building a drawer

[100tamarind]

My brother wants to build some drawers, it's his first project, and it's making me scratch my head.
A long time ago, I built a tool chest with six drawers, just using butt joints to attach the ½ inch plywood sides to the bottoms. I stored it in a damp, unheated basement, and after 30 years, those drawers are still in solid shape.
My bro heard from his friends that nowadays, the proper way to build a drawer is to cut a groove in the sides for the bottom to fit into.

I get that it probably looks cleaner, but cutting all those grooves just seems like a lot more work than what I did, and my drawers held up perfectly fine.
So, I wonder, why is the groove design considered so much better, and is it really worth the extra hassle?
And what's the best way for a beginner like my brother to cut that groove? Is a router the way to go, or is it doable with a different tool without a huge learning curve?

 

[woodworker]

Grooves are mainly about strength and keeping the bottom from sagging over time, they help distribute weight and give a cleaner look. Because you're just starting, a router with a straight bit is probably the easiest way to cut them, but a table saw with a dado blade works too if he has one

 

[Gon_Kobold]

For a beginner, I would suggest cutting grooves about halfway into the drawer side thickness and letting the bottom slide in. Glue only at the front edge so the panel can expand and contract. A router or a table saw both work, just practice on scrap before you cut the real pieces. Once you see how neatly the bottom fits, the extra step feels worth it.

 

[j0eman]

My brother wants to build some drawers, it's his first project, and it's making me scratch my head.
A long time ago, I built a tool chest with six drawers, just using butt joints to attach the ½ inch plywood sides to the bottoms. I stored it in a damp, unheated basement, and after 30 years, those drawers are still in solid shape.
My bro heard from his friends that nowadays, the proper way to build a drawer is to cut a groove in the sides for the bottom to fit into.

I get that it probably looks cleaner, but cutting all those grooves just seems like a lot more work than what I did, and my drawers held up perfectly fine.
So, I wonder, why is the groove design considered so much better, and is it really worth the extra hassle?
And what's the best way for a beginner like my brother to cut that groove? Is a router the way to go, or is it doable with a different tool without a huge learning curve?

If you guys has a trim router, grab a straight bit and a straightedge clamp/guide. He just needs to clamp the guide rail where the groove needs to go, and run the router along it.
It’s way less intimidating and easier to control than setting up a complex dado blade on a table saw, and it will give him a perfect, consistent groove every time!

 

[sweat.craft]

Honestly, if your old method lasted 30 years, butt joints with glue and screws aren’t a bad place to start