Drawer under couch..

[TXBobcat]

I know a number of you are having a problem with your couch.
The problem I had was that the drawer under the couch kept coming out and the bottom broke so things would drop out on the floor. It has a 50# load limit... Well of course we really paid attention to the 50# limit. Yep. Sure did.. Uh huh.. Well not quite. DW had been hounding me to get it fixed. Traveling full time I don't carry a lot of tools. I am not much of a mechanic or carpenter. But while we were layed up near our daughters house I took the drawer out and took a chance.

OK.. I don't need a pounding.. There is not one straight edge, corner or anything else. So this is not up to the caliber of all you really good fixer uppers. Yea.. Ray I am talking about you, Terry, and a whole bunch of you guys. But here is what I did... and it works.. OK???

I got 2 1x6x8 boards. None were square and all I had was a skill saw, a bunch of wood screws and a hammer. I cut 2 4ft pieces and 2 2ft pieces. That is the nominal deminsions of the drawer. I screwed them togeather. to make a box. I took some 1"x1"x4ft boards and screwed them to the bottom of the box. I took some thin wood like that on the bottom of the drawer (triangle shaped.. Square cut corner to corner) and nailed it to the bottom corners. I took a screw on caster put it on the bottom at each corner. I cut a 4" slot in the 1"x1" on the bottom then I took 1"x4" boards and screwed them across the bottom. I was going to use 3 boards but I ran out of wood so I just used two and will add the third one later. I cut the wood that was used for the original flooring so it would fit in the bottom. It was a little to narrow and I did not want to buy more wood at the time so I will use it until I get more wood later. I then got lucky and screwed the front of the drawer on to the new drawer and I'll be durn.. it fit under the couch.

Hope this gives some of those with talent an idea of what might make a better drawer. But it works....

Guess you want pictures.. .... OK.. but at your own risk...

Be gentle...
BC

 

[jbeletti]

Nice Bob. Looks like you get a 10# rating at least. And casters to boot - way cool.

Jim

 

[jpmorgan37]

First class job Bob;

I looks better than some of the work done by "professionals" that I've seen. BTW, if the corners were square, it probably wouldn't have fit the original drawer.

John

 

[JohnDar]

Looks better than some of the original carpentry. I just found out how ragged the luan plywood is under the dining table chairs. Hand full of slivers.

 

[jmgratz]

That is your Amish craftmanship ... LOL

 

[TXBobcat]

Thanks Jim...

I think that could be called A Mished craftmanship... I can blame it on the available tools. Darn Skill saw just won't cut a straight line. Besides the boards were not square.. Don't you think if you go to Lowes and spend our hard earned money that we should get wood that is at least square on no less than 2 or 3 sides.

Quality of service now days is terrible. You would think they would have the lumber square and already cut and finished for my project..

 

[wdk450]

Same Problem

TX Bobcat:
I have the same problem at the moment, and you have given me guidance in how to fix it - Thank You!!!
We broke the drawer letting my wife's peritoneal dialysis cycler ride there. We must have had an awfully rough ride down Ca. SR 99/I-5 from Sacramento to Hemet. We opened the door and found broken Corelle plates on the kitchen floor that has escaped from the upper cabinet (We'll use mini-bungees on that one from now on.) Maybe this will call for some suspension upgrades to the trailer. The power cable in the wall/roof from the breaker box to the Air conditioner was also inoperative at that point. I wonder if this was the result of a rough ride too. Of course it was above 95 degrees that week in Hemet, and I didn't have much time to fool with the trailer/AC with my brother's passing that week.
I think I might add another pair of support casters in the middle of the drawer for additional support. I plan to bring what's left of the drawer home to my garage "workshop" for the rebuild.
Again, thanks for the input right when I needed it.

 

[wdk450]

Couch Drawer - Update

Gang:
I have got the drawer home and started the rebuild. I plan to use Gorilla glue, screws, and a supporting framework of good wood.
I noticed a little more "Amiss Craftsmanship" as I removed the drawer from under the couch - the latch hardware on the drawer was a good 4 inches off to the right from the latch base hardware on the couch metal frame.

 

[JohnDar]

Gang:
I have got the drawer home and started the rebuild. I plan to use Gorilla glue, screws, and a supporting framework of good wood.
I noticed a little more "Amiss Craftsmanship" as I removed the drawer from under the couch - the latch hardware on the drawer was a good 4 inches off to the right from the latch base hardware on the couch metal frame.

Giving someone a bible to tote, along with a beard and straw hat does not guarantee quality. Whenever someone tauts "Amish Quality," I run. I can do better with my tools in my garage "workshop." At least I know there have been no corners cut for profit or a "don't give a ****" attitude.

 

[TXBobcat]

wdk450
I didn't use the latch on the drawer. I just slide it under the couch and it stays there. You have to give it a fairly good pull to get it out from under the couch.

I had thought about putting a wooden dowel in the front of the drawer on the inside that went through a hole, 1/2" or so and let it touch the floor. If you took a metal pin a little thicker than the diameter of a ball point pin, drilled a hole about an inch up from the floor in the wooden dowel and pressed the metal pin into the hole through the dowel. Now if you wanted to open the drawer you reach down below the front of the drawer and put the dowel between your fingers and lifted the dowel and pulled the drawer out. It would sorta be a skid pin. But I don't need it, there is plenty of resistance from the carpet.

BC