Ikea Alex Reinforcement

The Ikea Alex drawers are a nice way to store and organize your stuff (I use it to store a lot of the parts in my workshop from screws to lathe tools, to 3d printer parts). They have a fatal flaw however: the bottom and back of each drawer are very weak, so add too much weight and the bottom bows down forcing the back wall of the drawer to flex outwards. Now parts can fall through the back of the drawer and even more annoying the bottom of one drawer catches on the drawer below it making it impossible to pull out the drawer below (the drawer on top catches, coming out together blocking access to the lower drawer).

This is a quick and dirty fix which seeks to reinforce the bottom of the drawer in the back (the main weak point, and further afix the bottom of the drawer to the back, preventing them from pulling apart. 

I've provided the FreeCAD files should you need to modify the design yourself to suit your needs. 

BoM:

• 1-2 of the printed reinforcement part per drawer (or as many as you see fit to add strength)
• Per printed part you will need the following fasteners:
  • 1x M3x10-12mm screw + M3 nut
  • 2x #6x1/2" wood screw
• ~3mm drill bit

Installation:

1. Arrange the reinforcement parts along the back wall of the drawer underneath the bottom of the drawer (see picture). I used one in the middle but use as many as you see fit to get the desired strength.
2. Mark and drill pilot holes for the two wood screws (it's a bit tight, but I was able to get my drill to just barely clear the bottom of the drawer). Note: you will want to make sure the bottom of the drawer is pressed back into place in the slot on the back of the drawer so everything is properly aligned.
3. Install the wood screws into the pilot holes to fasten the part to the back of the drawer.
4. Once again make sure the parts are pulled together so the bottom of the drawer slots into the back of the drawer.
5. Drill a  hole through the hexagonal hole into the bottom of the drawer.
6. Install the M3 bolt and hex nut
7. Fin!