The fast and easy half-half-half drawer construction method
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- Опубликовано: 21 сен 2024
- Why don't more people do this? You can batch out a pile of drawers in minutes!
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Quick reminder of fraction math. To divide a fraction by 2, double the bottom number (denominator). For example to calculate one-half of 1/2, multiply the 2 at the bottom to get 1/4. One half of 9/16, multiply the 16 at the bottom to get 9/32.
Ah fractions the bane of my wife!
I wish you had shown more on assembly of these drawers. Applying glue, sequence of assembly, keeping it square so you don't blow out the narrow end of the dados, and minimizing glue squeeze out.
Running boards on end through the table saw can be a dangerous process...especially without a really good zero clearance plate. For the ends and bottoms (rabbets), I use a sacrificial fence right up to the blade. As long as the sacrificial fence is HALF the width of your work piece you don't even have to measure. With this method you can run pieces through on their face to create the rabbet instead of on end. That will help keep you fingers from becoming Stumpy Nubs.
Besides being a master craftsman, you are a master teacher. Well done video!
I agree : he is a born teacher .
I'm agree! Excellent
Stumpy - I seldom comment, however this video deserves a thumbs up. That is by far the best explanation / tutorial I've ever seen regarding this process!
WELL DONE!!
agree
*Every* video of Stumpy Nubs deserves a thumbs up.
I've found that if you do multiple drawers of similar width and depth, you can run larger pieces of wood through the saw to cut the dado and rabbet for multiple drawers at once. Then, you can just cut off the heights you need and run the groove in for the bottom in the individual drawer faces after. This allows you to manipulate larger pieces on the table saw for better support. This is also useful when the bottom has to be set at a specific distance, i.e. for undermount slides that might not respect the 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2 of this method.
dang great tip!
I’m embarking installing kitchen cabinet pullout drawers/shelves with under mount slides. This will definitely be a time saver.
The best part of this video is when you explain the dangers of using the tablesaw with vertical boards. Showing options for how to get the job done while minimizing the dangers is key. Thanks for this!
I know I'm really late to the party here, but I just made my first set of this style of drawer this weekend. One thing I ran into that may help other people (and that I have not seen on any of the explanation videos) is... You really need to be precise when cutting your pieces to length before cutting the rabbets and dados, especially your bottom panels. If you can use all the same stops on a cross cut sled or something like that, you will probably get the best results. I don't have a cross cut setup, so I cut my sides to length on the miter saw, and bottom panels on the table saw. My drawers would not go together, because the bottom panels were almost an 1/8th too long. So I had to reset my table saw up to rip them down, reset the the dado blade up, and recut 1 dado on each of my 4 drawer bottoms. Not the end of the world, but it was enough to make me walk away from the project for the day!
WOW!!!
How many vids & PBS shows have I seen this process shown but never retained the knowledge? OK, maybe part is the failing memory of an old man but your explanation of half-half-half will be embedded in my brain now
Thanks, James!!!
Exactly! 1/2-1/2-1/2 makes much more sense to my mind as well. I mean, who always works with 1/2 inch material? That's a lot of extra thickness-planing and wasted wood if you're using real wood, and a better chance of warping if you're using modern poorly made plywood products.
3 years later and still a excellent video.
I've heard tell of this one-setup method but hadn't seen it demonstrated so crystal clearly. Your timing is perfect since I'm planning to make drawers using this method very soon. 👍🏼
Yeah, what @Featherboards said.
I love this method!!
It ruins the "one set-up" advantage, but if one is *at all* squeamish about rabbeting the bottoms on edge, you can also dado all the sides first, then move your fence & add a sacrificial edge to allow you to rabbet the bottoms flat. Still get the excellent, simple, and strong joinery with one blade set-up and two fence set-ups, plus it's much safer for the novices. 😎👍
I prefer doing it this way. Extra steps but if you're making a shallow drawer the sides are narrow and cutting them on edge is sketchy. More so if you don't have a zero clearance insert for that setup
Thanks for demonstrating this. I’ll never do it differently after how easy I found this to do. One critique that threw me for a second: your animation show the assembly finishing by sliding down a front/back piece, which had me questioning the dimensions of the drawer bottom for clearance. In reality, I figured out that you put a side on last and it presses into place.
I've probably commented this exact comment 10 times on your channel, so what's one more? I cant tell you how much I love these videos. So well put together. Unbelievably informative. Just a great way to spend spare time watching something useful. BTW.. I hardly do any wood working projects... but if I was going to, man your teachings would be GOLD. Keep up the awesome work
Thank you. I use metric measurements and most if not all what I watched in woodwork talk imperial.
