Drawer Slide Installation & Alignment

[Brett Bobo]

For the installation of drawer slides, is there a sure-fire technique that ensures alignment between the half of the slide on the drawer box and the half of the slide on the carcase? In other words, what's an accurate way (vertically) to locate the slide on the drawer box? The order of the slide installation is to mount the slides to the carcase first and then locate the slides on the drawer boxes. In the past, I've used a spacer template from the bottom of the drawer box side but I'm looking for other suggestions.

Thanks in advance,
Brett

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I expected that I would measure based on included instructions and then use a block as you mentioned. My largest concern is the drawer slides that I am prepping to install will likely not rest on an offset block from the bottom (for the portion attached to the drawer) so I will make some adjustments to my stop block to make it work.

And now that I am subscribed, I can see all the wisdom goodness from those in the know.

[Lee Ludden]

I am sure there is a better way that what I use, but here is my method. I install the half mounted to the cabinet first, making sure they are perpendicular to the face. Next, I clamp a board to the outside that the bottom of the drawer can rest on and put the drawer half of the slides back in the cabinet half. I then slide the drawer in and adjust the boards until the drawer fits the way I want. Next I pull the drawer out just enough to reveal the first screw holes (they should come out with the drawer, if not I use some double stick tape). Screw in the first screw on each side, and pull out a bit farther and screw the middle. Remove the drawer and screw in the end.

[Brett Bobo]

Lee,
I think I'm following your concept of alignment but I'm not quite following the board you clamp to the outside of the carcase and then sliding the drawer into the carcase. I'm visualizing the drawer tipping as it goes into the carcase as it's only supported at the front of the carcase. Do you mean clamping a board, basically a shelf, to the inside of the carcase? Or, if the back of the carcase is not assembled yet, would two runners (one on each side of the carcase where the drawer goes) clamped to the inside of the carcase be a comparable solution? It seems like you can dial in the location very precisely without any cautious measuring. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Lee Ludden]

I meant clamp the runner boards to the inside below where the slides are.

[Mike Harrison]

You know what your drawer centers are, top to bottom, correct?

So just mark them on your sides and use a square to draw your lines front to back, and mount the cab side hardware. Mark the drawer box sides with a line centered top to bottom, mount the drawer side hardware.

When I mark the sides, I lay all the side pieces next to one another and lined up top to bottom, then, mark them all at the same time, using a good dry wall square. That way you only measure once and they are all the same. Often I mount the cab side hardware before I assemble it, because I'm lazy, and its easy.

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv62/mikeinkcmo/Woodworking/Wesleys%20parts%20cab/P10100082.jpg

http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv62/mikeinkcmo/Woodworking/Wesleys%20parts%20cab/P10100432.jpg