Assembling a drawer

[Gcook12]

I am restoring an old buffet. The bottom of a large drawer is made of quarter inch planks edge glued. I have glued the drawer back together but I am reluctant to glue the bottom back in. It slips in a groove but if I glue it back in I am afraid it will warp. I thought of just gluing the front but the front is curved. How should I attach it

[MT Woodworker]

I would not glue the bottom in at all.
Let it float in the groove, will the back of the drawer hold it in place?

[Handplanesandmore]

By "the front is curved," I suppose you meant the front edge is warped. Usually it can be forced flat and slid into the groove. Did you try that?

If the front edge is glued, I'd put just dabs of old brown glue or the like in the groove. I don't like brads or pins.

Simon

[Gcook12]

The front is curved by design and the groove extends out the back. I am concerned that it I attach it at the back there would be no room to expand in the front

[Handplanesandmore]

The front is curved by design

OK. Shouldn't there be a groove milled on the inside face of the curved front to accept the bottom? That's where I'd put a dab or two of hide glue which is reversible in the center part (not the whole width) of the groove.

Simon

[Handplanesandmore]

The front is curved by design and the groove extends out the back. I am concerned that it I attach it at the back there would be no room to expand in the front

If the front is glued, the bottom will move (expand or contract) in the back end. There is no need to do anything in the back end; screw is unnecessary.

However, if glue is not used in the front, you'll need the screw in the back end to hold the bottom in place. Cut a slot or elongate the screw hole so the screw is seated more or less in the middle of the slot/hole to allow for wood movement. Do not overtighten the screw.

Simon

[Stwood_]

1 nail or screw in the middle on the front.

[RPE1]

I am restoring an old buffet. The bottom of a large drawer is made of quarter inch planks edge glued. I have glued the drawer back together but I am reluctant to glue the bottom back in. It slips in a groove but if I glue it back in I am afraid it will warp. I thought of just gluing the front but the front is curved. How should I attach it

Just put a few 1/4" x 1/4" cleats, glued to the drawer sides, front or back to keep the bottom from sagging.  The slot will do the rest.  Don't put any glue or screws in the bottom if you're worried about it.

[hcbph]

A small glue block on each side and a couple in the front is how it's been done by many furniture manufacturers for decades and  they have held up well in most cases.  If the bottom sticks out the back, a couple of brads through the bottom in the back to the back panel is also used in most of the cases.

[PaulM85]

Gcook12, if I understand you correctly, the buffet has a curved front and the drawers are shaped/curved to match. I repair a lot of old furniture, I have a full time repair shop. When I repair furniture I use Titebond original or hide glue that was previously mentioned, both are reversible which make the pieces essentially infinitely repairable. Lumber expands across its width not it's length, so if you are going to apply glue put it in the sides that the wood grain runs lengthwise. Typically that will be on the sides, not on the front or back. This will allow the bottom to expand and contract with the seasons/humidity, old drawers like that tend to have poplar bottoms and it can become fairly brittle. If you want to slow the expansion rate use Johnson Paste Wax on the bottom and sides. You get a benefit of of the drawer sliding easier too. Glue blocks are commonly used but I don't use them with titebond, hide glue holds them quicker and doesn't require a clamp, brad or tape to hold it in place while it dries. I don't like using nails or brads in them that's usually where you find cracks and splits in old pieces.

Paul 
Bel Air, MD