Adding some drawers to a shelf unit

Ted Jay

Member
Messages
79
Location
Hempstead, Texas
I have a question about drawers that I want to install into a shelf unit.

But first a little background info....Here's what I have to work with.
I took down one of two eight foot tall shelf units that occupied a corner of the shop.
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I plan on leaving it turned sideways as you see it, and to build the drawers between the now vertical shelves. The opening dimensions of six of the sections are 24 inches wide by 29 inches tall by 24 inches deep, and the two sections on the right are about 15 ½ inches wide.
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Where the shelf unit was, is where I cut an opening to connect to the storage add-on, I built onto the building. I also plan on putting about 10 heavy duty wheels under the drawer units, it so I can move it around in the storage area.
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So, the drawers will be mostly for shop tools and junk storage, and I plan on using 100lb BB drawers slides. I'm in the process right now, of trying to figure out how many drawers I want to build into the unit. I was thinking of 3 drawers in each of the 24 inch wide section and two drawers in the 15 inch section, which makes most of the drawers about 24 inches wide and 23 inches deep and around 7 inches tall. I may vary the height on some drawers.
I was thinking of making the drawer box sides, front and back out of ¾” thick ply, and the bottom out of ½” ply, rabbetting the pieces together with glue and pin nailing them to avoid clamping them.

(Oh, I have another shelf unit at the other end of the counters, in the other corner built exactly the same way. I’m probably gonna do the same with that also, eventually.)
Am I going a little overboard using ¾ inch thick ply? Any better suggestions?

Ted
 
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While there's certainly nothing wrong with using 3/4" plywood for the sides of your drawers, I've used 1/2" Sandee ply for the sides and bottom of all of my shop drawers. I vary the depth of my drawers from about 2.5" for screws and small parts to 10" for the bottom drawers so items like jars of biscuits (9" tall) will fit.

Joinery is done with lock rabbets. I rabbet the edges of the bottom to leave a 1/4" lip and cut a 1/4" dado in all four sides spaced 1/4" from the bottom edges.
 
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While there's certainly nothing wrong with using 3/4" plywood for the sides of your drawers, I've used 1/2" Sandee ply for the sides and bottom of all of my shop drawers. I vary the depth of my drawers from about 2.5" for screws and small parts to 10" for the bottom drawers so items like jars of biscuits (9" tall) will fit.

Joinery is done with lock rabbets. I rabbet the edges of the bottom to leave a 1/4" lip and cut a 1/4" dado in all four sides spaced 1/4" from the bottom edges.

I've heard others mention Sandee ply, but i have no idea what it is, or I should say I have no idea why it's called sandee ply? (I already fiqured it was plywood.):rolleyes:
Can someone enlighten me?
Ted
 
I've heard others mention Sandee ply, but i have no idea what it is, or I should say I have no idea why it's called sandee ply? (I already fiqured it was plywood.):rolleyes:
Can someone enlighten me?
Ted
Sandee Ply is a product sold at Home Depot. It has very light grain on both sides and the surface is clear of defects. The cost is usually comparable to something like B/C sanded ply. I like to use it because it's cheaper than birch ply, making fit my budget better for shop cabinets.
 
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