DTS Questions

[Birdhunter]

I am building a dresser that has 6 large drawers each 30" by 18". The drawer sides are 8' high and have a 1/4" strip of oak on top. The drawer sides are sanded and ready to finish with MinWax Wipe-On Poly. I didn't sand the Baltic birch bottoms thinking I'd remove them for sanding once the drawers and slides were fitted.

The drawer slide fitting was much fussier than I believed it would be! Now that all 6 drawers fit, the last thing I want to do is take them apart.

I need to lightly sand the bottoms with them in place.

I'm thinking of buying a DTS sander, either the corded or the battery model. I have a RO90 so could use it in the  corners  as I would the DTS. I tend to get scratch marks with the triangle on the RO90 even with the vac turned way down.

Is the DTS the right sander and should I go battery or corded?

 

[afish]

I bought the dts specifically/primarily for sanding BB drawers.  Im a corded sander guy for the most part.  They tend to be a little more compact, lighter for tight spots and smaller drawers. I also use a DC hose as much as possible so the electrical cord isnt really a factor.  Now if I was a painter working outside, up ladders no dust hose then I would probably want a cordless.  For shop use though I prefer corded.

 

[tsmi243]

I bought the dts specifically/primarily for sanding BB drawers.

Do you sand after assembly though?  I've never tried, I just assumed it would leave the corners looking rough.  I think that's the guy's main question.

 

[afish]

Yes and No I have done both ways and used for cleanup after assembly. I always did the bulk of the sanding prior to assembly and then glue up then touch up sanding after.  IM talking drawer internals. Bottom line is you find a better detail sander for getting in tight areas and edges and corners.  Anything that you cant get done with DTS isn't getting done with another sander. If its large drawers and no pre sanding was done then something like an ETS for the large flat areas and DTS in corners and along edges. The DTS will do it all and the BB shouldnt need a bunch of sanding unless there are other issues

 

[Cheese]

I ordered pre-assembled, dove tailed boxes and used the ETS for the sides and the DTS for the bottom & finished everything with a coat of Surfix.

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[Michael Kellough]

@ Cheese,  "pre-assembled, dove tailed boxes"  1/4" inset panel on the bottom or what?

 

[Cheese]

@ Cheese,  "pre-assembled, dove tailed boxes"  1/4" inset panel on the bottom or what?

Michael, 5/8" sides with 1/4"bottoms and machined to accept Blum Blumotion undermount slides.

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[Michael Kellough]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member]  What are the holes for? Especially the larger ones near the edge?

 

[Birdhunter]

What was the source for the drawers

 

[Cheese]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member]  What are the holes for? Especially the larger ones near the edge?

[member=297]Michael Kellough[/member] The small hole over the rectangular cutout is for a small protrusion on the Blum slides. The underside of the boxes are also drilled at the correct 75° angle for the Blum slide release mechanism.

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The large counterbore was intended to hold magnets that were used for actuating a reed switch that then actuated LED's when you opened & closed the drawers. I know you've been here Michael... [smile]...the original prototype worked well but when I expanded the scale to 5 drawers the operation was sporadic, sometimes they worked and sometimes they didn't.

That old sample/prototype of 1 issue.  [smile]  I chased it down to the in-rush current was momentarily welding the reeds in the switch together. Not being an EE, I abandoned the reed switches and installed microswitches instead.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Ok, I do remember your fancy lighting scheme. Sorry it didn’t work as planned. I never would have figured out that fault.

It’s been over a decade since I installed Blum under mount drawer slides. Forgot about that little pin.

 

[Cheese]

What was the source for the drawers

It's a local source, they specialize in doors and drawers, about any wood species you want. They were cheaper than having me purchase everything and build my own. A drawer 27.5" wide x 21" deep x 7" high in 5/8" thick maple with a 1/4" thick bottom completely machined for Blum undermount slides was only $54.

The drawer section options/details start on page 10-01.http://www.fleetwoods.net/media/pdf/Catalog-20210407.pdf