Nails! Glue! Don't toss it, just fix it. It doesn't look like there are big breaks (holes, rotting wood, missing pieces) so get DIY and repair it. You'll bond with it even more when you've reassembled it with love.

And that's what I want, but I can't get the dang drawer bottom shelf supports into the holes on the sides.

You didn't include pictures of the drawers, themselves, so it's not clear whether you even still have them.

I found a dresser on the street once that was kind of sad and dilapidated and wracked my brain about what to do with it. It turned out to be the inside dimensions of the drawers were the perfect width for my TV, and by taking out some of the drawer separations, and put in a shelf and taking the bottom drawer-front and cutting it in half and putting hinges, I made doors for that area, and it housed the television that I had sculpted some Victorian-ish filigree onto.

OK.... I know ... it's like TOTALLY the opposite kind of style of this piece, but have a look the set of pictures of "Baroquen Television" when you click my name, and you'll see what I did.

Maybe it will kick-start you off with some kind of idea about something you can do with this.

I do have the drawers.

Ideally, what I'd like to do is fix, paint and reknob and use in my dining room as a buffet.

guido's answer
is
jeebus, why me?

that said, I have reglued a few old dressers

my advice is don't be afraid to bang it
into place
with a rubber mallet

I don't really understand the
bottom shelf support particulars,
so that's all I got

I'd set the dresser up on its end (put a blanket underneath the side on the floor) -- so that the end with the busted bottom drawer pegs is completely in the air. Then you may need to gently pry the OTHER drawer supports away in order to re-align the bottom drawer support. The entire operation will be easier once there isn't any weight on the offending/broken bits.

When you've got the pegs lined up (and pried loose), use a little wood glue in the hole and hammer gently on the outside (the up end) where the drawer supports go in. You may want to pad your hammering with a towel and tap lightly as to avoid any hammer head indents in the wood. You may also want to set the pegs in place and apply a little pressure before you add the glue -- if you're totally certain the pegs are in place yet. You can set the pegs halfway and then glue, if you're more comfortable this way. The glue isn't the important part here. The lining up of the pegs is. Also for your future sanity, use a small point of glue on the pegs only (don't line the entire brace with glue -- icky).

What you're trying to do here is get everything in the pegs evenly at the same time -- because it's going to be a perfect fit in the end. When you begin to tap down on the pegs do the 2 ends lightly (30% in) then the middle (30% in) and repeat -- a little here, a little there, until it's solidly in place everywhere. This gradual approach will also help you start over if you need to stop and realign. If the pegs are pounded all the way in at the first tap, the prying apart will be just as hard as it was the first time.

Before you start pounding, look to see if there are any supports in the back that are forcing the side bottom drawer support to go wonky. If the suppoert just will not line up, sometimes it's because there are other forces at work.

Thank you! That's exactly the kind of info I need!

just an idea, since i lean on the girly rehab side..

might be fun to sand it down, clean it up, repaint it a fun, modern springy color (white, robin's egg blue, soft green) and then line the interior drawers with either modern wrapping paper, wallpaper or even cloth wallpaper and use it as a sideboard. it's got nice bones :)

just a thought if you decide not not use the drawers.

d*s :)

Or you can buy the things that you can hang wine glasses upside down, drill it to the underside of the top and fill the bottom with you liquor and you have liquor cabinet.

Everyone seems to agree that realigning and regluing is needed. You said you have the drawers. Sometimes it simply pays to take the whole thing apart and put it back together again so it is strong. I wish I had an idea of what your place looked like.

I had a similar piece, reglued everything, sanded it well, filled the drawer pull holes in with wood putty and painted the entire thing silver, overlaying it with silver leaf. Then I put on new knobs (drilled new holes) and it was quite stunning. You can really do anything once you get it back together and in a strong condition.

Looks as though it would make a wonderful buffet. Let us know how it turns out.

I’m of the take-it-apart and rebuild it opinion. Not only is this going to fix minor problems that haven’t arisen yet it will give you the option to give it a solid sanding/painting.

OK, somebody has to say it. Why don't you just remove the pegs and glue the strip back in with Liquid nails and clamp it or put bricks on it until it's dry? Jamie's instructions are so clear and helpful I wept, but to be honest, lining up pegs and holes can make one daffy. Me, anyway.

Au

Liquid nails! Noooooo!
I don't really like glue based solutions. They require the fix it job to be much more precise initially and they usually are a one time only solution. You can't un-liquid nails something so if you mess it up the first time... you're look at a big sad uh-oh and not an, oh well, try again.

I also don't like taking something apart unless I'm sure I can get it put back together. But I also think you, atomic librarian, need to be the one who is comfortable with the solution. Maybe more glue and less pounding makes you happy. Maybe you want to take it all apart and give it new paint and put it back together.

Anyway, pick a method and have faith. Hesitant solutions aren't the strongest.

Good luck (again),
jayme

Thank you so much for all your help!