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Tips & Techniques

Accurate Stapling for Drawer Assembly

By Charles Miller Issue 111
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I had a stack of melamine drawer bottoms and sides that had to be stapled together, and I found that I didn’t have much room for error. If the stapler’s nosepiece was slightly off-center or out of plumb, I ran the risk of a staple blowing out the face of the drawer side. To ensure perfect alignment, I tacked together a wooden sole with a registration nosepiece for the stapler, as shown in the drawing.

The sole, which is made of 3/4-in. plywood, envelops the stapler’s magazine. A piece of solid stock, planed to the width of the magazine, fits between the plywood sides, creating a flat, stable base for the stapler. At the business end of the tool, I put a wood nosepiece that extends an inch below the sole plate. As the drawing illustrates, this nosepiece registers against the drawer side and the edge of the drawer bottom, holding the two flush to one another as the staple is driven.

Incidentally, I clamp a drawer side between a couple of wood blocks that have been screwed to the workbench. A pair of wooden wedges that are driven in opposite directions do a pretty good job of clamping the drawer side during this operation.

—Rich Van Rheen, West Linn, OR

Edited and illustrated by Charles Miller

From Fine Homebuilding #111

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View Comments

  1. marleyjune | May 07, 2017 06:46pm | #1

    More hideous, ancient, barely comprehensible line drawings from the vault. Please upgrade your tips with 21st Century art.

  2. Bobarino | May 07, 2017 08:54pm | #2

    Seriously, marley??? If you don't like these tips, don't follow them! Pretty simple, really.

  3. b_ward | May 07, 2017 09:26pm | #3

    marleyjune,
    How many times have you posted the same complaint?

  4. Suburbanguy | May 07, 2017 11:51pm | #4

    Upgrade the art to photographs and dispense with 3 paragraphs that are almost unintelligible.

  5. Chx | May 08, 2017 12:06am | #5

    Totally agree with marleyjune's attempt to improve the 'How-To' tips. Some are OK without graphics, but many (this one, too) need either clearer or multiple graphics to be worthwhile.

  6. S_curvy | Oct 29, 2019 02:47pm | #6

    And once again, the belly-achers complain A) About something that is free, and B) because they can’t read drawings. Boo Hoo.

    These line drawings are perfect. They are clear, simple, and correct. Photos would not likely improve the communication, but rather muddy it. In graphic communication, less is more.

  7. ccwhols | Oct 29, 2019 08:19pm | #7

    Stapling drawer bottoms is the worst way to assemble a drawer. The bottoms inevitably fall out. The best way to proceed is by cutting a groove in all the sides and slipping in the bottom before final assembly. No staples no fuss no muss. What you're proposing is worse than motal furniture.

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