Installing drawer slides?

[Jay Yoder]

How do you'all install the 3/4 extension drawer slides in the cabinets? I build (3) 4'-0" melamine shop cabinets and looking back in retrospect, I should have mounted the drawer slides before assemly. Hindsight is always 20/20. Anyhow, I have the Kreg slide mounting jig and use a Kreg deep clamp to try to hold it tight. I am trying to figure out if I am doing something wrong, but I can't seem to get it right. For instance I install the first level and they are level, then install the ones below and they end up running uphill noticeably. Any thoughts on what I am doing wrong? Or is there an easier way?

[Dave Beauchesne]

Jay:

While I am no expert, there is a really good looking article in the August 2003 ( Issue # 135 ) of Popular Woodworking. The same magazine has a
stack of Shaker oval boxes on the front. Maybe you can rustle a copy up.

Dave Beauchesne

[Ben Abate]

Jay,

I try to keep it simple when installing slides. This method works both pre or post assembly. I use a few pieces of plywood to space out the slides. If you want your slide to be 8 inches off the bottom of the cabinet and the next one at 7 inches I use two spacers of the determined width to make sure they stay there. Place the spacers on each side of the cabinet and lay the slide on top of it and it will be uniform all the way up. A friend of mine told me once to become uniform when building cabinets so the spacers will always be the same. Meaning once you get a system that you like and a spacing that you like try to keep that as one of your factors that you don't have to think about every time you build a cabinet. Obviously there are times that you have to vary from that but it keeps one less item you have to think of in your design.

[Ralph Okonieski]

I've seen suggestions from others to cut MDF and use that to sit the slide on to drill the holes. I was too "frugal" to cut MDF so I used a few scrap pieces of whatever cut to identical length and then temporarily stuck to the cabinet with double stick tape. Use the tape a little sparingly or you may damage the finish. This is not necessarily the fastest method but has worked well for me.

[Steve Jenkins]

If you haven't installed the cabinets yet stand them on end. Now you are working on the flat and things stay where you lay them so you can simply measure from the top or bottom of the cabinet at both ends of the slides.

[Jay Yoder]

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope it was a great and blessed morn! The kids were up at 4:30! Luckily my wife kept the kids at bay until 6:00...anyhow...

Excellent suggestions everyone! The first suggestions were kinda what I was thinking of doing. Almost like story sticks. Steve, the cabinets are already installed, ganged together and leveled, but that is a great suggestion for future use!

Has anyone used the Kreg jig that I have? I am wondering if it was a waste of $ now, or if I missed the instructions :)

[Erik Christensen]

I use story sticks to get front & back of the slide to the same height. I work from the top down so I always reference of the case bottom - that way if a I goof a slide it does not translate the goof to all above it. I use Spax screws to mount slides so I do not need to drill pilot holes - if I am careful to get the screw tip centered on the 1st 2 screws it usually comes out perfect. I also make a front spacer for the EXACT setback that I clamp to the case so there is not measuring while trying to hang a slide.

I never install slides before assembly as I do not use pre-finished ply so I have had to develop a method for slide installation that one with limited skills (me) can get consistent good results with.

[Curt Harms]

Jay,

I try to keep it simple when installing slides. This method works both pre or post assembly. I use a few pieces of plywood to space out the slides. If you want your slide to be 8 inches off the bottom of the cabinet and the next one at 7 inches I use two spacers of the determined width to make sure they stay there. Place the spacers on each side of the cabinet and lay the slide on top of it and it will be uniform all the way up. A friend of mine told me once to become uniform when building cabinets so the spacers will always be the same. Meaning once you get a system that you like and a spacing that you like try to keep that as one of your factors that you don't have to think about every time you build a cabinet. Obviously there are times that you have to vary from that but it keeps one less item you have to think of in your design.

That's my choice as well.

[frank shic]

i've used the kreg jig in the remote past but i now build all drawer stack cabinets either frameless or flush with the face frame and i install the slides prior to assembly after boring for system holes with a delta line drill.

[keith micinski]

Take the Kreg jig and throw it in the trash. I bought one thinking what a good idea this is. I have tried it twice and both times have ended up throwing it down in frustration and using spacer sticks or just marking the sides and holding it there by hand.

[Jon Endres]

Ditto on the Kreg jig. I wasted my money on one when I built my kitchen, and ended up using spacer blocks for everything. Worked much better.

[Alan Lightstone]

Spacer blocks. I install mine post case assembly. Also no joy with the Kreg jig.

[Chip Lindley]

Jay, Stop everything, and consider replacing those 3/4 extension slides with full-extension slides before it's TOO LATE! You will be glad you did! Think of it! 1/4 of all your stuff will always be inaccessible behind other stuff!

And, you never said if your cabinets are face frame-style or open European type. I have added many new drawers with new slides to kitchen and bath remodels--Mostly FF construction, with all work done with cabinets in place. A few pre-made hole templates keep everything square to the front edge, with holes in the right place for the particular slide being used. I use a piece of 1/8" tempered "bathroom" hardboard as my template. Hole locations are easier to see inside a dim cabinet against the white epoxy. My trusty ol' Makita 9.6v "right-angle" driver drill is great in tight spaces, used with self-centering Vix bit and magnetic phillips driver. I hope they never stop making batteries for it!
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[frank shic]

chip makes a good point: 3/4 extension drawer slides are annoying! i use only full extension drawer slides now. yes, they will cost you a bit more but didn't you already blow a fortune on tooling and plywood? ;)

[Jay Yoder]

Thank you all for the replies! I am relieved to know that I am not a complete dunce who thinks the kreg jig is inaccurate at best! I fought with it for 4 hours and wondered if it was just me! Sad thing is that I bought the jig and the 6" kreg clamps specifically for this task! Nice waste of $45! Oh well, just don't tell the wife! I think I will just used the plywood (or whatever I can scrounge up) spacers. Cheap and easy. As for the 3/4 extension slides, I realize that in the future they will be a pain and may be replaced...but right now full-ex slides are not in the budget. :( Besides I have about 30 sets bought dirt cheap off of ebay a few years ago. Anyone want to buy a Kreg jig? :)