RKA
Here is how I would build a base cabinet with multiple drawers.
The true 32 base cabinet height is 878mm. That's from the ground to the top of the cabinet box. That does not include the counter top.
Subtract 78mm from 878mm to get your 800mm side panel (a increment of 32). The 78mm is for your toe kick. 78mm is close enough for me
for a 3" toe kick.
So now that I have given myself a 800mm panel I can use that number to decide how many drawers I can get.
One example I will give you is this.
800mm divided by 5 (number of drawers) is 160mm. 160mm is an increment of 32. So I would make 5 drawer fronts 160mm MINUS a
3mm reveal for the top and bottoms of the drawer fronts. Making my drawer fronts 154mm for the height.
Then lets say my cabinet is 400mm wide, finished. I would also subtract 3mm for each side for the reveal. Making my finish cut for the drawer front
154mm in height x 394mm wide.
Now for the drawer box, normally the drawer slides need around 12mm per side for movement. I subtract 25mm for the drawer slides that I have
used in the past. So if my finish box is 400mm wide using 18mm plywood the inside of my box is 364mm. I would subtract 25mm from 364mm
giving me 339mm. Now I know that I have 339mm to work with for the width of my drawer box. The depth of the drawer box depends on the slides
I use. Say I make my cabinet 610mm (24")deep. The standard depth of a base cabinet. I would use a 510mm (20") drawer slide, because of the
way I build my cabinets. I recess the back panel of the cabinet 19mm for a nailer to go behind my back. I usually use 5mm (1/4") plywood
for the backs of the cabinets. The nailers (or some guys call them cleats) keeps my boxes square.
So now the finished drawer box would be 339mm wide by 510mm deep. The height of the drawer box I would make at most 135mm for this cabinet.
I like to subtract 25mm from the height of my drawer fronts to give me the height of my drawer box. This give me plenty of room for multiple drawers
to work together. BUT, you could make the a little bigger if you want.
Personally, 1/4" ply for the backs are fine. You're gonna screw the cabinets to the wall. Heck, you don't even need full backs if you don't want to
waste the plywood. Just put a couple nailers (cleats) across the top and bottom to keep the box square and to give you some meat to screw the
cabinet to the wall and your good. Because the cabinet is all drawers you will never see the back of the cabinet anyways.
![Wink [wink]](http://festoolownersgroup.com/Smileys/default/winksmiley.gif)
Eric