Cabinetry Question

Paul Downes

Member
Messages
959
Location
Westphalia, Michigan
OK all youse experts. I am making my first cabinet with 15 drawers in it. This is for my pen making supplies. I bought 15 drawer slides and the drawers are going to be 20" deep. My question is how deep do you build the cabinet to allow a little clearance for the drawer, front to back? I can figure out the side to side spacing but I wonder what the standard is.
 
my dishwasher finally conked out after 18 years and when we purchased a new one last week, I had no clue they were all standard size, of 24 inch width, same height. I never knew all kitchen counters were built same height.
Learn something new every day.
 
I'm going with Chuck on this one. Don't forget, those are outside dimensions. 1/2" back and 3/4" face frame, and you're down to 22 3/4". YMMV.

Then, what kind of slides are they? I mean, how do they attach? If you already have the slides, and you haven't built the cabinet yet, you should try a mockup. You may need to adjust the depth of your cabinet to fit the slides... ;)

Thanks,

Bill
 
For some good information do a search for posting from Tom Clark. His method of building shop cabinets is strong, fast, and VERY simple. The photos below is one that I built with his instructions. He also puts out a fantastic book that goes into more detail. I bought it after building this cabinet.

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Heck, I must have not explained myself right. This is a pen supply cabinet for my workshop. ( I am starting a pen manufacturing business) The dimensions are already set because this will be a base cabinet for 2 sets of blueprint drawers. The drawers will be 20" deep going about 2/3rds of the way through with some bin type shelving on the back side of the cabinet to store exotic wood shorts.

I just wondered if you allow maybe 1/4-1/2" extra depth behind a drawer or do you just make sure it will fit. So do I make the cabinet depth 20" plus a smidgen, or do I make it 20-1/4" deep? I figure it doesn't really matter, but I just want to know. It's one of those diemaker perfectionist mental games I probably should see a therapist for. :rofl:
 
Hey Royal, Thanks for the look. I might be able to use some of that. The problem is that I have the design figured out with staggered drawer sizes. I was going to dado the ply together to set the drawer openings. All 3/4" birch ply from big box reject bins. I could build it like your example for the bottom 6 drawers though and that would save me a few joints and pieces of ply.
 
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