To all who have watched various demonstrations of draw assembly. This is by far the best video out there.
This method is easy, it’s strong, and the most efficient method to a mechanical wood joint.
Thank You James.
Timing couldn't be better. Just getting ready to batch out a bunch of 1/2 inch and 3/4 drawers. Can't wait to try it.
This and your finger joint videos are the most concise and clear I've been able to find, I'll be giving both these methods a try in the next few days for making fancy boxes and a bunch of road cases, thank you!
So glad I found this video! I just watched Bob Katz demonstrate the quarter-quarter-quarter method but then got discouraged when I found out it would only work for plywood (or any material) that is actually 3/4" thick. Thank you for breaking this down so that I can still use this easy method of building drawers!
Hey Stumpy - I am about to make drawers for my homemade router table so this video was perfect - best explanation I’ve seen on this method. 1/2” plywood isn’t really 1/2” and 1/4” plywood isn’t really 1/4” I don’t think dado stacks go less than 1/4” so how do you deal with the thinner stock issue
I’m new to woodwork and came here just to ask this question
Wish this question would’ve been answered, as I’m needing to build 45 drawer boxes with 1/2” (15/32” actual) Baltic Birch, which translates to a 15/64ths dado/rabbit. Have searched the ol’ interweb with no real results.
@@handyguyinc I use a wobble dado blade that is essentially infinitely variable
Great video! Only thing that doesn't seem to be explained is how the groove on the sides is shown as not breaking through on the section of wood past the dado that wraps around the end of the front and rear of the drawer. 4:30 is a good closeup of this. I notice that at 0:29 there is a quick shot of the side showing that the groove did break out. I assume since there is a false front this is not a concern? Got my thumbs up regardless! This is a great video for quick production or beginners!
I was wondering the same thing.
Ditto
For me, this would be easier to do at the router table (keeping the front and rear side from breaking through on the dado on the bottom groove).
I believe the drawings are shown that way for clarity, but in practice he did not stop the grooves.
See 3:51 in the video.
I was wondering the same thing.
Perfect timing, I was just going start a project needing a bunch of drawers.
Conversely, I just struggled with a few drawers LAST week...
I just constructed 4 drawers for an antique dresser in about 1.5 hours! AWESOME! Thanks so much!
I use that joint almost exclusively for drawers. Strong, quick, and easy. You did an awesome job explaining the process! The same set up can be done on the router table too, but then there is the noise and mess.
Dust collection is imperative if doing this on a router table. Try a relief cut down the middle of the grooves on the table saw first, it really does save time and wear on router bits, and improves accuracy on the router table as well.
I've watched multiple videos on draw construction, looking for one that was easy to follow. Yours was by far the best! Thanks!
James you're MORE AMAZING than the Ridge Carbide blades!!!! This video BEATS ALL THE OTHERS BY FAR on lock joint drawers!!!! But that is the way ALL your videos are!!! You are an INVALUABLE resource for intermediate woodworkers like me!!! I wish I culd pay you for all the woodworking ways you've taught me!! Guess I can just say THANK YOU JAMES!!!!
Best 1/4-1/4-1/4 video I've seen. If using other than nominal wood for sides and bottom, installing bottom with rabbet up will give a recessed bottom. Install with rabbet down and bottom will be flush.
This may be the coolest thing I've seen when it comes to making drawers! Thank you!
I Love the video's you do, and always give a thumbs up but never comment. This is a great video explaning this method that my dad taught me 60 years back and you explained very well. Dove tails take much longer to do and setups are a pain. Go to the big box stores and look at the cabinets and you will see most use this method, and they fail when overloaded or abused by pushing stuff tightly into them. Still a good method, not bucking it.
If building something fast way to go, if building something to last for your great grandkids, take the time and dovetail it and the wood will break before the dovetail comes apart. And yea I do use this method too, just depends on how long I need it to last me. Thanks again for all the great video's I aways learn something from them.
I have watched this a couple of times. I will undoubtedly watch it again. Thanks.
Appreciate your tutorials, your explanations are excellent, you not only take your time demonstrating you talk at a normal speed. I sometimes find others speak to fast.
You are the best teacher in the world ! bless you & your family
Excellent work! I just butt jointed some nice walnut drawer boxes that I now have the solution to run 1/2-1/2-1/2 (or 5/16-5/16-5/16 in the case of the 5/8 walnut I milled!). No regrets, just an excellent 😁learning experience!
Thank you so much!
Great method but as I am designing some drawers right now I wanted to clarify something. Running all the dados for the drawer bottom straight through the pieces will leave you with a visible square hole in the front and back panels. This will of course be somewhat filled in with the bottom and then covered with a false front but just want to double check others are having that same result during design and building and that I haven't cocked things up. Thanks for the clear explanation of this easy method!
