Old Drawer Boxes

8 years ago

Hey everyone.

I am trying to find someone to rebuild our old kitchen drawers due to their age and lack of function-ability. These are original to our home (1967). I know most people just replace the slides on the drawers when they are trying to do a budget kitchen, but these slides are a pin to slide (idk what is its actual name) and the slides go into the face of the drawer.

I dont know if you can tell, but these boxes are a thing, curved wood boxes. Not only does it feel like it is going to break with anything heavy on them, but you lose a small portion of the drawer because of its design.

When I am reaching out to handy persons or carpenters, they seem confused when I am trying to explain these drawers and don't understand why we want them rebuilt. Since there are only 6 of them, most aren't interested in the job due to its small size, and hobbyist aren't comfortable with the job for the exact opposite reasons.

Is there anyone out there who would know the carpentry name or explanation that would allow me to give prospective crafters the best information.

We had someone lined up for the end of december, so we already removed and filled the pins in the cabinets, so we haven't had drawers in over a month. I know we cant expect them to be built RIGHT NOW, but we need to get something planned and scheduled and im getting very frustrated. I am an IT person, so I have zero knowledge on how to do this myself. The thought of measuring and installing drawers give me anxiety.

Thank you for your insight.

Featured Answer

Fori

8 years ago

I'd check the woodworking forum and see if they have any suggestions. They might want you to get your hands dirty but they won't be all judgey. :)

I've never seen drawer boxes OR slides like that. I guess I'm lucky?

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/wood

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Comments (12)

User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Not doable at any price unless you do not value your time at all, and are the experienced DIYer doing everything. By your post, you’re not. It’s not cost effective to pay $150 per box for a rebuild when you can buy all new cabinets for $300 each. And it’s not cost effective for anyone doing the labor either. It’s a money loser for them even at $150 a box.

You need to be looking at IKEA replacements for all, and leave off wasting time and money on any of that old. If restoration is your aim bevause they are original, you bought the wrong house to not be handy. Better buy tools and get handy. It’s the only way that living in an old house will ever make sense. The house note is the cheapest part of home ownership. Maintenance and improvement easily outstrip the note every month.
Chessie
8 years ago
Not sure why being in IT prevents one from being handy. I’ve been both for most of my life. But I agree with Sophie. You’ll pay a fortune to have those remade. I’d get new drawers, and enjoy the improvement.
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Valerie DeVries
Original Author
8 years ago
IT has nothing to do with it other than I am a tech person, not a hands on person. I have tried to learn but I have zero help or direction so doing it on my own is something that isn' wworking out either
User
8 years ago
Join some woodworking forums if you want to learn. But those old glides are obsolete.
Valerie DeVries
Original Author
8 years ago
RIGHT! Then out of nowhere I just thought that the style of our cabinet boxes for the drawers isn't really good for the slides we wanted. Ugh.
Chessie
8 years ago
Well there you go. New drawers are not that expensive, you know that right?
Valerie DeVries
Original Author
8 years ago
Awkward dimensions
User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Stop with the poor helpless you bit. You can’t be a homeowner like that. That’s a renter’s mind set. Or someone with lots of disposable income to pay other people to solve their problems for them.

There are companies everywhere that make custom drawers to whatever size you want. You just have to have the tape measure and initiative to DIY this. And the ability to not beat yourself up if you make mistakes that cost yourself money. That’s how you learn. Get that tape measure and get busy!
Chessie
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Doesn’t matter. Lots of sites that will help you get the measurements correctly. You can do this!
Valerie DeVries thanked Chessie
User
8 years ago
Rebuilding that design is beyond the capabilities of the average small cabinet shop or hobby woodworker. Why? Because the drawers are formed by bending the plywood on a form. That takes steam treating and a specific type of plywood.

With today's equipment, a fabricator would need to use a CNC machine to carve away excess material from an oversized blank---which would have to be solid wood(or glued sections of solid wood). That means a large CNC machine.

While it is technically possible to remanufacture those drawers, it is financially inadvisable(extremely expensive) and almost impractical. Maybe for a museum display, but not for daily use.
zmith
8 years ago
Very unusual drawer for a kitchen. I'm curious what the cabinet opening look like. Are they curved as well to fit the drawer?

I've bought custom sized drawer boxes from drawerdepot. Their cheapest option will probably run $100 for your two drawers including shipping That's just the boxes. I don't buy glides from them as they're overpriced. IIRC, full extension, soft close undermount glides run around $30 per drawer, so you are looking at close tor $200 for just the 2 drawers.

Listen to Sophie. Her messages are right-on 99.9% of the time. Ignore her delivery, tho, as she feels obligated to give the brutal truth to everyone. If buying a new cabinet is an option for you, that would be the most cost-effective solution. But if that leads you down the path into an expensive remodel, then you are better off just buying new drawer boxes. You should be able to find a handyman to cut off the old drawer fronts and attach them to the new boxes and install them for you.

Hope this helps.