Perfect positioning for drawer fronts

Q: When you build drawers with false fronts, what's the best way to hold each front in place while you adjust its fit?
—Richard Kulesa, Springfield, N.J.

A: Rich, you usually get the best results with cloth-backed, double-faced tape. Place a wood block inside the cabinet behind the drawer so the drawer box protrudes about ¹⁄₁₆ " from the cabinet. Apply a 6" strip of double-faced tape to the box, carefully position the false front, and press it against the box. Gently pull the assembly out far enough so that you can clamp the drawer front to the box with a pair of sliding-bar clamps to prevent slippage. Now, pull the drawer to its full extension, reach inside the drawer box, drill two screw pilot holes through the box at diagonally opposite corners, and screw the box to the front. Remove the clamps, and reinstall the drawer to check the reveal at all four edges. If it needs adjustment, remove the screws, pull the front away from the box, and repeat the process. This time, place screws at the other two corners. If the fit is right, leave those screws in place, and reinstall the original two screws, too—in most cases, the adjustment will be so slight that you won't have to drill new pilot holes. You can leave the tape in place permanently.