I am wondering the same thing. At 4:31 the drawing shows this as not cut all the way through but I don't know how you would achieve that.
@@russellmm I think that is just how he drew it in sketch up, if you were to actually run this setup on a table saw you would definitely get those holes. You could in theory do this on a router table as well and then set up stop dados but that I think defeats the purpose of this quick and easy set up
Hi Stumpy, I enjoyed the video. Your explanations are always clear and concise. I couldn't get comfortable with running my end boards on edge so I took the time to set up my router as well to cut the rabbets with the boards flat. Extra work, I know but it didn't take long to do the extra setup and it make me feel safer.
I have been waiting for a better explanation on this process. Thank you. Going to give it a shot on my next set of drawer. Dovetails are too much work for me....
You're the best teacher on youtube. I've been putting off making cabinetry for my house for a long time and this is a brilliant explanation on drawers and makes it so easy to understand.
You have impeccable timing sir! The day you posted this video, I just measured for a project that is just 2 units of drawers for a desk. When I came home I saw the notification for your video and watched it.
Excellent instruction! Your diagrams help a lot. Question: Lacking a dado set, couldn’t one use a router table and 3/8 straight bit rather than a table saw?
Thanks!
I meant 1/4” for 1/2” boards.
Hey Stumpy 😀 !!
I love your clearly explained, analytical and practical approach to things !!!
Once again, an outstanding video ✌️!!!
Haven't made a drawer, other than dovetail joints before because they are typically complicated. And dovetails for me?....well they are time consuming and complicated too! Your video helps a great deal with understanding a simpler way of construction for typical drawers. I have watched your video twice, but still need to build one in my shop to get it under my belt. Thanks.
Since plywood is never 3/4 or 1/2 this is good info. Now I can setup for the off size plywood and still get good results. Excellent info thanks!!
We've just moved into a townhouse that needs some built-ins. My biggest concern has been building the drawers, which I've never done before. Thanks for providing an excellent solution that even I, The Least Handy Man in America, can handle.
Yup, what they ↕️ all said, well, the positive ones that is. Excellent as usual James, thank you for sharing your wisdom and your excellent craftsmanship, 11 out of 10 😎👍
Thank you so much for the descriptions and visuals to the half-half-half. You just made things so much easier for me. :-)
I love your video! They're really clear and concise! One quick question about this one - when you cut the fronts and backs, how to you stop the groove for the bottom panel from making it all the way to the end? When I do this, I wind up with four little square holes on the sides. Thanks!
Jim, thank you for another amazing clear and safety driven approach. Thank you!
This is incredibly helpful and efficient. Thank you nubs, your stumpiness has proven resourceful yet again.
Stumpy, every time I ned to make drawers and can't quite put my finger on how to do it, this is the video I come looking for. EVERY TIME.
Hey James, thank you so much for taking the time and effort to produce this excellent tutorial on making drawers with a dado blade and the one-step setup. Also, many thanks for including SAFETY issues regarding this setup.
Got my wood planed down to 5/8” (for blumotion glides). Now to review half and half drawers. I don’t want to be here all day. Ah, very nice explanation. Thanks! Back to the shop.
Very well explained. Back in the days when the epoxy slide was the state of the art we used to build drawers using this method but we would attach the bottoms without recessing them at all. The slides would totally cover and support the bottoms. I don’t miss the 3/4 extension, but I sure do miss that easy construction method. Great vid, James. Scott
Watched several videos explaining this, but this has been the best one explaining the concept. Others did well adding the glue-up process though so I'd take a look at a few others as well.
Love the way you explain the things. Simple, straight forward
I have just used rabbet joints on most of my drawers but now I really want to give this a try. Really broke it down and made it simple
This is a great tip. If you don't have a dado set, you can also do a similar setup on a router table.
I was thinking about using a router table as well. The issue I may face would be that the min size of a router bit is 1/4, i.e. 6.35 mm, whilst the plywood is 12 mm (Russia) - would make a gap of 0.35 mm. Should try to see if it is noticeable.
stumpy your presentation is really clear and concise, it shows you are a REAL PRO thank You .
Excellent video and explanation showing how anyone can make first class drawers with this logical method.
👍 Have used this for years, a shop that I worked at 35 years ago we kept 1 saw set up for this with a custom blade for 12 mm Baltic birch. It’s always a pain trying to do it with the very undersized plywood these days. Or trying to find a dado blade that’s NOT 1/8” outside blades.
