Genius! I'm so glad I found your channel. You've got tons of great information, tips and tricks that I'll be exploring. I also checked out your website and was amazed at how beautiful your furniture is. Great job!
There was so much good information in this video (as always). Your overhead dust collection with the pantorouter brush looks great. I also like how you angle your slides to help the drawers automatically close. I plan to try that with some shop cabinets. Great suggestion to thin the last coat of finish for inside drawers. I usually spray the drawers before I install the bottom to avoid the overspray but that adds more time so I like your idea much more. Thanks
Ha ha…my plan was to make one like your fantastic set up. However, working late one evening my goal changed to getting the rebates cut so I could glue the drawer bottoms into place! 😆 One of these days I’d like to copy your incredible design. The angled drawer guides work well! With a 1/4” difference, they’ll stay open when fully extended, yet close easily with just a nudge. The thinned material on the finish coat works incredibly well. My finishes are always silky smooth regardless of the complexity of the project because of that “trick”. Anyway, thanks a ton!
Ha! You’re so right! I have some secret drawers that had minimal space to work with. I couldn’t even use under mount guides, so I went with side mount, full extension. I should have made that point. Thanks a ton!
Excellent ideas for the drawers - I’ve been making drawers the same way for a very long time - occasionally tried others, but this is the first that really is better than what I’ve been doing. (Very similar to yours, thru dominoes and rabbets, but with grooves on three sides). For starters, when making large drawer boxes for heavy items, I’ll generally switch to thicker drawer bottoms, but using an off cut as a cross brace under the center that may not be necessary. Looks like you have solid edge banding - wanna show us your method for that?
Yep…I will use 1/2” bottoms on occasion. But only if they will take a lot of weight. At the end of the video you may have seen some of my shop drawers. Heavy items…1/4” bottoms and no problems after 20 plus years. In part 1, I mention that the solid wood is applied with an edgebander. If I just have a few to edge…I’ll use wood glue and tape. But for this many, renting time on an an edgebander is totally worth it. Thank you tons.
Ok love the tips in here. But the prewetting domino is off the hook. Never heard of that. But its genius. could additionally add to swelling the domino a bit to make it even tighter.
Great video! Just found this one. Can you share the link to part one? Just subscribed. You have some great videos I am looking forward to watching! 😊 Ron
But the real question is, "Are they strong enough?" 😅😂 Always great stuff! Lots of good points with the groove only being on two sides. I like it. also the the "commercial" way with no groove. i like the 1/4" rise for the self closing drawers. SMRT, Smart, Smart, Smart! When you cut relief cut for glue squeeze, do you cut that into the domino it's self or in the hole? Would love a video all about your finishing.
I can stand in my drawer boxes! 😬💪🏼 I cut the relief into both sides of the Dominos. They’re easy to do with a sharp chisel or gouge. This way, I can control the cut and not go all the way where the groove doesn’t show once inserted. Thanks man 👊🏼
As always a nice viis to wath lots of info I am getting my third 9041 beltsander next week with the last project it was great being able to switch between two grits by grabbing the other sander on the bench little warning tough inlim the grass hinges only in I use and the slides are good but when I added the tipon function they wouldn't work properly
Yeah…different grits with different sanders is awesome! I only use Blum hinges …we tried every other brand out there and that’s my preference for hinges. (After thousands upon thousands. I use to order 1000 at a time) The Grass slides I prefer over Blum. The 2D & 3D work well. I don’t care for push to open doors or drawers. It’s too easy to bump them unintentionally. That’s just me! I’m clumsy😆. Thanks a ton for checking out the vid!
Uhm Mabey I have to try the grass slides again because I am having trouble with the adjustment for the fronts on the blum one, s I don't care for the push to open eather you can get so creative with drawer and door pulla
Thanks Ramon, been looking forward to this second part. One question, how deep do you go with the dominos? Thanks again for all this content you give us for free, love it.
For drawer boxes, I go the max depth that each domino size would allow. Basically, just about until the Domino bit bottoms out against its shoulder. Thanks for watching!
I’ve been waiting for these videos for a while and they were well worth the wait. Yet another Ramon Valdez technique I will incorporate into my next project. One question - I noticed in your stack of edge banded drawer stock the some were edge banded on two sides and some on one side. I also appeared some of the sized stock had edge banding on both sides. I looked carefully through both videos and noticed all of the drawers were only edge banded on top. Did I miss something? Does seem to be a time saver to only edge band one side. I was wondering the purpose and use of edge banding both sides.
Super thrilled to hear you like em! And good eye! I should have mentioned why I do that. Since I had the stock ran through an edgebander, it can only run pieces of a certain width. Better said, it can’t run material that is very narrow. Most edgebanders have a minimum, but can handle wide…say the end tire width of a 4’ x 8’ sheet. Some of my drawers are hidden or secret and they’re quite narrow in height. So, I run wider stock and edge both sides. Then later I can rip them to the width that I need. Thanks!
