Wicked Fast Shop Drawers (Offsets & Butt Joints) - How To Install Drawer Slides EASY

Here's an EASY way to build solid shop drawers AND install drawer slides. This "offset" technique requires very little measuring and doesn't require fancy tools. I've been building drawers like this for 5 years and they've all held up with zero issues. 1/2" Baltic Birch plywood all the way around. Glue. Staples. Butt Joints.

To build these drawers, I use 1/2" Baltic Birch plywood all the way around - yes, even the bottom of the drawer. No dadoes. The technique is simple. Measure your cabinet inside, then subtract 2" from the width, and 1" from the depth. That's the size of drawer bottom you need to cut.

Then, build the drawer sides, front, and back around that. Glue & nail it together.

I use ball bearing drawer slides, and install them using spacers instead of measuring. This makes the drawer install a lot easier.

If you've been intimidated by drawer slides as I once was, check out this video for an how-to.

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0:00 Intro
0:54 Measuring & Notes about Drawer Slides
3:00 Cutting for Width
3:33 How tall?
4:02 Cutting for Height
4:14 Handles
5:37 Honey Badger Epiphany & Nice Things
6:51 Assembly: Fronts & Backs
7:44 Cutting for Depth
8:13 Assembly: Lefts & Rights
8:30 Drawer Slides
13:23 PS: Dust in the Tracks?

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[thequickestfox]

Hey Keith, I have a little time save to deal with the centering of screws I think you will like. When doing that three handed align the drawer slide and screw while holding part of the assembly. The bit driver for Philips is a consumable and often just a freebie with the pack of screws. So I don't feel bad about using it as a make shift center finder and punch/spot drill. Just push it in to the slot or hole you want to transfer, use the same amount of force you would to drive a screw, and give it second or so to spin. It makes a nice shallow taper which is more or less sized to the hole perfectly because of the bit size of smaller screws. It helps countersink and makes starting and driving the screw easy.

[michaelr]

Thank the world, finally a YouTube woodworker that admits you don't have to own every Festool and Woodpeckers tool and jig to actually build something!!

[ethan]

Finally, a how to, no nonsense, no drama, no over explanation video without the over priced imaculate staged background of seldom if ever used tools

Thank you

[BluesmaNeedham]

Now THIS is my type of content. Everyone diy YouTube channel over engineers the crap out of their shop furniture/built ins. I just want it to function/do the job well enough so that I can spend my time making good high quality pieces of furniture.

“Good enough to get by” should be the motto of all shop furniture imo.

[Buckyball]

You had me at the belch. Finally a real world woodworker. 👍🏼

[jeffschmidt]

I'm about to start building a workshop, and was getting intimidated about all these super-glossy professional workshop build videos all over YouTube. Thanks for bringing me back down to earth and helping be realize that my workshop doesn't have to be museum-worthy, just strong and functional.

[vilod]

Your wife telling you that you should tell people you make nice things is something my wife would say. True love there. She's a keeper. Treat her well and you will go far.

[Jmoe]

I’m stoked to see someone else who appreciates that there is a time for good enough and a time for doing it right

[TyrantPanda]

New here. Love how you have your wife review your videos. This video reminded me to keep things simple 👌

[packatak]

“Little old lady” here who used to love woodworking. No longer have any of the fancy tool stuff. But with my couple of Kreg cutting jigs along with some pocket screws, I think I will be able to built the small cabinet I’ve been thinking about. Thanks!!

[Able_Cylon]

Thanks for this! So relaxed. So down to Earth. Was a pleasure to watch someone with common sense!

[celsoesparza]

This video made woodworking so relatable that I subscribed

[bradmiller]

I love the authenticity of blood on the project. Blood sweat and tears! More than a rock band.

[billybike]

I was literally scared to make drawers. I know I must have watched 25-30 videos. I watched yours and it made sense. I was still a little worried but I jump in.
I used your methodology on making drawers, they turned out perfectly. Thanks for sharing!👍🏼

[bruce-le-smith]

Great video thanks! In office work there's an expression, "analysis paralysis", and I agree this sort of approach is a good way to break that bad habit. Sometimes a pragmatic mindset of 'fast, cheap, and good enough' is better than perfectly engineered to tolerances of 1000ths of an inch.

[Expedient_Mensch]

Hi Kieth, here's a tip for you; when you are installing the slides start from the bottom, so that you can use gravity and the spacers to hold the slides in place, freeing you up to move around or use both hands to install the screws. Do the same again when adding the drawers to the already installed slides. If you like, you can dry fit the drawers with the spacers (doubled over blind slats in this case) in between to check your fit before committing to screws.

[BradsWorkbench]

Definitely my kind of work mentality. I chuckle when i see guys put up videos making a clamp rack for 3 days

[UTtanker]

"Blood on the just described most everything I've ever produced!!!

[Texasishot]

I'm currently doing a Ambulance/RV build, lots of storage cabinets, no drawers. I'm so glad I found your video!!! Thank you. 😉👍⭐

[JJulz]

Thank you for the Honey Badger reference. Helps keep things in perspective as I tend to get hung up on things that really don't matter. 👍