not just cut slots for the draw base to slot into? Pretty much as the video but I don't see the need for the extra bits of wood. Most of the old school drawers I have at home have the base slide into a slot in the sides and front and then just a few nails across the back.

 

[RobNichols]

I was going to ask why not just cut slots for the draw base to slot into? Pretty much as the video but I don't see the need for the extra bits of wood. Most of the old school drawers I have at home have the base slide into a slot in the sides and front and then just a few nails across the back.

I think the main issue is that if the draw sides are too thin, the base slots significantly weaken the lower edge of the sides. The draw slips allow you to use thinner draw sides.

However, as you say, I think most drawers I've seen just cut a slot and I presume the makers have considered the slot weakening issue in choosing the side thickness.

Draw slips is just another of those many options woodworkers get to choose from when coming up with the solution. I just thought it worth highlighting that the option was available.

 

[squib]

Rabbets are cut in the backbone of boats in the UK so not just an American expression, but rebates are what are used for joinery.

 

[Ollie78]

There is a drawer lock mitre bit that is a pretty easy method for basic stuff, slightly different to a lock mitre bit but similar idea.
Obviously dovetails if its more decorative.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Just as an alternative approach, I think this is interesting: He suggests using draw slips.

Kind of weird slips though. He sounds American and I suspect, like most Americans, drawer slips are a bit of a mystery to them (that's my experience of American woodworkers anyway) and he's come up with what might be called an unconventional arrangement, aka basically the wrong arrangement, as well as being rather ugly. He's created extra unnecessary work for himself by including a drawer slip on the back of the drawer front. The normal way is to simply run a groove in the back face of the drawer front itself with slips attached only to the drawer side with the slips tenoned into the drawer front groove. The tenon at the front of the slip and the notch at its rear end to fit under the drawer back are what positions the slip at the right height, see images below. The extra piece of slip he attaches to the drawer front is a potential source of height misalignment, which is another good reason for not adding a slip there, as well as for the fact, already mentioned, that adding it creates unnecessary work. Slainte.

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Richard, I viewed this video shortly after it was posted on YouTube, and made these same comments to the author. He had a hissy fit - just could not accept any disagreement. His argument was that he had published the slip-making design in a magazine, and therefore it must be correct. (Quercus or F&C). Sigh ...

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Jacob]

Just as an alternative approach, I think this is interesting:



He suggests using draw slips.

I did something similar on a set of drawers which had the bottom in slots in the sides, the cheapskate way, all of which had worn and broken out. I had to splice on new bits to the sides and then add slips, so I incorporated them in one piece. I wouldn't do that from scratch though, with new work. The old ways are best!

 

[Cabinetman]

@Sgian Dubh yes that’s the way I was taught to fit drawer bottoms, I presume it was refined to this over decades of experimentation and perfecting methods.
Not to say a new method can’t be good and innovative. I have some ideas up my sleeve to be shown soon.
Ian

 

[RobNichols]

Kind of weird slips though. He sounds American and I suspect, like most Americans, drawer slips are a bit of a mystery to them (that's my experience of them anyway) and he's come up with what might be called an unconventional arrangement, aka basically the wrong arrangement, as well as being kind of ugly. He's created extra unnecessary work for himself by including a drawer slip on the back of the drawer front. The normal way is to simply run a groove in the back face of the drawer front itself with slips attached only to the drawer side with the slips tenoned into the groove on the back face of the drawer front. The tenon at the front of the slip and the notch at the back to fit under the drawer back are what positions the slip at the right height. The extra piece of slip he attaches to the drawer front is a potential source of height misalignment, which is one good reason for not adding a slip there. Slainte.

Thank you - That's really useful.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Richard, I viewed this video shortly after it was posted on YouTube, and made these same comments to the author. He had a hissy fit - just could not accept any disagreement. His argument was that he had published the slip-making design in a magazine, and therefore it must be correct. (Quercus or F&C). Sigh ...

Regards from Perth

Derek

I seem to recall I had a bit of a go at you for doing the same thing, i.e., putting a slip on the back of the drawer front. I guess the configuration he shows works so for him it's okay, and I suppose a magazine editor liked the look and explanation of the methodology. I wouldn't touch his configuration with a barge pole simply because it is unconventional, extra work, rather ugly (subjective opinion, I know), and I wasn't taught to do the job like that maybe fifty years or so ago. Slainte.