Thanks for the video again Ramon. I've always made my shop drawers and those in my work van similar to the one at the 12 min. marker. But I've just screwed the bottoms on without glue. Do you think the glue and staples would hold as much weight or possibly more? It seems like it would be quicker, which appeals to me because I'm thinking of making all new shop cabinets so everything matches and looks nice.
Staples and glue together is hard to beat. Since collated staples themselves have glue…they do not pull loose. Then glue around the perimeter of a drawer bottom…that is strong! We’ve busted this type of drawer apart (made wrong size usually🤪) and they must be broken, smashing a corner on concrete repeatedly, but does not happen easily. They’re amazingly strong. We literally made tens of thousands of drawer boxes like this. My shop drawers with heavy tools are made like this…decades old and still going strong. Thanks for checking out the vids!
Thanks Myles! I used solid Maple strips…about 3/32” thick. When I do a lot of this type of drawer box, I have it edgebanded by someone else. Totally worth it. I mention this in part 1.
I typically just lay them out to where I can still pin them to hold ‘em till the glue dries. That way I don’t run into them with the domino. I think I use 6mm dominos for 1/2” or 5/8” thick drawer parts. Hope that helps.
I like to think of staples, pins, nails and screws as either fasteners or “clamps”. In other words, often times, a screw, staple or nail is merely a clamp until the glue dries. Or, maybe the glue needs a bit of reinforcement even after the glue dries…this is where a nail (18 gauge), staple or a screw comes into play (left in place). If you need a bit more holding power whilst the glue dries, and it doesn’t matter if the fastener shows, then staples are a better choice than pins or nails. I routinely use all four. If I’m making a jig I’ll usually use small amounts of glue and screws, especially if it’s a prototype and I may have to re work the design. Once I like the design, I may use staples and glue rather than screws because they’re cheaper. I love 23 gauge because they’re nearly invisible. But since they’re headless, they only hold slightly downwards…and mostly laterally. (Keeps parts from shifting). They all have their place. Hope this helps.
The arrows are totally NOT necessary! 😆 I added them to designate left or right handed drawers. Mostly for me…and thought it would make a good upcoming inlay tutorial. Glad you like it! Thanks
Thank you for noticing the “why”! Our home and shop has over 150 drawers…all built this way. Some of my shop drawers have heavy stuff in em…for years and zero issues. After several decades of making thousands upon thousands of drawer boxes this way, I know they’re strong. I believe that people are way too focused on that groove in a traditional drawer box. That groove, although once necessary for a solid wood drawer bottom, is now a weak link with modern materials. Much thanks.
Why not use the 1/4, 1/4, 1/4 method to make your drawers? Just as strong as yours, but so much easier. This method is also know as the half, half, half method. Just google it.
Yes…that method has been around for a long time. However, I don’t want a groove for my drawer bottoms. And no, they’re not just as strong. Here’s why: When that type of joint is created, there is an inherent weakness. (I’ve repaired plenty of these made by others) There is weak grain at this joint because plywood has little strength where the layers can and do separate. After making thousands (no exaggeration whatsoever) of drawer boxes, my method is proven. Maybe you should try my method 😬. Thanks
Genius! I'm so glad I found your channel. You've got tons of great information, tips and tricks that I'll be exploring. I also checked out your website and was amazed at how beautiful your furniture is. Great job!
Thank you, thank you! More to come 👊🏼
I don't get it....13.4 K? You gotta be the best kept secret on youtube.
You do know your sh when it comes to fine wood working.
Thanks man…it does get frustrating. However, I do love sharing/showing what works for me !
Great video. I always learn something when I watch you
That is really good to hear. Thanks for the feedback!
Excellent! Thanks!
Great! Thank you for checking it out
Really enjoyed the drawer videos, changes the way I will do mine in the future. Thanks
Thanks Liam…I appreciate the feedback!
I vote yes on the inlays and yes on any finishing processes you have. Another great video to be saved.
Great! Thanks for the feedback…more to come!
Thanks Ramon. I'm going to start building my boxes the same way especially using the Dominoes in the corners - well done
Thanks for watching!
Awesome Ramon! Love your vacuum small part catcher attachment.
Thanks! I used it once to catch a bunch of tiny shims! Not easy any other way😆
There was so much good information in this video (as always). Your overhead dust collection with the pantorouter brush looks great. I also like how you angle your slides to help the drawers automatically close. I plan to try that with some shop cabinets. Great suggestion to thin the last coat of finish for inside drawers. I usually spray the drawers before I install the bottom to avoid the overspray but that adds more time so I like your idea much more. Thanks
Ha ha…my plan was to make one like your fantastic set up. However, working late one evening my goal changed to getting the rebates cut so I could glue the drawer bottoms into place! 😆 One of these days I’d like to copy your incredible design.