Wonderful one setup process. As a home repair mechanic, I see lots of factory drawer box failures in kitchen drawers. The design of this method if glued up correctly would be bomber. However, the forces of opening a heavy and or sticky drawer pull in the same direction line as the glue slot. Also a 1/4" or half the thickness of plywood remaining at the end may delaminate with repeated forces. Seems that a couple of brad nails on the sides of the front would help reinforce the setup. Copious glue on the front joints might help too.
Thanks for another terrific video.
So patient and well demonstrated! Thanks for putting your knowledge on the internet
This is easy and pretty quick. Like many shop projects, the actual work may only take minutes, but it's all in the setup.
Once you have your saw and fence dialed in perfectly, it all goes rather smooth.
There's two things I found I don't like about this method.
First, there's the empty square holes on the outside, then there's those other little squares on the corners that are just so happy to snap off if you look at them wrong.
I was gluing one of these up tonight. The dry fit was one of my best boxes yet. During assembly, one of those corner squares snapped off and ended up in a joint. As I was giving the box the tappy tap tap before the clamping, I saw that a side wasn't seating right.
You know how it goes when you start disassembling a glue up.
That one little corner ended up messing up the whole project as the others snapped off while I was looking for the one that got jammed.
Argh.
Then there's that whole standing a board up vertically against the fence over a dado blade thing.
I think I'll keep looking for a better, safer drawer method, but I at least gave it a try,
James, I have used the 1/4 1/4 1/4 method for many years with great success. thank you so much for explaining it so well. Love your videos. Keep them coming. John in Missouri Valley Iowa.
Thanks! I have now used this method for 3 shop cabinets and it works great.
Please note plywood, even from the same stack is not always the same thickness. So I always cut all the sides of a drawer from the same sheet of ply.
I use my radial arm saw for this other than the grooved bottom, I don't rip with it. I use a spacer against the stop to cut the drawer front. You don't have to stand these up on edge even on a table saw using a removable spacer! Great video all the same.
Thank you for this. I used this method to build 40 (yes, forty!) drawers from 15mm (5/8) baltic birch ply and they came out beautifully.
Great explanation. When you do your videos I feel like you are speaking directly to me. I will totally watch them three or four times to absorb your instructions. Not that it isn't thoroughly explained but more I can't believe it is as easy as you make it look. lol
Probably as simple and complete explanation as I've heard including the safety aspect. Good job kid.
Good Day James, I watched this video probably 10 times before I attempted to cut the drawer front,I followed your guidance to the letter. Made test passes without the saw being turned on. I noticed my stock clearance insert was pretty far from the blade leaving a gap between the saw blade and my fence. So I got this bright idea to cover the space with duct tape. The piece I was cutting was only 4 inches wide . Long story short, as turned on the saw used another piece of wood about 3 inches wide and 14 inches long as a push stick, got about halfway through the cut, the piece I was cutting jammed a on the duct tape my push stick got into the blade for a major kick back, one emergency room visit and 14 stitches later I am on my way to get another zero clearance insert. The moral of the story, if you notice something a bit out of normal, do not short cut, follow your instinct and work safe. It was a very nasty cut.
Not that it helps you much, but for others that may see this problem. A very easy way to solve that gap between your insert ant the fence is to move the fence on the other side of the blade. May seem awkward at first but I actually find it easier to keep a narrow tall board perpendicular with it set up this way.
What a great explanation of half-half-half. I HAVE to try this with my new dado set. Thank you.
I am in agreement with many others. This is a helpful and well taught video. It comes just at the right time for a new project. Your teaching style is organized and easy-going. Credibility and understanding is the result. Thank you.
I always love these videos where I learn a quick and easy way to make a great joint that speeds up production!!
I’ll add to this please. Dovetail joints used to be the only way of connecting front and sides - because of the mechanical nature of the joint and at a time where glues were not reliable. Now we have consistently reliable glue of a strength that cabinet makers of old would probably have given their eye teeth for. So, the need for the mechanical element is diminished. If you organise you lay out using this method so that the rebate jointed piece is front and back, then the natural action of pulling and pushing a drawer has that element of mechanics assisting the adhesive.
I’ve heard people talk about the beauty of dovetails; of how it distinguishes a high quality piece from all others. But I’ve only ever heard woodworkers who use dovetail joints say that. I never heard a customer of mine ask for a dovetail joint in a piece of cabinetry. In fact, the only comment I’ve ever had on a dovetail joint was a client asking me to take it out as he believed it was too fussy for the aesthetic of the cabinet.
And yes, I can make dovetails. I have the big Leigh jig which takes some time to set up but is then easy to make multiple joints. And I can hand cut dovetails if I need only a few. But I can’t remember the last time that I used one. And I’ve never had a failure in a drawer using rebates (or mitre locks or drawer locks) that I’m aware of.
