Two questions...

[pslamp32]

First, how do you guys mount inset drawer faces. I've got the drawer boxes mounted on sliders in my sideboard and just want to know the easiest way to accurately mount the hardwood faces.

Second, I screwed up my table top a bit. I was using a power hand sander with a low grit to level things up a bit and now I can't seem to get the sandpaper marks out of the table. Do I use fine grit by hand, medium grit with ROS ? Help! Thanks.

 

[NCPete]

those sander marks are now 'an intended design feature'. Those arent sander marks, those are 'distressing'. (I know, distressing in more than one way)

drawers - double sided tape! That will hold em in place until you get them where you want, and then drive the screws. of course, they will invariably move while driving the screws.... so maybe someone else with some actually measurable level of competence will chime in.

 

[pslamp32]

of course, they will invariably move while driving the screws

Totally! That's why I asked. LOL.

 

[DaveO]

Peter, the best way I have found to mount inset drawer fronts is to use some double stick tape. I like to use dimes or 1/16-1/32th" pieces of wood as spacer to center the front in the opening and then stick the drawer box to the back of the front with the DST. It helps to have access to the drawer boxes from the top or back. The DST should hold it in place as you remove the drawer and bore for the screws.\
Throw a clamp or two on it to make sure it doesn't move as you drill the pilot holes

For the sanding issue, the only thing that will remove the sanding marks caused by a low grit paper is the next grit up, and on and on. Use it with your ROS, and then sand with the grain afterward by hand. Make sure that you clean off the surface between each grit change to remove any stray particles that may have come off the sandpaper and will continue to scratch the surface.

Dave

 

[pslamp32]

those sander marks are now 'an intended design feature'. Those arent sander marks, those are 'distressing'. (I know, distressing in more than one way)

Crap, that's what I was afraid of.

 

[pslamp32]

For the sanding issue, the only thing that will remove the sanding marks caused by a low grit paper is the next grit up, and on and on. Use it with your ROS, and then sand with the grain afterward by hand. Make sure that you clean off the surface between each grit change to remove any stray particles that may have come off the sandpaper and will continue to scratch the surface.

Dave

Thanks Dave, I'll try this.

 

[McRabbet]

Peter,

What grit did you use to cause the sander marks? After I've planed wood, I usually start sanding at 120 grit with my ROS hooked to my ShopVac. If I'm dealing with a sawn edge that shows saw blade marks, I try to pass the edge in line with the grain on my 6x48 stationary belt sander with 120 grit. I wipe off the residual dust with a clean rag and then a tack cloth and progress thru 150 and 180 up to 220 grit. Then I'll apply my sealer coat and re-sand at 220.

Rob

 

[Nativespec]

You can also use a cabinet scraper-this will help with the leveling. You may also want to use a smoothing planer first. I am building a dresser with flush fitting drawers and have been using planers, scrapers and sanding to plane out my drawer fronts. Before I apply finish, I wipe down the wood with thinner and use a mechanics light at a low angel to reveal sanding marks. I usually finish my sanding, prior to the clear poly coats, with 320 grit on a PC finishing sander.

 

[DavidF]

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=205&filter=drawer

The large dia is eccentric to the screw hole so you can tweak the fit before finally doing up the screw tightly.

 

[Littlejon]

Nativespec beat me to it. I was going to suggest a scraper as well. Will put a nice smooth surface on your top.

 

[pslamp32]

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=205&filter=drawer

The large dia is eccentric to the screw hole so you can tweak the fit before finally doing up the screw tightly.

Looks like exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

 

[photog]

As for the inset drawer faces, I use some specialty screws specific to the purpose. They have a good size washer built into the head that conceals a larger than screw shank diameter hole in the false front of the drawer box. This slop allows for fine-tuning the drawer front to get consistent gaps on all sides of the face frame opening.

I’ve tried using double sided tape for the temporary positioning but didn’t like how it only gave you one shot at pressing the board into place in the exact position. Now I pre-drill the before mentioned holes in the drawer box and use small wedges between the face frame and drawer front to get exact position. I then reach around the face frame rail and quick clamp the drawer front on. A center punch or scribe is then inserted through the hole to mark the pilot hole-drilling dimple in the back of the drawer front. Once the two are screwed together lightly, you again have adjustability before tightening the screws home.

 

[dtomasch]

For your scratch patterns I will definately recommend a card/cabinet scraper. I have grown to love this simple tool for figured wood and table tops. Good luck!

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

Sanding- Go back and start over with a grit one grade finer than the coarsest grit used. Sand until the scratches are only from that grit being used. Then use increasingly finer grits, sanding with each until the scratches are only from the grit you are using.

Attaching false drawer fronts- similar to Photog's method- I drill holes for the pulls in the false fronts the exact size of the pull machine screws. I temporarily shim or just hold the false front in place and insert the drill bit through the holes in the false front and drill the drawer box front. Then I enlarge the the drawer box holes about 1 1/2 X or 2X - this allows the false front to move slightly. I install the false fronts using the pulls and screws and tighten them until just snug. Then I tap on the sides and top/bottom edges of the false front until it is perfectly centered in the opening- sometimes I'll put some weight in the drawer during this process. I either install additional wood screws or brads from inside the box to lock the false front to the box. Works better for me than double-sided tape. With this method you can wait until the cabinet is finished and installed to attach and align the drawer fronts.