The angled drawer guides work well! With a 1/4” difference, they’ll stay open when fully extended, yet close easily with just a nudge.
The thinned material on the finish coat works incredibly well. My finishes are always silky smooth regardless of the complexity of the project because of that “trick”.
Anyway, thanks a ton!
Thank you! Definitely interested in that finishing video you mentioned
Cool to hear! It’s a work in progress…more to come! Thanks
Great video!
Thanks TJ!
Super video. Learned a ton. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much…I appreciate the feedback!
One advantage for the inset bottom method at 8:34 - it maximizes drawer space. With a lot of drawers and cabinet height, that extra 1/4 inch adds up.
Ha! You’re so right! I have some secret drawers that had minimal space to work with. I couldn’t even use under mount guides, so I went with side mount, full extension. I should have made that point. Thanks a ton!
Great video Ramon!
I love the drawer front style..how you reversed the styles and rails.. I’ve never seen that before. Looks cool
Thanks Anthony! I needed a way to have same grain all the way across the top for my integrated handles. I’ll be showing more of this build soon. 🙏🏼
Way more than meets the eye
Yes…always 👊🏼
Excellent ideas for the drawers - I’ve been making drawers the same way for a very long time - occasionally tried others, but this is the first that really is better than what I’ve been doing. (Very similar to yours, thru dominoes and rabbets, but with grooves on three sides). For starters, when making large drawer boxes for heavy items, I’ll generally switch to thicker drawer bottoms, but using an off cut as a cross brace under the center that may not be necessary. Looks like you have solid edge banding - wanna show us your method for that?
Yep…I will use 1/2” bottoms on occasion. But only if they will take a lot of weight. At the end of the video you may have seen some of my shop drawers. Heavy items…1/4” bottoms and no problems after 20 plus years.
In part 1, I mention that the solid wood is applied with an edgebander. If I just have a few to edge…I’ll use wood glue and tape. But for this many, renting time on an an edgebander is totally worth it. Thank you tons.
Ok love the tips in here. But the prewetting domino is off the hook. Never heard of that. But its genius. could additionally add to swelling the domino a bit to make it even tighter.
Thanks a ton for watching! I appreciate it
Great video! Just found this one. Can you share the link to part one?
Just subscribed. You have some great videos I am looking forward to watching! 😊
Ron
Great to hear! Thanks a ton. Here’s that link
Build a stronger drawer box Part 1
ua-cam.com/video/iPNH3JGdSDs/v-deo.html
But the real question is, "Are they strong enough?" 😅😂
Always great stuff!
Lots of good points with the groove only being on two sides. I like it.
also the the "commercial" way with no groove.
i like the 1/4" rise for the self closing drawers. SMRT, Smart, Smart, Smart!
When you cut relief cut for glue squeeze, do you cut that into the domino it's self or in the hole?
Would love a video all about your finishing.
I can stand in my drawer boxes! 😬💪🏼
I cut the relief into both sides of the Dominos. They’re easy to do with a sharp chisel or gouge. This way, I can control the cut and not go all the way where the groove doesn’t show once inserted. Thanks man 👊🏼
@@ramonartful Dope! Thanks Man!
As always a nice viis to wath lots of info I am getting my third 9041 beltsander next week with the last project it was great being able to switch between two grits by grabbing the other sander on the bench little warning tough inlim the grass hinges only in I use and the slides are good but when I added the tipon function they wouldn't work properly
Yeah…different grits with different sanders is awesome!
I only use Blum hinges …we tried every other brand out there and that’s my preference for hinges. (After thousands upon thousands. I use to order 1000 at a time)
The Grass slides I prefer over Blum. The 2D & 3D work well. I don’t care for push to open doors or drawers. It’s too easy to bump them unintentionally. That’s just me! I’m clumsy😆. Thanks a ton for checking out the vid!
Uhm Mabey I have to try the grass slides again because I am having trouble with the adjustment for the fronts on the blum one, s I don't care for the push to open eather you can get so creative with drawer and door pulla
Thanks Ramon, been looking forward to this second part. One question, how deep do you go with the dominos? Thanks again for all this content you give us for free, love it.
For drawer boxes, I go the max depth that each domino size would allow. Basically, just about until the Domino bit bottoms out against its shoulder. Thanks for watching!
@@ramonartful Thanks Ramon, that's kinda what I figured but thought I'd ask the expert.
I’ve been waiting for these videos for a while and they were well worth the wait. Yet another Ramon Valdez technique I will incorporate into my next project. One question - I noticed in your stack of edge banded drawer stock the some were edge banded on two sides and some on one side. I also appeared some of the sized stock had edge banding on both sides. I looked carefully through both videos and noticed all of the drawers were only edge banded on top. Did I miss something? Does seem to be a time saver to only edge band one side. I was wondering the purpose and use of edge banding both sides.
