Draw Sizer - Arithmetic Progression

This utility employs arithmetic progression to compute drawer face heights by progressively adding a fixed increment to successive drawers beginning with the top drawer. You can either specify the increment or have it automatically computed. The various use cases are given below.

Inputs may be specified as numbers or fractions (ex: 36.5 or 36 1/2).

Use case 1: Derive drawer heights given top drawer height, number of drawers, and increment. The height of drawer space is computed.

Use case 2: Derive drawer heights given height of drawer space, top drawer height, increment, and drawer spacing. The number of drawers is computed. The computed overall height will be as close as possible to the input height.

Use case 3: Derive drawer heights given height of drawer space, top drawer height, number of drawers, and drawer spacing. The drawer height increment is computed.

Use case 4: Derive drawer heights (including top drawer) given height of drawer space, number of drawers, increment, and drawer spacing.

Width: If the width is not specified, it will automatically be computed to form a golden rectangle in which the ratio of the width to the height is 5/8.

Tip: For equal size drawers, specify an increment of 0.

See also:
Geometric progression, and Hambridge technique.

More About Arithmetic Progression

With arithmetic progression, the heights of successive drawer faces differ by a constant amount or "increment". For example, if the height of the top drawer is 6" and the increment is 1", successive drawer heights would be 7", 8", 9", 10", and so on. Many people prefer to use an increment that is equal to the thickness of the drawer dividers - typically 3/4" or 1". This results in a nicely proportioned series of drawers and an eye-pleasing piece of furniture.

Arithmetic progression is fairly straightforward, especially when you already have values in mind for the height of the top drawer, the number of drawers, and the height increment. This scenario represents use case #1 above. It gets a bit trickier when you have a certain drawer space to fill but don't have fixed values for the increment, the top drawer height, or the number of drawers (use cases 2-4). That's where the Draw Sizer can help out because it enables you to quickly try out various combinations of parameters to see which looks best to your eye.