Design help needed...

[DaveO]

My folks have asked me to make them a triangular corner cabinet of drawers. It is to replace something that they already have but it's too small. It is to be triangular in shape to fit into the corner 20" x 20" x ~28.5" across the front and approx 30" tall. They would like it to have drawers. Their current one doesn't have much capacity to the drawers. I would like to make it with the most capacity I can, while still keeping it fairly simple.
What I could use advice on is how to make the drawers. There are two ways that I think that I could do them. Either rectangular, which should be easy, but would limit their capacity. Also to gain the max depth to the drawers would make them significantly small across the front. Or I could make them triangular, which would provide the maximum space usage, but would make the construction, joinery and guide/slide aspect more difficult. If they were constructed triangular they would fit the front of the cab. much better.
I would like to use wood slides/guides for what ever drawer configuration I end up with.
I would appreciate some advice along the lines of which way to go with the drawers, pit-falls in making a cabinet like this, best type of wood guides to use for these drawers and any other tad-bits of wisdom y'all could throw together.
TIA :icon_thum

Dave

 

[thrytis]

What about making the drawers triangular and pivot out from one of the front corners? You wouldn't have to worry about a glide/slide in that case.

 

[DaveO]

Now that's an option that I didn't even think of :icon_thum I would have to put some sort of radius on the non-pivoting side of the drawer to gain the max. space and allow it to pivot. I will have to sketch up something like this and see how it could work.
Thanks for the idea!
Dave

 

[jglord]

Dave,
I wonder if you could use semi-circular drawers hinged at one of the corners of the cabinet. This would provide nearly the maximum drawer volume while avoiding the trouble of triangular drawers with slides. Just a thought. :eusa_thin

 

[walnutjerry]

Now that's an option that I didn't even think of :icon_thum I would have to put some sort of radius on the non-pivoting side of the drawer to gain the max. space and allow it to pivot. I will have to sketch up something like this and see how it could work.
Thanks for the idea!
Dave

I do not think you would HAVE to put a radius on the non pivoting side. The drawer front would be the hypotenuse of an equilateral triangle, therefore it would be longer than the sides of a triangular drawer. A straight side should swing out without a problem.

Or am I confused?

Jerry

 

[Big Mike]

You could also use bottom mount drawer slides, you know, the ones that mount in the center of the drawer. You might have to use two per drawer since you would have no support on the sides.

 

[FredP]

all great ideas!:icon_thum OR [ and this is just a suggestion...] make em some corner shelves and tell them the drawers fell out on the way over!:rolf:

just kiddin dave!:-D pivots could be made with brass rod and matching I.D. pipe mounted in the drawer like a sleave. it gives strength and creates a bearing surface.

fred p

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

One vote against triangular, slide out drawers- the farther you pull out the drawer, the more unstable it becomes since the spacing on the sides gets narrower and narrower.

What Jerry really meant to say was the front of the drawer would be the hypotenuse of an "isosceles" (not an "equilateral") right triangle. :-D:-D:-D

For max capacity the pivoting drawer may be the best option.

On the other hand, you might want to check with your mom and dad. They may only plan to put small knicky knacky things in it and not need a lot of room. The cabinet will likely not me a true triangle. It will have a shape like home plate but with shorter sides coming off the wall. With stiles on the front of the cabinet, you may end up with enough drawer space with rectangular drawers for the needed capacity. For appearance, though, it probably would look better with wide drawer fronts applied to the narrower drawer boxes.

 

[skeeter]

I don't know if this makes any sense, but what if the drawer openings were completely boxed in (a floor), giving the drawer extra support to sit on. And possibly a stop on the non-hinged side of drawer to keep drawer from swinging free and resting totally on the hinge. Would this give more support?

 

[walnutjerry]

One vote against triangular, slide out drawers- the farther you pull out the drawer, the more unstable it becomes since the spacing on the sides gets narrower and narrower.

What Jerry really meant to say was the front of the drawer would be the hypotenuse of an "isosceles" (not an "equilateral") right triangle. :-D:-D:-D

Thanks Alan------------I stand corrected

Jerry

 

[Jonz]

Just another thought to throw in the mix, make shelves instead of drawers and use a single cabinet door with false drawer fronts.

 

[nelsone]

The pivot idea seems like a good way to maximize the space needs. I think that's a great idea!