Making (sewing notions) drawers with clear plastic faces
 

If I were to make a huge cabinet to store all of the sewing motions kicking
around the house, and I would want to use clear plastic drawer fronts, what
would be the correct way to mount these flat clear plastic faces to be the
front of the drawers. I would most likely be cutting the plastic, and
drilling the holes from a big sheet, though you can order both done when
buying. I have learned how to use a cloth wheel to round the edges of
plastic, the coloured kind anyways: don't know if the clear plastic I am
thinking of is any different from what I used to make Pacman keychains.
Everything else would be plywood, possibly painted. The drawers could range
in size from anywhere from say 1-1/2" High to 8"High, say, and the width
could be 48"-58", possibly 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 or full width including a max 48"
x 8".

I may be able to make some drawers flip down to expose threads positioned
on pins by colour. Probably take a 1-1/2" x 58" x full depth (maybe ~20"
drawer.

Any ideas or have you seen anything like this.

I've got a space 58"W x 7-8' high, and full depth, and I mean its kickin.



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Making (sewing notions) drawers with clear plastic faces
 

I think I would make a wood "picture frame" with a plastic or
glass window in it for the drawer face.

The only ways I see to make the face completely of plastic
require either making the entire drawer of plastic bonded together
with methyl chloride or making the faces of heavy plastic (1/4" or
more) screwed to the drawer carcass sides and bottom.
___________________________
Keep the whole world singing. . . .
DanG


"bent" wrote in message
...
If I were to make a huge cabinet to store all of the sewing
motions kicking around the house, and I would want to use clear
plastic drawer fronts, what would be the correct way to mount
these flat clear plastic faces to be the front of the drawers. I
would most likely be cutting the plastic, and drilling the holes
from a big sheet, though you can order both done when buying. I
have learned how to use a cloth wheel to round the edges of
plastic, the coloured kind anyways: don't know if the clear
plastic I am thinking of is any different from what I used to
make Pacman keychains. Everything else would be plywood,
possibly painted. The drawers could range in size from anywhere
from say 1-1/2" High to 8"High, say, and the width could be
48"-58", possibly 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 or full width including a max
48" x 8".

I may be able to make some drawers flip down to expose threads
positioned on pins by colour. Probably take a 1-1/2" x 58" x
full depth (maybe ~20" drawer.

Any ideas or have you seen anything like this.

I've got a space 58"W x 7-8' high, and full depth, and I mean
its kickin.


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Making (sewing notions) drawers with clear plastic faces
 

In article ,
bent wrote:
If I were to make a huge cabinet to store all of the sewing motions kicking
around the house, and I would want to use clear plastic drawer fronts, what
would be the correct way to mount these flat clear plastic faces to be the
front of the drawers. I would most likely be cutting the plastic, and
drilling the holes from a big sheet, though you can order both done when
buying. I have learned how to use a cloth wheel to round the edges of
plastic, the coloured kind anyways: don't know if the clear plastic I am
thinking of is any different from what I used to make Pacman keychains.
Everything else would be plywood, possibly painted. The drawers could range
in size from anywhere from say 1-1/2" High to 8"High, say, and the width
could be 48"-58", possibly 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 or full width including a max 48"
x 8".

I may be able to make some drawers flip down to expose threads positioned
on pins by colour. Probably take a 1-1/2" x 58" x full depth (maybe ~20"
drawer.

Any ideas or have you seen anything like this.

I've got a space 58"W x 7-8' high, and full depth, and I mean its kickin.



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There's more than one "correct" way. If I was doing something like
this, I believe I'd just cut a saw-kerf wide dado about a 1/4" from
the front edge ot the sides & bottom of each drawer, and drop in an
appropriately sized piece of plexiglass. Size the plex so that there
is enough room to hook a fingertip over the top edge to pull the
drawer open.

--
Often wrong, never in doubt.

