Laying out drawer divider locations
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
How I build stuff is some combination of what I see professionals do (presumed to be quick and reliable) and reaction, and possibly overreaction, to problems I have had in the past.
Laying out divider locations must be done accurately or the drawer will not set flat, ie the dividers must define a geometric plane. I spare no effort to get these locations accurate and to avoid mistakes in the many dimensions involved.
In my case pieces drawers increment in size by a divider thickness. Hence, I can lay out the array of drawer dividers and drawer sizes with two dividers set to the top drawer height(smallest) and the divider thickness.
The process is as foolproof as I can invent. The case sides are clamped in registration and I walk the combination of dividers down each edge of the case sides making tiny indentations to locate divider locations, as shown in the picture. A straight edge connects the dots and a line is scribe across the case sides. This line locates the top of the divider and runner. On a larger case I often route a shallow grove down the case side with a pilot bit following the straight edge. This grove begins the process to make the divider dovetail socket and provides a place to inset the runner. On a small case I don't bother.
Having located where the divider dovetail sockets go it is on to my most favorite part of case construction, creating the dovetail sockets for the dividers. The process is, like a lot else, what I learned in the Headley shop.