Dust Frame Construction & drawer slide

There are a few different ways to do this. I have tried these three.

1. Build the dust frame with a runner in the middle. Build the drawer so it has a dadoed center slat that will accept the runner. The advantage is that you can adjust the runner laterally on the dust frame so the drawer fits nicely.

2. Encorporate two runners one on each side of the drawer in the side frame. Build the drawer so each side has a dado to accept the runners. This is a little trickier to fit but once the runner is coated with paraffin it will slide nicely.

3. Build the dust frame with a runner on each side and just let the drawer slide on the dust frame captured between the two runners.

At any rate, you will need a kicker to keep the drawer from tilting out of the opening and you will need a stop at the back. I have made stops by cutting a circular piece of wood from scrap left over from making a panel. Drill an offset hole in the circle and screw it into the back of the dust panel just where the drawer back stops. the eccentricity of the circle will allow you to adjust it by twisting thus making your drawer fit flush when closed.

I hope this makes sense. Let me know if it doesn’t.

-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net

I concur with Scott…for my last dresser and the current one I’m using his first suggestion with single sliding dovetail runners under each drawer…which prevents the drawer from tilting. I’ve built my own before, but Rockler sells wooden sliding dovetail slides for <$7 which can save some time.

I’ve typically just put a small block as a back stop—think I’ll use the “offset circle” for this one!

-- Patrick, Chicago, IL www.TenonAndSpline.com

Can you tell me how wide the dust frames should be? (i.e 1 1/2 or 2 inches ??) I need to make the front of the frame from oak (i.e the oak will show since the drawers fronts will be flush with the frame) and thought the other three pieces could be poplar. The drawer sides will be poplar also.

-- "I don't know, we haven't played Alabama yet." -- Vince Lombardi after being asked what it felt like to be the greatest football team in the world just after winning the '66 Super Bowl.

I typically make them out of poplar as well – and to save time I’ll buy dimensional S4S 1×3’s from HD—so 2-1/2”. If the face shows and I’m not using a face frame, I would typically just edge band the dust panel with 1/8 – 1/4” strip of the species in question. I wouldn’t go narrower than 2”, though this is not based on any “formal” rule that I recall being taught…just what I’ve always done/seen.

This works well for me and banding the face can save some $$ depending on the species.

-- Patrick, Chicago, IL www.TenonAndSpline.com

You described the way I make them Bama. The front member is whatever you are making the case from and the back and sides can be some other secondary wood. Poplar is always a good choice. Like Patrick says, the width of te members is not critical. It just needs to be strong enough to hold the drawers and the case square (which is its secondary function).

-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net