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore, Maryland -

Making (sewing notions) drawers with clear plastic faces
 

On Sun, 17 Dec 2006 18:19:12 -0600, ()
wrote:

There's more than one "correct" way. If I was doing something like
this, I believe I'd just cut a saw-kerf wide dado about a 1/4" from
the front edge ot the sides & bottom of each drawer, and drop in an
appropriately sized piece of plexiglass. Size the plex so that there
is enough room to hook a fingertip over the top edge to pull the
drawer open.

In that case I think you'd need to make the drawer bottom thicker than
normal and perhaps dovetail it to the sides or another strong
connection. I think I would just screw the front to the sides and
bottom, with a piece of wood glued to the underside of the bottom to
give enough thickness to screw into.


-Leuf

Making (sewing notions) drawers with clear plastic faces
 

I definetely have some ideas I didn't used to, but I think I am still
missing the boat. For instance if I could dado or even rabett in rthe front
edge, what kind of example would that be? Wouldn't that mean I'd have to
make the sides/back/bottom one piece? Otherwise wouldn't the bottom and
front being held by the sides/back? Is that ok? I am thinking
engineer-wise. If I just drilled it on the front to hold it, I don't know,
it would just be kinda hanging there, no rigiditity. I can't really plan on
strips on the top and bottom if I don't know what I'm trying to achieve. I
am just against doing anything, and just doing something is a little
ridiculous.

Right now, I am stuck in the thinking that I NEED to support the bottom as
much by the front as by the sides/back.

the plastic must replace a wood piece with serious rigidity.

Hmmm I wondr what would happen if I took off the front of a drawer (w/ a
floating dado bottom), ansd replaced it with a screwed on piece of flimsy
plastic?



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Making (sewing notions) drawers with clear plastic faces
 

I like the idea of a face frame for a front, with a groove for the window,
but it will not will suit when designing for having smaller drawer sizes.

i could use square dowels side to side on top and bottom, possibly w/
groove, or rabbett. I'm stuck here. Should it have a free floating bottom,
or attached at all/any edges? Due to the quantity of drawers unknown I
don't know whart to glide them on, and so, doubly not sure how (a
potentially large) 3 sided box would perform with any contents



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Making (sewing notions) drawers with clear plastic faces
 

i think its a short stretch to realise i could attach the plastic rigidly,
having a four sided box, and do a semi- or full floating bottom



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Making (sewing notions) drawers with clear plastic faces
 

bent wrote:
If I were to make a huge cabinet to store all of the sewing motions kicking
around the house, and I would want to use clear plastic drawer fronts

Good question, this; it stretches the imagination.

For a small drawer (less than 3"x5" front) a face frame won't work
well; the wood wants to be several grain-spacings deep at all
points, for strength. One could box-joint or dovetail a wood
front with routed inset for the polymer at 3x5 or larger.

How about a thru-dovetailed front in plastic? You could
drill/pin with a nail, or use suitable glue (dark adhesive caulk?).
The dovetails would work OK with a bandsaw in polycarbonate
plastic. You might be able to chisel it, even, with a hot-blade
cutter (this is a common bit in soldering-gun kits).

Or for a small drawer, maybe bend the plastic to make front/bottom/back
in one piece and glue wooden sides on? The full joint size would be
large
enough that glue strength isn't critical. Dipping the plastic in
a kettle of boiling water will soften it in a few seconds, then
clamp it to a form to cool. Remember that your form has to allow a
radius for the bend! I've always liked being able to see through the
bottom of a drawer full of parts.

Making (sewing notions) drawers with clear plastic faces
 

wrote in message

Or for a small drawer, maybe bend the plastic to make front/bottom/back
in one piece and glue wooden sides on? The full joint size would be
large

Sounds like a lot of unnecessary effort to me when something much more
simple would suffice. Something as simple as two flathead screws fastening a
plastic window directly to the front edges of the drawer sides. There's
plenty of visually appealing screwhead types available that would make any
project like this look good.