Super thrilled to hear you like em! And good eye! I should have mentioned why I do that. Since I had the stock ran through an edgebander, it can only run pieces of a certain width. Better said, it can’t run material that is very narrow. Most edgebanders have a minimum, but can handle wide…say the end tire width of a 4’ x 8’ sheet. Some of my drawers are hidden or secret and they’re quite narrow in height. So, I run wider stock and edge both sides. Then later I can rip them to the width that I need. Thanks!
Thanks for the video again Ramon. I've always made my shop drawers and those in my work van similar to the one at the 12 min. marker. But I've just screwed the bottoms on without glue. Do you think the glue and staples would hold as much weight or possibly more? It seems like it would be quicker, which appeals to me because I'm thinking of making all new shop cabinets so everything matches and looks nice.
Staples and glue together is hard to beat. Since collated staples themselves have glue…they do not pull loose. Then glue around the perimeter of a drawer bottom…that is strong! We’ve busted this type of drawer apart (made wrong size usually🤪) and they must be broken, smashing a corner on concrete repeatedly, but does not happen easily. They’re amazingly strong. We literally made tens of thousands of drawer boxes like this. My shop drawers with heavy tools are made like this…decades old and still going strong. Thanks for checking out the vids!
@@ramonartful Thanks for the reply. And yeah, I've been there t, built a drawer the wrong size. 😂
Thanks again Ramon. What type of edge banding do you use for the drawers?
Thanks Myles!
I used solid Maple strips…about 3/32” thick. When I do a lot of this type of drawer box, I have it edgebanded by someone else. Totally worth it. I mention this in part 1.
Why not do the flushing on the edge sander? Front and back at the same time no awkward clamping?
That would probably work. But I have way better control with a belt sander. It’s too easy to sand through face veneers. Thanks
How far do you space dominos from the top and bottom of drawers? Great video, getting ready to make some of these.
I typically just lay them out to where I can still pin them to hold ‘em till the glue dries. That way I don’t run into them with the domino. I think I use 6mm dominos for 1/2” or 5/8” thick drawer parts. Hope that helps.
Ramon, thanks for the videos. Can you help me understand when to use 23 gauge pins, 18 gauge pins or 1 1/4 staples?
I like to think of staples, pins, nails and screws as either fasteners or “clamps”. In other words, often times, a screw, staple or nail is merely a clamp until the glue dries. Or, maybe the glue needs a bit of reinforcement even after the glue dries…this is where a nail (18 gauge), staple or a screw comes into play (left in place). If you need a bit more holding power whilst the glue dries, and it doesn’t matter if the fastener shows, then staples are a better choice than pins or nails.
I routinely use all four. If I’m making a jig I’ll usually use small amounts of glue and screws, especially if it’s a prototype and I may have to re work the design. Once I like the design, I may use staples and glue rather than screws because they’re cheaper.
I love 23 gauge because they’re nearly invisible. But since they’re headless, they only hold slightly downwards…and mostly laterally. (Keeps parts from shifting).
They all have their place. Hope this helps.
What was the purpose of the arrow inlay on the drawers? Loved the video.
The arrows are totally NOT necessary! 😆 I added them to designate left or right handed drawers. Mostly for me…and thought it would make a good upcoming inlay tutorial.
Glad you like it! Thanks
👍🏼
Thank you!
Your methods are different, but I see WHY you do things the way you do. AND its not really a inferior end drawer. ATTTTAAA BOY!
Thank you for noticing the “why”! Our home and shop has over 150 drawers…all built this way. Some of my shop drawers have heavy stuff in em…for years and zero issues. After several decades of making thousands upon thousands of drawer boxes this way, I know they’re strong. I believe that people are way too focused on that groove in a traditional drawer box. That groove, although once necessary for a solid wood drawer bottom, is now a weak link with modern materials. Much thanks.
I notice how much you use the belt sander. seems like I can screw up a project faster with a belt sander than any other tool.
Once the learning curve is done…a belt sander is an extremely versatile machine that cuts time in many situations! Thanks
Why not use the 1/4, 1/4, 1/4 method to make your drawers? Just as strong as yours, but so much easier. This method is also know as the half, half, half method. Just google it.
Yes…that method has been around for a long time. However, I don’t want a groove for my drawer bottoms. And no, they’re not just as strong. Here’s why: When that type of joint is created, there is an inherent weakness. (I’ve repaired plenty of these made by others) There is weak grain at this joint because plywood has little strength where the layers can and do separate. After making thousands (no exaggeration whatsoever) of drawer boxes, my method is proven. Maybe you should try my method 😬. Thanks
First
First is always nice! Much thanks.