Drawer Front & Handle Question

[gsmittle]

I'm getting ready to mount some drawer fronts (been too chicken to make many drawers before now) and I'm wondering about the handles. I have some simple wire handles, the kind with two screws in the back.

I know to drill an oversized hole in the drawer and use two screws to mount/adjust the front. My question is: do I mount the handle to the drawer front first, then screw it to the drawer, or do I mount the drawer front, then drill handle holes all the way through the front and drawer carcass and mount the handle that way? Or should I drill the handle holes in the drawer front, then mount it, then finish drilling through the drawer carcass?

I'm beginning to rethink this whole drawer thing…

I still need to make a jig so that I drill the handle holes in the same place on both drawers. Did I mention there's only two of them?

Thanks all…

g.

[poolhound]

I always mount the drawer fronts first. I then attach the handles using one of two methods depending on the thickness of the drawer and front.

1. buy some longer screws and drill through both.
2. Make a hole larger than the screw head in the drawer (use a forstner) and then fix the handle just to the front.


A jig is easy to make with some hardboard or 1/4" MDF and a straight edge to reference to the top edge. For only 2 drawers its probably quicker to just layout the holes and drill them direct. Remember to measure twice (or 3 or 4) drill once :-)

[cabinetman]

I usually mount the drawer front and drill through the drawer front and the front of the box. You can use these breakaway screws to accommodate whatever length you need. They are something like 1 3/4" long and are available in metric and SAE.
.

[jackellis]

I'm preparing to make 35 (shop) drawers.

I'll attach the fronts, then drill holes. I plan on making a jig (actually 3, one for each size drawer) that indexes to the edges of the box so the holes are laid out consistently.

BTW, any time you can use simple jigs, even if it's nothing more than a properly sized spacer, you save time and gain consistency. One of my drawer cabinets has 10 3" high drawers on wood runners. I gave up on using a ruler to place layout lines inside. Instead, I used spacers to ensure everything was set up right. Much faster, more accurate and more consistent than measuring.

[gsmittle]

Thanks for the help, guys. I'll post pics when I'm done later this week.

g.

[dielectric]

If you're somewhat lazy like me, you can buy handle jigs at just about any hardware or big-box store, right by the knobs and handles. It's got a lip to register to the most convenient edge, and holes to match the common two-hole pull patterns. Works great, and will work for a few different applications instead of a single-use jig like you might cobble out of scrap.

I dig the breakaway screws, BTW. I hadn't thought about that before. I just hope I never need to remove/replace a handle...