Embarrassed to ask this, but...
How deep should the groove be?
How tight should the bottom be?
How thick should my sides be?
I have been making drawers by creating a dovetailed rectangle carcass and then cutting a groove for the bottom.
I usually use plywood for the bottom (1/4" or 1/2").
Assume I make the groove 3/16" deep and the bottom 1/16" undersized. I can have 1/16" play on either side. Even if the board moves 1/16" to the side, i still have 1/8" in both grooves to support the bottom. Is this safe?
So, if I make a 3/16" groove, then how thick must the sides be? If The board is not thick enough, might the drawer break along the groove?
Are there any rules of thumb such as for a large dresser drawer, use sides that are at least 5/8" thick (or 1/2" thick) and cut a groove 1/4" thick. How about a small desk drawer. Anything from 4" to 19" wide and maybe 12" (or less) deep?
When I start thinking that I want a drawer that might be 2" or less deep, then cutting a groove starts taking a bunch of the depth because I might loose about 1/2" just to making room for the bottom.... 1/4" ply bottom where the groove begins 1/4" from the bottom.