Drawer Stop- what is best.....

A few methods...

Jim Reed @ tallahassee

>One is to put a block at the end of the track for the drawer sides to rest against. Downside is that repeated slammings can break the glue bond and shear them off. Another is to put a block on the bottom cross rail that the drawer bottom will rest against. Downside is that it has to be small or the bottom of the drawer will drag on it. Also over time it may become rounded and the drawer front can *jump* over it. Another method is to put a block on the top frame that will stop the drawer side at the top. Downside is that it can snag contents if the drawer is full. Which brings us to my favorite... a secret shallow box that is as wide as the drawer and only a few inches deep. The back of the drawer will rest on it when it reaches the back. Put a fingerhole in the box so that when you remove the real drawer, you can reach back and snag the hidden one. Good luck with your project.

Re: Drawer Stop- what is best..... *LINK*

Andrew F in Australia

>Hi Bill,

Typically, the drawer stop is a trapezoidally cut piece of 3-ply, approx 1" wide at the front and about 3/4" wide at the back, and about 1" deep.

You tack it in place with a single panel pin, attached to the top of the drawer blade so that it remains invisible unless the drawer is removed.

This, of course, presupposes that there's an air gap under the drawer and that the underside of the drawer bottom clears the stop. (ie: drawer bottom is not rebated onto the drawer sides.) In this case, your drawer stop could be a rubbed glue block attached to the runner or kicker at the appropriate position.

I just found the link below that shows the first example in pictures

Best regards,

Andrew


http://www.btsd.k12.wi.us/teched/woodsprojectplans/Woods%20Plans/Nitestnd-rev%202.pdf

Re: Drawer Stop- what is best.....

Ed Mulligan, Cape Cod

>Adding to Jim's and Andrew's posts, for the stop in the back you need an inch+ on the divider when the drawer is shut to install a substantial stop. If the case construction is such that the case depth will change seasonally, the rear stop method will cause the drawers to be non-flush as the annual cycle takes place.

Ed

Re: Drawer Stop- what is best.....

Warren in Lancaster, PA

>I have used both the runner method and the rail method as outlined by Jim. You want something that is adjustable (by paring) and replaceable. I tend to use the runner method for large drawers and the rail method for smaller drawers where access to the back of the runner is limited.

This morning I checked a drawer I made around 1986 and has housed our telephone book and address book, etc. It may have been opened ten or twenty thousand times. It has blocks at the back glued to both the runners and the side guides.

Re: Drawer Stop- what is best.....

Sgian Dubh

>Bill, if I assume you are making a solid wood carcass, not frame and panel type, then expansion and contraction front to back could be significant over the seasons. So, it makes sense to have the drawer stop set as near the front of the drawer as possible, e.g., right behind the drawer front for excample-- Andrew has suggested one style.

Here's another for your consideration. Knock out a wee mortise in the runner. Create a plug of wood as sketched with its tenon to fill the mortise. Dry fit the thing and shut the drawer on it. The drawer front will sit proud of the carcase assuming a 3/4" thick front.

Shave off a bit at the front of the stop until you get the setback you want, usually about 1/16" or 3/32" in American. Once you've got what you want, glue the stop in.

These stops are tough little bleeders as long as you have the long grain running vertically, as logic would suggest of course. You've probably already built the carcass so it's likely you can't get at the runner to create the wee mortice, so this won't work on this occasion, but perhaps next time.

I can't help with humping your piece up the stairs. I shan't be passing through America any time soon. Sorry. You might offer a case or two of beer to rustle up willing volunteers. Slainte.

Ahaaa!

bill tindal, E.TN

>Now I remember seeing such stops on some English antiques. Of course I forgot about seeing them until this reminder. I will find a way to implement.

follow up question

bill tindal, E.TN

>Am I to understand that the drawer in its "rest" position should be inside the frame 1/16"? I guess someone has figured out this to be best but in my ignorance I would have made the drawers flush.

Thanks to all for suggestions

bill tindal, E.TN

>You all are better than a woodworking encyclopedia. 3 done and 5 to go.......I like that drawer holding idea! Our club's most accomplished woodworker was by yesterday to use our big planer for an 18" curly oak plank (never seen curly oak before except near the butt) and he complimented me on the fit of the 1st two drawers. (Actually I think he was astonished I got them fit so well. I didn't reveal my WC secret helpers)

Re: follow up question

Paul in NJ

>In my opinion, in setting the drawers a bit is an aesthetic thing. It creates another shadow line, a little more depth.

Paul Dzioba

Re: follow up question

Sgian Dubh

>Bill, it's very hard to set the face of the drawer exactly flush with the carcass work at left, right, top and bottom.

It's very hard to set the drawer face back exactly 1/16" all around. So most people aim to set back by, say, a 1/16", and if they miss this number by a 32,nd or 64,th or so the y eye doesn't pick it up in the general shadow line created.

There are other opinions I'm sure, but this is what I subscribe to. Slainte.

Re: follow up question

Paul in NJ

>"There are other opinions I'm sure, but this is what I subscribe to"

I'm glad that professionals like you keep us amateurs honest and are willing to share your knowledge! Your answer makes all the sense in the world. I can relate it to doing trim moldings and casings around windows and doors. You leave a 'reveal' for the very reason you stated.

Paul Dzioba

Re: follow up question

Sgian Dubh

>I suppose I should have also mentioned another reason for the slight inset Paul. I forgot to when I posted earlier.

As the runners and slips wear most drawers tend to sit lower towards the back. This means the drawer front leans back at the top from the vertical.

If the drawer was originally set dead flush with the front face of the carcase work, now there's a bit of a reaveal or inset in parts, and possibly some set forward, particularly at the bottom edge.

Therefore, an intentional inset in the first place will help to disguise the changing inset as the wear makes the drawer less and less well fitted. Slainte.