Design help - sliding spice rack

[Matt Day]

I've build a spice rack for a tall narrow upper cabinet similar to Mike Goetzke's design (a search here of "Spice Pull Out Question" will bring it up), but I'm having a problem with it deflecting and not closing smoothly. On Mike's design his slides on on the bottom, but since mine is an upper cabinet I put them on top to free up useable space on the bottom. See below for pictures.
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You can see how the bottom of the drawer deflects inward when the drawer is open - pic #2. The problem is that since the drawer pull (or rather push in this instance) is at the bottom, so when you go to push the drawer close it causes 1) the slides (mounted on top - pic #4) to bind when the drawer deflects and 2) the bottom of the drawer to bind against the face frame. I could solve 2) by simply increasing the distance between the bottom of the drawer and face frame, but I think I'd still have 1) which is really the problem here.

I tried solving the deflection by keeping the bottom running true by installing a wooden runner inside the carcass, but that hasn't helped.

I have room to add another drawer slide on the side toward the bottom. I'm planning on installing one where the lower rod is in the last picture above. Do you all think this would solve the deflection problem?

P.S. In hindsight, I realize that the design flaw I have is that the force of closing the drawer is causing the drawer slides to deflect more and bind. The difference between my design and Mike's is that in his design the force caused the slides to deflects less and help close the drawer. 20/20 now!

[Mark P. Miller]

You'd need to move your bottom shelf up a bit, but couldn't you just put a single drawer glide on its side and use it up against the bottom of the drawer? Just thinking....

[Matt Day]

Mark,
I thought about that but I'l not sure that would solve the problem. If I installed a slide on the bottom Would it keep the bottom parallel with the top, or would it deflect just like it's doing now?
There's also not enough room for a slide to fit in the bottom without rebuilding the shelf, so I would favor a side mounted slide if that would fix my problem.
Thanks

[Lee Schierer]

The problem is the cantilevered weight is causing the slides to deflect. A couple of ideas toward a solution. Change the existing slides to ones with a heavier load rating than the ones you have. You might want to consider a 3/4 opening slide instead of a full extension one. Although the shorter extension doesn't give full access to the shelves, it does keep about 1/4 of the weight inside the cabinet and the balance point of the cabinet closer to the center.

With your existing design, the problem will only get worse when you add the spices.

[Matt Day]

Understood Lee. I know that the tall shelf is acting like a lever. The slides I have are 10" full extension 100# Accurides, so I don't think I could easily find a beefier slide.

What I'm really looking for are other options for slide placement, and I think the side will work best but I was hoping for some input.

[Stew Hagerty]

Just a thought, but what if you adjusted your slides so that, instead of being level, they aimed upward slightly. that might compensate for the downward deflection. And, if it works, it would be a very simple fix.

[Matt Day]

Stew, that's a good idea. I'll give it a try but I think I'll still have the same issue - that when I push it close it's still going to bind. It might actually be worse since the angle of the slides would be more severe in respect to the direction of pushing it closed.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Understood Lee. I know that the tall shelf is acting like a lever. The slides I have are 10" full extension 100# Accurides, so I don't think I could easily find a beefier slide.

What I'm really looking for are other options for slide placement, and I think the side will work best but I was hoping for some input.

I do not endorse any company to which I provide a link, nor, can I comment on the product (because I have not used or tried these).

250lb 10" slide
http://www.drawerslides.com/drawer-slides/side-mount-drawer-slides/250-lb-drawer-slides

500 lb 10" slide
http://www.drawerslides.com/drawer-slides/side-mount-drawer-slides/500-lb-drawer-slides

I did not check to see if they would mount in the same "width", however.

[Matt Day]

Andrew,
Those are stout slides! Thanks. It would take a major rework to make the width and height work though.

I wonder if my problem though is the design application and not the load rating? I think I'm going to buy another of the same slides and mount it in the side and see if that does the trick.

[Stew Hagerty]

Andrew,
Those are stout slides! Thanks. It would take a major rework to make the width and height work though.

I wonder if my problem though is the design application and not the load rating? I think I'm going to buy another of the same slides and mount it in the side and see if that does the trick.

When you push the cabinet closed, the bottom tips inward more than the top. By tipping the slides ever so slightly upward, you are counteracting that effect. You don't want to tip them too much though or it won't stay open. Personally, I'd give that a try before adding another slide. Besides, a slide on the side will ruin the look you've got there.

Oh, and one more thing. I'd slap some slick tape on that runner you installed.