Lipped drawers with Dovetails?

[Timesale]

Hi Guys, I have a question. I'm building a dresser out of oak. I'd like to use dovetails to construct the drawers for this dresser, and I'd also like to make a "lipped" overhang on the outside. The problem is the wood I have for the drawer faces are only 3/4 of an inch. If I make the overhang 3/8 of an inch thick, that only leaves 3/8 of an inch to make the half blind dovetails on the inside.
I'm afraid that if I make the inside rabbet 1/2 inch thick (for the dovetails), that will only leave 1/4 inch for the overlay and I'm not sure that will be enough. I"m thinking I need at least 7/8 of an inch for the drawer front. My other alternatives are to make an inside piece 1/2 inch for the front piece, out of a another piece of wood, and laminate it to the drawer front separately. Then I could reduce the outside piece to 3/8 of an inch. But I'm not sure I want to do that.

Advice?
Should I go with 3/8 for the rabbet, and leave 3/8 for the front?
Or reduce the front to 1/4 inch so that I have 1/2 inch for the dovetails.
Or laminate 1/2 inch and 3/8 inch piece together to make one board. (how stable would a 2 ply laminate be?)

Thanks for the help.





Once again, I appreciate your help.

[JGrout]

3/8" - 1/2" rabbets leave plenty of meat for the drawer face to cover

Besides your drawers should be stopped at the back of the drawer not the face unless you are using metal drawer slides.

Joe

[Latech15]

I've always been scared to death of that type of drawer. ANY out of squareness will be amplified by that design. I'm just not good enough to pull it off. Good luck with whichever way you choose.

[JGrout]

Latech15 said:

---

I've always been scared to death of that type of drawer. ANY out of squareness will be amplified by that design. I'm just not good enough to pull it off. Good luck with whichever way you choose.

---

Not sure why you would be scared

build it correctly (flat and square) and size it to fit after

It is not that hard.

[Scoony]

Squareness of the drawer really isn't any different than flush drawer fronts.

I make the drawer fronts, cut the bead detail then cut the rabbet on the sides and top. The bottom usually does not get a rabbet. After the rabbet it cut for the opening, I then cut the rear of the drawer to match the width of the drawer front minus the rabbets. I measure/mark directly of the drawer front so the sides remain parallel.

Most of the ones I have done had a 3/16" bead on 1/4 front. That leaves 1/2" for the dovetails.

[Latech15]

You are right. As with most of my fears, they are most certainly not as bad as my mind has built them up to be.

[Timesale]

Ok, so you guys feel that I could make it work with 3/4 then. Thanks, I wasn't sure if 1/4 or 3/8 inch beads would be sufficiently thick.

As always, I appreciate the feedback.

[Steve N]

Will someone think less of you if you make a false front drawer?

[jteneyck]

This drawer is exactly like you contemplated in your first post.



The drawer front is 3/4" thick and the rabbet is 3/8" on all four sides. As you can see, there was plenty of purchase left for the dovetails.

John

[Timesale]

Thank you John. That looks good. Now I have another question ...... Did you finish the inside of the drawer front, or just the outside and the rabbet.

Also, Joe Thanks for reminding me about stopping the drawer in the back. I had planned on doing that, but I didn't think about the fact that it would relieve the drawer fronts from that purpose.