plywood for drawer construction

[mikey2222]

Hi all

I'm building a desk which will have a total of seven drawers. I was thinking of using baltic birch ply but I need the material to be exactly 1/2" and BB is just short enough of 1/2" that my joinery won't work. I'm using a 1/4" slot cutter). 

I the thought about melamine, but have decided on plywood. I would like some suggestions as to the grade of ply I should use.

Hope this makes sense.

Thanks
Mikey

[Brent V.]

>>>I'm building a desk which will have a total of seven drawers. I was thinking of using baltic birch ply but I need the material to be exactly 1/2" and BB is just short enough of 1/2" that my joinery won't work. I'm using a 1/4" slot cutter). <<<

You may have trouble finding plywood that will meet your needs. Most plywood that I run across in the States is a bit less than what you would expect. In fact, most of the router bit manufacturers make special router bits undersized for cutting dados that will better fit plywood. My set is 23/32" for 3/4" plywood, 31/64" for 1/2" plywood, and 15/64" for 1/4" plywood.

You may have better luck with solid wood. Poplar makes for affordable drawer sides, and it is inexpensive and easy to work.

[Steve N]

My personal preference is also for solid wood for "furniture" pieces on drawers. Where I am located either Poplar, or Soft Maple would be lower cost than BB ply as well. That may not be the same for you. Many do use BB Ply, and it is certainly strong enough. Have you thought of using a good locking technique that you can do on the TS and make it work with whatever your material thickness is?




During construction he talks about the Saw Stop, but in reality any TS will do, what he could easily sell though is the Incra adjustable miter guage fence, though in reality any adjustable fence, even a home made one can easily do stop cuts. There are other variants of this same joint on the TS, any offer a good amount of glue surface, and the grains are crossed so you don't depend only on an end grain situation, which allows this to be a very able joint.

You could also use a finger joint jig to make a very pleasing joint on the TS or router table, that also will adapt to your stock thickness. so that using BB Ply would work very well. The I box is a store bought jig that will serve you well for life, or you can easily make a home made version. Our hosts here have a plan for a very nice home made finger joint jig Or as mentioned the infinitely adjustable Incra I box

[handi]

As a professional woodworker for about 30 years, I have made literally thousands of drawers in ply, solid wood and even melamine. 

Maybe I am missing something, but I can't think of any joinery system that only works with exactly correctly dimensions. In point of fact, material is rarely exactly the thickness you want, there is always a tolerance. With a planer and wide belt or drum sander you can get very close, but I still can't see why exactly 1/2" is required.

Even the drawer slides themselves allow for as much as 1/32" variation in the drawer width fitting the sides.

[FloridaRetiree]

As a professional woodworker for about 30 years, I have made literally thousands of drawers in ply, solid wood and even melamine. 

Maybe I am missing something, but I can't think of any joinery system that only works with exactly correctly dimensions. In point of fact, material is rarely exactly the thickness you want, there is always a tolerance. With a planer and wide belt or drum sander you can get very close, but I still can't see why exactly 1/2" is required.

Even the drawer slides themselves allow for as much as 1/32" variation in the drawer width fitting the sides.

Well said!

For me, only two failures (far as I can remember) with drawer bottoms using 1/4" birch ply slid into grooves in the front and sides and screwed in the back.

One a 36" wide blanket chest where the lady customer loaded up with fabrics, the weight of which could not be supported by the bottom.

And once for file cabinets used in an attorney's office that was overloaded with paper records.  

Had to re-build both with 1/2" bottoms -- glued in.

[jteneyck]

Well said!

For me, only two failures (far as I can remember) with drawer bottoms using 1/4" birch ply slid into grooves in the front and sides and screwed in the back.

One a 36" wide blanket chest where the lady customer loaded up with fabrics, the weight of which could not be supported by the bottom.

And once for file cabinets used in an attorney's office that was overloaded with paper records.  

Had to re-build both with 1/2" bottoms -- glued in.

Another option is to put a center stiffener under the 1/4" bottom.  Stub tenon at the front, screwed at the back just like the bottom.  

John

[FloridaRetiree]

Another option is to put a center stiffener under the 1/4" bottom.  Stub tenon at the front, screwed at the back just like the bottom.  

John

You may be right but in such small measurements, I was always trying to maximize storage space and that would have taken more -- if I understand your suggestion correctly?

Could have used some sort of steel or aluminum support also I suppose?

Mainly, just should have built the bloody drawers to support a small utility vehicle.  

[badwhiskey]

I agree with Ralph. Rethink your design or construction method if it relies on finding stock that is milled to exact specifications.

[ez-duzit]

...Rethink your design or construction method if it relies on finding stock that is milled to exact specifications.

This. Drawer boxes can be easily built of any practical material thickness.

[jteneyck]

I've made lots of Baltic birch drawers.  I almost always use 1/2" finger joints using the router table.  The thickness of the plywood is irrelevant. 



John