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design question: drawer divider width

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design question: drawer divider width

#1

design question: drawer divider width

Jamey Amrine in Ann Arbor

>I am working on a tall, narrow chest of drawers for our bedroom. It is an Empire or Neo-classical style with somewhat heavy proportions. The drawers will be inset, and I am trying to determine how best to determine the ideal width of the drawer dividers. I have them cut to length and surface planed, and now only need to figure out how thick to plane them to. They are currently about 1-1/8" thick, but I think they will look a bit heavy at that thickness. I can't find anything in any of my design books about how best to size these. I think quite frequently, with many people working from plans and with standard-dimension lumber, everything gets done at 3/4" from 4/4 stock. I think one of the many benefits of working by hand is that standard thicknesses don't have to be followed and this takes away the manufactured look of much of the hobbiest work you see on the forums and in the magazines.

The chest I am building will be similar in style to the one below, but it will be about 60" tall (not including the small jewelery chest on top) and will be 24" wide. Mine is being built from maple and will have figured drawer fronts and side panels. The columns on my chest are split applied turnings rather than the full turnings shown on the above example. I have the front legs with the split turnings done (turnings not applied - I will do that after the joinery is done).

The question here is less about this specific piece, and more about drawer divider design in general. How best to determine a pleasing thickness?

-Jamey


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Re: design question: drawer divider width

#2

Re: design question: drawer divider width

Thomas Skaggs, Foothills of Mount Level

>Your point about having options to thickness lumber to your own desire is valid. However sometimes the "standard thicknesses" are often used because they happen to be thicknesses that are pleasing. 3/4" is a thickness that both looks sturdy and yet not overly thick and heavy. Thus it is often a popular thickness to use.

You stated that you intend to use figured wood for the drawer fronts. That will have some beaing on your decision. The dividers serve to "frame" the drawers. If the dividers are too massive then they will distract from the star of the show...the figured drawer fronts. I would opt to downplay the dividers and allow the figured fronts to dominate. So I would stay in the 3/4" to 7/8" range.

Tom

Re: design question: drawer divider width

#3

Not to quibble....

Jamey Amrine in Ann Arbor

>...but 3/4" as a pleasing thickness is far too general a statement. What makes a pleasing thickness is entirely dependent on the style and proportions of the piece being designed. For kitchen cabinets, I can buy that 3/4" is a resonable thickness (which, with the standardization of everything in that realm, is very likely where that dimension gained prominence), but what about for a jewelery box, or a shaker sewing desk, or a Greene & Greene chest of drawers?

Re: design question: drawer divider width

#4

Mock up suggestion

Thomas Skaggs, Foothills of Mount Level

>I'm only speaking in general terms. And I'm mostly referring to standard scale furnishings and cabinets etc.

As far as I'm concerned there are no rules. You are not making a reproduction so you are not constrained to design details and are free to choose a thickness that pleases you.

My only caution is to downplay the dividers in order to allow the figured drawer fronts to stand out.

What I suggest is to simply mock up a drawers on paper. Butcher paper works or I like to use red resin paper(for it's sturdiness). Draw your drawers full scale and test different divider widths to see what width seems best for the look you are going for. That's a quick and cheap way to test your design and help you decide.

Best of luck with the project.

Tom

Re: design question: drawer divider width

#5

Re: Not to quibble....

Warren in Lancaster, PA

>I would use 7/8. I agree with Thomas that the dividers need not be heavy and that standard size dividers ironically serve to emphasize the boldness in other areas. I stay away from figured wood in things like dividers because I think they detract from the drawer fronts which you want to stand out. I avoid 3/4 like the plague. I think full inch would look clumsey, even on a heavy piece.

Re: design question: drawer divider width

#6

empire furniture

Jerome Bias

>I am glad that I am not the only one who likes Empire furniture.

Jerome

Mebane, NC

Re: design question: drawer divider width

#7

Mine are 1" and look right.

Bill Tindal, E.TN

>But one can't beat a scale drawing or mockup to know for sure.

Re: design question: drawer divider width

#8

Re: empire furniture

Jamey Amrine in Ann Arbor

>I would go so far as saying I like empire chests. A lot of the other furniture doesn't do much for me. I see a lot of antique versions of these chests back home (Marietta, Ohio), and I would guess that is probably because of the time period when the town was at it peak, which coincides pretty well with the empire period, I think. My aunt has two of these in her living room.

Re: design question: drawer divider width

#9

Re: Mine are 1" and look right.

Jamey Amrine in Ann Arbor

>Bill, I'd like to see a picture of the project you are mentioning. Can you post one in this thread?

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