Hot take: I stopped using glue on drawer boxes and my build time dropped by 30%

Got tired of clamping and waiting for glue to dry on dovetail drawers, so I switched to just using confirmat screws and a little wax on the joints. Has anyone else ditched traditional methods and found it actually holds up better?

3 comments

3 Comments

jasonf171mo ago

Have you ever had to take one of these apart after a few years? That’s the part nobody talks about. Glue joints are a pain to break, but wax and screws come apart easy if a customer wants a repair or a reface. I’m not saying it’s wrong, just that you might be saving time now and paying for it later. Sometimes the slow way is the smart way.

taylor.sean29d ago

Sometimes the slow way is the smart way" - totally. My buddy spent a weekend trying to get a glued-up old stand apart and ended up just buying the guy a new one.

coleman.gray29d ago

Sometimes the slow way is the smart way" - honestly, that hits the nail on the head. But let me ask you this, Jason. How often do you actually get someone coming back for a repair or a reface on a piece like this? Tbh, in my experience most people just toss it and buy a new one when it breaks. Glue might be a pain to take apart, but if you build it solid and it lasts years without needing work, is that really a problem? I'm not saying you're wrong, but it feels like you're preparing for a customer that barely exists. I'd rather save that time upfront and deal with the rare headache later.