End table drawer attachment

[dvoigt]

So I’m building a shaker (I suppose) style end table for my dad for Christmas. This will also be the first table that I have built that will have a drawer. My idea for the draw was to have the drawer supported in the inside by 2 wooden runners that would attach to the sides at the bottom of the drawer. This would give the drawer something to side on. The sides of the drawer would make contact with the top runner to prevent the drawer from wanting to tip forward too much, and the bottom of the drawer would of course slide along the runners.

I have typically seen this sort of thing but with the supports in the middle of the drawer. Has anyone tried this set up before and found it to not work? Should I modify my design to put the runner in the middle of the drawer instead, that will force me to change relook at my joinery in my drawer, and/or complexity of my runner application.

I'm trying to make this table top notch, my dad has some older tables that my grandpa made 50 years ago, so I have some competition.

Thanks!

Derek

[kep1019]

I use the bottom runners on tables, but only use a piece on the top in the middle to support the drawer from tilting out from front to back. I also use that top board to attach the top with screws in slots through it.

[jhl.verona]

I'm no expert, but the main reason for using runners in the middle of the sides is that you're restricting movement in the X and Y axes. Obviously the play gets worse as the drawer comes out, but it's difficult to rack - which would cause the drawer to get stuck.

If you use bottom runners, then the top of the drawer needs something to rest against to stop droop. But without side supports it'll rattle around in the X axis, or worse it'll jam.

Now to the madness...

If you have side guides and one (as Keith K suggested) or two upper runners, then you can do a neat trick. This is always used on ship's furniture to stop the drawers opening when the ship rolls.

Put a small wedge (around an 1/8" thick) under the shelf at the front, with an accompanying cut in the runner. Then, when the drawer closes it will rise slightly and then drop into the cut - usually with a satisfying clunk. This means that the front is always perfectly flush with the legs, and if the table falls over, when you pick it up the drawer won't open spilling everything out.

Just needs to be lifted slightly when you open it. Otherwise, well, it might fall over (but see above)

I did this years ago for a 'settimanale' - can't remember the name in English, it's a chest of seven drawers for the bedroom, one for each day of the week. I didn't put handles on it (I hate handles) just hook your fingers under the front, lift and pull.

... end of mad idea.