DRAWER SPACEING??? memory lapse:)

larry merlau

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Delton, Michigan
While i was at hu's i watched a dvd on a armoir build by popular wood working and the guy gave a formula for figure out the spacing to get said amount of drawers in a space and it was a simple but effective formula but i forgot to write it down.. it was similar to this if anyone has that dvd or knows the formula i would like to get it back and write it down.. 1x + 3(x+1) + 2(x+1)= space available.. thanks to who ever can help me out in this memory loss:)
 
thanks bill that will work for the future, but this guy had a simple algebraic formula that worked well.. maybe someone has the popular wood working dvd and could watch it for the equation, it was making a jewelry chest.
 
I've been watching this thread to see how it went. Allow me to throw in a couple of points from the point of view of a total non-professional.

1. Specific proportions of drawer heights must consider both the application and the 'eye of the beholder' - namely...me. For instance, in a nightstand I just built, the top drawer internal height had to be 1/4" more than a large box of facial tissue - external height 1/2" more for obvious reasons to anyone who builds furniture. The other drawers must look right, period. For larger furniture pieces, similar rules apply.

2. Non-furniture applications, i.e., shop storage, build what works - regardless of what a math PHD tells you.

'Nuff sed..... ;)
 
I've tried using formulas, and even developed some of my own some years back and I found there was more to doing drawer layout than doing all the math. A simple error in the computations can be a deal breaker. There are many things to consider. Drawer layout entails the exterior view of the drawer front sizes, besides that, the drawer box front could be the exposed drawer front.

So, now there is the drawer front (false), and how it lines up with the drawer box itself. It doesn't stop there. Next is where on the drawer box will the slides be mounted, and where on the cabinet they will end up. So, I'm not saying that a math formula couldn't be helpful, I just prefer a more hands on approach. This is to include the visual appearance of the sizes of the drawer fronts.

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I've tried using formulas, and even developed some of my own some years back and I found there was more to doing drawer layout than doing all the math. A simple error in the computations can be a deal breaker. There are many things to consider. Drawer layout entails the exterior view of the drawer front sizes, besides that, the drawer box front could be the exposed drawer front.

So, now there is the drawer front (false), and how it lines up with the drawer box itself. It doesn't stop there. Next is where on the drawer box will the slides be mounted, and where on the cabinet they will end up. So, I'm not saying that a math formula couldn't be helpful, I just prefer a more hands on approach. This is to include the visual appearance of the sizes of the drawer fronts.

MikesMasterLogo2.gif

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I agree with that completly, as did many of the classic 18th century cabnetmakers.

Being to rote and mathmatical may take a lot of the artistry out of the peice.

Say for example you want to make an unique elegant veneered front on only one drawer, perhaps from an artisitc aspect it looks best at a particular H x W.

or a hand carved embelishment of some sorts might call for a totaly different drawer layout to highlight the carvings properly.

There is the standard bottom drawer bigger than top drawers, and the big at bottom and progressivly smaller drawers as you go up rule that is good to follow though.

Here is an article you might enjoy:

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/graduated_drawers_woodworking_design
 
If you are going to design your own layouts, here is something you may want to consider either doing or consciously not doing.

It is the Rule of Thirds, and the Golden Ratio. Both of which have been used in art, archetecture and furniture design for centuries.

It is not the only way to go, but one of many. I do not beleive Picaso used this, but his work has eye apeal!

Above all else is eye apeal!

1.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds

2. http://www.goldennumber.net/architecture/

3. http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/EMT668/EMAT6680.2000/Obara/Emat6690/Golden Ratio/golden.html


A Modern Art Masterpeice by Picasso

Picasso.jpg
 
While i was at hu's i watched a dvd on a armoir build by popular wood working and the guy gave a formula for figure out the spacing to get said amount of drawers in a space and it was a simple but effective formula but i forgot to write it down.. it was similar to this if anyone has that dvd or knows the formula i would like to get it back and write it down.. 1x + 3(x+1) + 2(x+1)= space available.. thanks to who ever can help me out in this memory loss:)

Well Larry, if you find anyone who can help your memory loss===SEND 'M OVER!

Enjoy,
JimB
 
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