This video details the process of constructing custom wooden drawers for a workshop desk, emphasizing the advantages of wooden drawer slides over traditional metal ones, such as durability, resistance to dust, and cost-effectiveness. The creator explores various wooden slide designs, from simple piston styles to more complex side-mounted and center-rail systems, including a method for achieving near full-extension. The construction process is showcased, featuring precise CNC-cut box joints for the drawer boxes and the innovative creation of flush pull handles using a router with specialized techniques to maximize internal drawer space. The video concludes with the successful installation of the drawers under a standing desk, demonstrating their smooth operation and addressing considerations for desk mechanisms and optimal space utilization.
Summarizing the Custom Wooden Drawers Build
0:00 Why Wooden Drawers? The creator prefers wooden drawer slides for workshop use due to lower cost, ease of maintenance (less gumming up with dust), and the ability to achieve full extension more reliably than some metal slides.
0:49 Wooden Drawer Slide Styles: Various wooden slide designs are discussed, including simple piston styles, side-mounted hardwood strips for durability, and different configurations of rails attached to the drawer or cabinet sides.
3:01 Maximizing Space with Top Rails: Placing wooden rails near the top of the drawer allows for maximum vertical space utilization, especially useful for drawers under a desk. A more complex design with extra rails can enable full drawer extension.
3:56 CNC-Cut Joinery: The drawer boxes are constructed using precise box joints cut with a CNC machine, highlighting the speed and accuracy of this method for creating perfectly flush fits.
4:42 Crafting Flush Pull Handles: To avoid protruding handles and maximize internal drawer space, flush pull handles are created. This involves rough-cutting an oval with overlapping drilled holes using an XY table, followed by using a tilted cove bit on a router for comfortable finger access.
6:01 Drawer Assembly Techniques: The drawers are assembled using glue on both sides of the box joints for a tight fit. The creator notes a deviation from his usual assembly sequence due to the design, requiring two corners to be glued simultaneously. Excess glue is efficiently removed with a homemade scraper.
7:50 Attaching Drawer Bottoms: Plywood bottoms are glued to the drawer boxes, leaving the back open temporarily to accommodate the standing desk's mechanism. The goal is to make the drawers as long as possible without interfering with the desk frame.
8:24 Installing Under a Standing Desk: The drawers are installed under a workshop standing desk, requiring careful planning to navigate the desk's support frame and ensure adequate clearance.
10:24 Dual Standing Desk Setup: The creator also installs drawers under a second, smaller standing desk frame, highlighting its use for fiddly tasks at a comfortable height.
11:26 Final Look and Design Tips: The finished drawers demonstrate smooth operation. The creator reiterates the benefits of wooden slides and flush handles, suggesting that extending the drawer front slightly can provide even more usable internal space.