How thick are your drawers??

[9fingers]

I'm making some drawers for the workshop to hold small tools etc. in fact most of them will be more like trays.

All are 500mm wide x 270mm deep and in three heights 52, 70 and 104mm.

I've thicknessed the timber down to 16mm which looks about right for the fronts and suits the size of dovetails I'm planning but wonder if there a convention to make the side cheeks slightly thinner than the fronts.

It is not that critical to get them 'looking' right as they will only be in the workshop but I'd like to learn some of the more artistic aspects of design and proportions. I think any artistic tendencies I might of had were removed at birth!!

Comments welcome.

TIA

Bob

[mrgrimsdale]

Lots of variations.
I'm doing drawers at the mo and I wandered about the house measuring as well as looking at the books. For a typical kitchen table drawer I came up with 20mm front, 10mm sides and back, 12.5mm bottom - set top face 15mm above bottom edge of sides, 10x22 slips with 6mm slot.
Hardwood drawers may have thinner sides.
In general - if you want to know how to do something just look at an appropriate piece of trad joinery. It'll most likely be done just right.

[jfc]

The fronts are normally thicker to match any doors so 18 - 25 mm would be about right . If doing the draws in MDF i would go for thicker material and round the tops over to look thinner . The thickness is for the screws on the draw runners .

[9fingers]

Thanks Jacob & Jason.
The drawers are hardwood and I like the idea of rounding the top edges of the sides.

I expect I'll take the sides down to 14mm as I don't have to accommodate guides. The drawers will sit on hardwood runners guiding one drawer and stopping the one below from tipping.

cheers

Bob

[mrgrimsdale]

Dec 12, 2008 17:12:03 GMT 9fingers said:

snip
is not that critical to get them 'looking' right as they will only be in the workshop but I'd like to learn some of the more artistic aspects of design and proportions. I think any artistic tendencies I might of had were removed at birth!!

Comments welcome.

TIA

Bob

In trad joinery 'looking right' is more to do with function. So a typical drawer has the design and details which would be most practical in use, easiest to make, using least wood and being most durable. This would apply to almost anything traditional; every detail tends to have a reason - art doesn't come in to it!

[9fingers]

Hi Jacob, Whilst not wishing to doubt your comments obviously borne from experience, I do see a lot written about design, techniques and desirablility of 'lightening' appearance and the golden ratio and related topics.
It is heartening in a way that i can apply my more familiar engineering background to design basics to give strength to things I make and that my lack of artistic ability might not be the disadvantage that i first thought it might be.

Cheers

Bob