Best Joint For Plywood Drawers

I m assuming that dovetails are a bad idea for use in plywood.

Best joint for plywood drawers.

Cut a 1 4 x 1 4 rabbet in both ends as shown at right. Position a drawer back on edge with its inside face against the fence. You use the dovetail joint to connect the sides of a drawer to the front. If the bottom is thicker than 1 4 you ll need to cut a bevel or rabbet on its edges.

Leave the fence and dado set where they are position your drawer parts inside face down with their bottom edges against the fence and cut the bottom holding groove. Now s a good time to cut the 1 4 x 1 4 groove in each of your fronts sides and backs for holding the drawer bottom. The method is somewhat less durable than a dovetail joint but strong enough for average drawer use. The bottom is usually 1 4 thick plywood for small drawers or 1 2 thick material for bigger drawers or drawers that will hold heavy objects.

In general more thinner plies make for stronger flatter panels. The drawer lock joint another solution is the drawer lock joint. What is the best easiest joint to use given my material choice. Make these cuts on all of your drawer backs.

Bart goldberg i have to build 12 drawers for a new shop cabinet the base of a new workbench and i plan to use 1 2 baltic birch plywood for the sides. The dovetail joint or simply dovetail is a strong woodworking joint it is great for tensile strength resistance from pulling apart. 3 plenty strong plywood joints 1. The bottom should slide into the drawer in 1 4 x 1 4 grooves milled in the sides and drawer front.

Full width dado or groove 2. A series of pins cut to extend from the end of one board interlock with a series of tails cut into the end of another board.