rodger. Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 (edited) been doing some reading on this, and I tend to do whatever looks best. It looks like the standard is for solid wood to go side to side, and for ply to go front to back. I don't use solid wood drawer bottoms often, but clearly grain direction is important, and the rule makes sense.With plywood, do you guys follow this "rule of thumb" for bottoms? Since grain direction isn't crucial for expansion, it allows more creativity. Edited October 14, 2015 by Pug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Over time, practice changed -- you may term it 'evolved'... So practice depends on what you want to build and if you want to emulate the practice of a particular period...The short answer --- run the grain side-to-side...The long answer would be more involved, you can PM me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 I imitate the grain direction of traditional ship lapped, long, and narrow boards. This varies with drawer shape and depth to be the most practical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 I think as ply is multi layer it shouldn't matter and it's all about asthetics, which in my opinion, front to back looks better. Would never think of using solid wood. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 I always go side to side unless the drawer is deeper than it is wide...which doesn't happen very often, like almost never. I use hardwood bottoms on any "real" furniture, plywood on utilitarian projects...if I have appropriate ply on hand. I don't keep much ply around because I have nowhere to store it so I tend to use hardwood more often. And there's no debate...hardwood bottoms are the classy way to go on high-end pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Eric, do you resaw the bottoms to get them that thin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 It depends. Most of the time I'll just do raised panel with an open back and slotted screw. I like heavier bottoms. If I'm doing small drawers then yeah I'll resaw down to thinner boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 I'm kinda of a heavier bottom kind of guy myself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 ... I like heavier bottoms. ... and I can not lie, you other brothers can't deny, when a drawer pulls out with an itty-bitty groove, grain turned wrong, ya know its gonna move, You get sprung... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 It depends. Most of the time I'll just do raised panel with an open back and slotted screw. I like heavier bottoms. If I'm doing small drawers then yeah I'll resaw down to thinner boards.I understand the raised panel but explain the open back and slotted screws, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Image stolen from gargle. I do mine similar to this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 ==>resaw the bottoms to get them that thin?Unless you’re quite lucky, you’ll have long-term stability issues – if it doesn’t potato chip on you off the saw. For long-term durability, you want slightly thicker stock rabbeted/tapered for the slot... ==>hardwood bottomsAny reason you don’t use a secondary? ==>I do mine similar to this...With a bottom that thin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 A secondary wood species? Sure, sometimes. Again, depends on the importance of the project and what I have on hand.My bottoms are usually thicker than the one pictured. Usually I'll mill the bottom boards at the same time I mill the drawer sides and they'll all be the same thickness. Then, rabbet into a raised panel and install as shown...often with just one screw.This isn't how you do yours? I would have pegged you as a hardwood bottom kind of guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 (edited) ==>My bottoms are usually thicker than the one pictured. Usually I'll mill the bottom boards at the same time I mill the drawer sides and they'll all be the same thickness. Then, rabbet into a raised panel and install as shown...often with just one screw.+1, but substitute cut nail for screw. ==>hardwood bottom kind of guy.Secondary for sides, back and bottom. More traditional... Edited October 14, 2015 by hhh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 I usually run grain direction side to side within drawers. On ply it doesn't matter but for aesthetic purposes only it's also side to side for meOn solid wood panels if you run it front to back you risk blowing out the sides due to seasonal expansion (especially when using thicker drawer bottoms - think 1/2" thick with 1/4" rabbets) or at least making the drawer stiff to open when the wood expands. If the drawer bottom is thin it can split or buckle when it expands.When people pile their stuff in to a drawer quite frankly it doesn't matter to them as they never see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 ==>hardwood bottom kind of guy.Secondary for sides, back and bottom. More traditional...Yeah I get secondary...I just meant solid wood over plywood.I've never been much of a fan of the secondary woods for drawers simply because I've always had a rabid disdain for poplar...so I've mostly used hard maple just because I could. I'm not in business and I have it laying around...why not. I know it's not traditional but I'm not really a bandwagon kind of guy. Although I must say, since devouring the Doucette and Wolfe videos, I'm ready and willing to use secondary wood if and when I build a traditional piece. He's thoroughly convinced me there's not a damn thing wrong with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 (edited) ==>rabid disdain for poplarI don't use Poplar as a secondary -- unless the piece is going to be painted (and that's another story)... Some of the secondaries are remarkably stable. I tend to use EWP for the bottoms, Aspen for the sides on smaller drawers or Soft Maple on larger drawers. Besides, dovetailing a stack of drawers in Hard Maple is just a bitch. Edited October 14, 2015 by hhh 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobInAustin Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Mine are a little thicker with a slotted nail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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