Drawer slides and I don't get along

[Scott Brandstetter]

Looking for suggestions. Long story short, I have used side mount drawer slides (picture below) in the past and take great care to make sure that the night stand, dresser is perfectly square along with the drawer box yet if something is off a 1/16 of an inch, it shows and drives me nuts. I am thinking of going to a center mount slide (picture below) thinking it will give me some ability to adjust (side to side, up and down).

If anyone can put me in the right direction would appreciate it. I have watched tons of video's and read a lot of articles, inspired me to be more accurate with every measurement, yet still have a problem. Thanks for taking the time to read.318318318319318320

[Phil Thien]

Those epoxied slides are designed to accommodate quite a variance in the cabinet.

If your cabinet is precisely made, I'm afraid those slides will allow for enough slop that (for example) inset drawer fronts won't always be centered in the opening.

If your cabinet is accurately made, you'd be better off with ball-bearing slides, little slop and more of a piston fit.

[John Lanciani]

Five piece drawers solve the problem. Mount the drawer box to the slides and then install the false front with screws from the inside through oversized holes so that it is adjustable. Also, use the slotted holes in the slides so that you can adjust them as needed. When everything is perfect, put a couple of screws into the non slotted holes in the slides to lock them down.

[Jerry Miner]

"If something is off by 1/16 inch..." then, yes, you will have a problem, if the drawer is too big, or out-of-square. The side-mount epoxy-coated slides you show are about as forgiving as they come---but DO NOT build the drawer too big. Shoot for a slightly undersize drawer. The hardware accommodates this , but not oversize.

You can always pad out the hardware to fit an undersize drawer. Harder to fix an oversize one. Note that---typically on this type of hardware---the right side is "captured" in the hardware rail, while the left side "floats"--so the travel of the drawer is determined by the right side rail. A drawer that is 1/6" undersize will usually operate fine.

[johnny means]

What is 1/16 off?

[John TenEyck]

Blum undermount slides with 4 way adjustment (up/down, L/R, in/out, and tilt) will change your life, especially with inset drawers.

John