(11-19-2019, 02:04 PM)jteneyck Wrote: First off, I'm for whoever asked why you would use inset drawers for shop cabinets.  Practice maybe?  Otherwise, I don't see the point.  Inset drawers are harder to install and let more dust into the drawer boxes, neither of which pleases me with shop cabinets.  

(11-19-2019, 02:04 PM)jteneyck Wrote: First off, I'm for whoever asked why you would use inset drawers for shop cabinets.  Practice maybe?  Otherwise, I don't see the point.  Inset drawers are harder to install and let more dust into the drawer boxes, neither of which pleases me with shop cabinets.  

Anyway, I install the slides after the boxes are made.  If I have multiple cabinets with the same drawer sizes, I make a story pole for the C/L of the slides and use that to lay out where to drill the holes.  A Kreg jig would make installing both the slides and drawer boxes really easy, but I don't own one.   I will if I ever build another kitchen, however. 

For the drawer faces I fit them all into the cabinet with spacers first, 1/16" to 1/10" depending upon how tight I want them.  Wide drawer fronts need more space top and bottom to account for seasonal movement and since it's getting to be the low RH time of year it's time to consider "loose in  Winter, tight in Summer".  Inset drawers in cabinets with no faceframes are easy, just clamp them in place and drive screws from the inside.  But that often won't work for Cabinets with faceframes, as well as the top drawer of any style cabinet.  For those I drill two oversized holes in the drawer box and just hole the drawer front tight to the box and drive one screw, then check to see if all is well.  If it's not right I loosen that screw and slide the drawer front left, right, up, down, then retighten the screw.  If there's not enough play with the hole I move to the other oversized hole and repeat the process.  If I still can't get it right I take a break because I must be having a really bad day.  

An even easier method when using drawer pulls is to predrill the holes in the drawer fronts, shim them in place in the cabinet, and then drive a washer head screw threw the holes in the drawer front into the drawer box.  Then install the screws from inside the drawer box to hold the drawer front.  Next remove the temporary screws through the drawer front, drill through for the drawer pulls and use the long screws to install the pulls.  

As for screws, I use GRK Cabinet screws.  No predrilling of the drawer front required, even in hard maple and similar.  With narrow drawers, two screws, with drawers wider than about 3" it's 4 screws.  

John

(11-20-2019, 10:23 AM)jteneyck Wrote: Doug, you don't have to justify your motives to me or anyone else.  FWIW, I agree that inset drawers look very good and are a sign of the care with which the cabinet was built, with the caveat of when well done.  I only questioned why you would spend the considerable extra time required to do them well, and I know you will, for shop cabinets.  Face frames, too, for that matter.  But if that's what you want then have at it.  

And I won't make a single comment about using cherry for shop cabinets.  Nope, not going to do it.  

Enjoy building them. You have the perfect machine for putting together those face frames.  

John

(11-20-2019, 11:31 AM)BrentDH Wrote: I do as John suggested.

"An even easier method when using drawer pulls is to predrill the holes in the drawer fronts, shim them in place in the cabinet, and then drive a washer head screw threw the holes in the drawer front into the drawer box.  Then install the screws from inside the drawer box to hold the drawer front.  Next remove the temporary screws through the drawer front, drill through for the drawer pulls and use the long screws to install the pulls. "

One thing I would add is that I pre-drill the holes in the front of the drawer box (not to be confused with the "drawer front") that are used to mount the front to the box.   I usually do four (one at each corner) and I make sure to leave them far enough form the corners so I can get a drill in there to drive the screws that hold the drawer front to the drawer box.   You can guess how I learned that one.  It is a bear to drive those screws with a screwdriver when they are only a 1/2" from each corner.  I got burned because it was easy to pre-drill them from the outside of the box without realizing I would have to drive the screws from the inside of the box.  I use those washer head screws with oversized head and drill the holes slightly larger than the screw to allow for some slight adjustments if necessary.