Perhaps the only people who still advocate dovetail joints are either people who think it makes them superior in skill than anyone else (but don’t have to make efficiently and thereby sell at a profit) or people wanting you to buy their tenon saw or teaching courses.
Just my view
Hide glue is as strong as our modern PVA glues. Maybe after a hundred years or so it can, sometimes need some repair. (Unlike PVA, hide glue can be repaired) But it is just as reliable for drawers.
Enjoyed this video. Simplifying what many would deem complicated. Thanks
I agree with Bob Holt I seldom comment as well but your videos are the best tutorials on woodworking...please keep up the awesome job!!!!
This has to be the absolute most useful cabinet video I have ever seen. One to save to later and to share now.
I learn so much from your channel. I used your "simple box joint method" to make a batch of birdhouses, and it worked perfectly. I plan to use this locking rabbet joint method for another project. I'm confident this tutorial will make all the difference in the outcome. Thank you for helping me make sense of the worldwide web of woodworking! You're an exceptional educator, and I'm much obliged 🤠
Thanks James! As it turns out I have a few drawers to build, not what you'd call a production run but enough to practice the technique. Sadly the 3/4" and 1/2" plywood I normally use is actually 1/16" thinner than the nominal so I guess I'll finally get to use the shim pack that came with my dado stack. Many thanks for sharing and cheers from BC!
Good Morning James, thank you for this video, the value added is huge and will save me tons of time going forward, I appreciate your tutorials.
As always, Stumpy, you articulate the task so well, be it complicated or simple, or a combination of the two. Well done! Also, love the description, works for any thickness of stock.
love this, i'll be building some kitchen drawers and will use this method. also love the can of Billy Beer back there... I didn't notice it the first few times i watched the video.. LOL
I really appreciated the clear step by step process you used to explain this method of building drawers and the fact the setup remains the same is a real time saver. At the same time, this method results in a quality drawer over and over. Thank you.
Good video and I like the name half-half-half. For us using the metric system it makes so much more sense than quarter-quarter-quarter.
Truly one of the best explanations and illustrations of a process that I have seen. Agreed! WELL DONE!!
This is one of the best WW tips I have ever seen! I just made a bunch of drawers and this tip worked great. Saves lots of time.
My first watch. I'm a hobbyist woodworker and have made quite a few drawers. Your half-half-half method was very well explained and I'm looking forward to trying it. I love the idea of one set-up and your idea for the odd-thickness drawer bottom created when using 3/4 material was excellent. New subsriber!
Triple 1/2 is a perfect name for this method of making drawers. 👍🏻
excellent tutorial
thank you buddy, you just solved my problem of keeping production affordable with the cost of lumber right now!!!!!!!! Your Freaking great
You have got to be the cleverest guy out there in the shop. This is very well done indeed, outstanding. Thank you for the training.
I'm glad I found this video, very good explanation for various thicknesses of ply wood. As soon as I get my dado blades back from the sharpening shop I am going to give it a try. Here in northern, Ontario, Canada it is difficult to get true 1/2" Baltic birch but the Aspen ply that is available comes out to 15/32" (0.46875") thick - I'm just going to call it half inch. Hopefully it works.
Thank you for sharing!
This is such a useful video! I built a few 1/2'' drawers following this method and it worked really well on the first try! The only issue I encountered is that the little stump left over between the bottom and side dados of the side pieces tends to break easily. It's just esthetic issue, no functional impact on how the drawer works or anything.
Thanks Stumpy! Makes it easy, even in metric.
Thanks for video for that type of joint. I’m new to woodworking, so this will be a new challenge for me. Thanks again. 👍🏻
This is a great help! Built a couple prototypes today and can't believe how strong they are! Awesome education. James you make me a better woodworker! Thanks buddy!!!
Watched this video many times over , learn something each time
On sliding panels through the saw upright: I have found that polishing the saw table and fence with car polish reduces the friction enormously, making it safer and less effort. Just apply the polish as you would to car, wait a minute and buff it to shine with a soft cloth.
Thank you.
Great video! Being from Sweden - a country that relies heavily on international standard - I always marvel at the way you manage to keep track of inches, feet and yards! 3/4, 3/8, 3/16 and so on... The metric system is SO much easier to grasp. 😄
not😁
Your correct. Adding, subtracting, and even measuring with fractional measurements can introduce errors. I’m trying to transition to the metric system in my woodworking and find it’s easier math.
That is fantastic! What a great easy way to make drawers! Thank you so much for this tip, I agree with Paul B., you are a great teacher!!