Fixing the silverware drawer front that broke off!

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Don2222

Minister of Fire
Feb 1, 2010
9,117
Salem NH
Hello
Has this ever happened to you? The silverware draw is used more than any other draw in the house and the other day during a normal opening of the draw, the right side just broke right off!
The drawer fronts are fairly new, approx 10 years old but the rest is approx 55 years old!
Since the glue dried up, I put new generous amount of gorilla wood glue in the slots, banged it back with a rubber hammer and then installed two L brackets from Home Depot with one screw in the solid wood front and a 6x32 3/4” long bolt with beveled head with a nut and C lock washer on the side.
So glued, screwed and bolted in!
Will that hold it for a while?
 

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Tats the way i would have fixed it. I would loose the lock washer on the bolt and just snug it up with a little glue or lock tight on the treads.. They make a much wider angle bracket i would switch over to a wider one. Install the wider one with some epoxy to bond to the wood and screw it together while wet. The wider bracket will spread out the load so it does not brake again and the epoxy will make sure it has a good tight non moving fit.
 
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What ever works for you .
Being a professional Furniture builder (Retired)
That is not the way I would have repaired it
But Like I said What ever works
 
What ever works for you .
Being a professional Furniture builder (Retired)
That is not the way I would have repaired it
But Like I said What ever works
Hello
I very interested in how a furniture builder would fix it, if you do not mind saying? Always interested in alternatives. :)
Hello
There is not much room for an L bracket but I feel it is much more secure than just glue.
Luckily it does just barely fit. :)
 

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Hello
I very interested in how a furniture builder would fix it, if you do not mind saying? Always interested in alternatives. :)
Hello
There is not much room for an L bracket but I feel it is much more secure than just glue.
Luckily it does just barely fit. :)
my guess would be to rebuild the entire drawer :)
 
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my guess would be to rebuild the entire drawer :)
No a rebuild would not be necessary. A rework of the front would but after seeing the unit with the utensils in it
my rework would not leave enough room for the insert . It would work if you can move the insert back 3/4 of an inch
There is a lot I am presuming here one the sides are also a tenon which goes into the mortise on the front .
If so make up a board that will insert at the rear of the tenons Glue it to the sides (note not gorilla glue
use a good wood workers WHITE glue ) easy clean up . On the sides of the drawer drill 3 3/8 dowel holes
on each side glue and tap in dowels . Put glue on tension install drawer front clamp 24 hours
Dill holes reinstall pull and front the inside 4 screws 1 in each coroner It will never come apart again .
When we made face front drawers this is how it was done . A little more time consuming but never had a
drawer failure in 20 years But there are other ways and other Cabinet makers have the one they like