Wooden drawer slides versus metal drawer slides

[wallace chapman]

Wanted some opinions of the use of wooden drawer slides in furniture today versus metal slides.


Does anyone here still use wooden slides in their designs or has everyone converted to metal?



Wallace

[Byron Trantham]

I have tried to "deliver" wood slides but I have not run across anyone who wants them. My customers want "smooth and easy". One thing about metal slides, their predictable and relatively easy to install.;)

[Jay Knepper]

I use metal slides in shop cabinets, and would use them on kitchen cabinets if I were to make any. The furniture is all wood.

Metal slides make more sense for very high use/heavy duty drawers.

[Jamie Buxton]

I occasionally use wood slides. When I do, it is in pieces with traditional style. I generally put them in spots where the drawer is long and narrow, and where I think the drawer might not be used a lot. For instance, I recently used wood slides in a pair of Arts&Crafts-style bedside tables. However, most of the time I use metal full-extension slides.

[Charlie Plesums]

I second (or third or ...) the comments about "it depends."

A well made wooden drawer slide is oh so smooth, and gives a real feel of luxury. Ideal for bedroom sets, coffee tables, etc.

Cheap metal slides ... well, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything, and we are supposed to avoid foul language here.

I use good metal slides where

Full extension is required
The load is heavy, such as office files or some kitchen drawers
Use multiple times per hour rather than a couple times per day - such as office and kitchen, not bedroomRemember that the metal slides take an inch or more out of the width capacity of the drawer, or a half inch or more out of the height capacity.

[Alan Mikkelsen]

On furniture, I've always used wooden drawer slides. I'm building a built in breakfast nook in a new A&C style house. The benches will have a 4' drawer in them, accessed from the end of the bench, for storage. I bought two pairs of 4' metal slides from Lee Valley for this project.

[wallace chapman]

It seems that the metal slides take away from the overall look of a very nice piece of furniture.

All wood construction just looks more authentic, especially with great joinery throughout the design.

Wallace

[George Matthews]

Wood slides, hard maple sliding on hard maple (edging), is a lot of work. You also have to consider the drawer drop (tilt) as it's pulled. This leads to top edge runners and stops. I have always waxed wood slides. Soft wood slides will wear down and stick.

Metal slides are much easier to install ( with a jig ), but be aware that cheap metal slides are just that. I'm about to use a set of Lee Valley slides that have the additional feature of self closing, something that you couldn't do with wooden slides.

http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=2&p=50508&cat=3,43614,43616&ap=1

[Tim Sproul]

I prefer runners and kickers versus slides - metal or wooden.

[Bobby Nicks]

I used wooden slides in all the furniture I make, unless the person I'm making it for insists on metal slides.

Wooden slides are for fine furniture, metal slides are for kitchen cabinets and file cabinets.

Bob

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I've made dovetailed guides on a couple pieces, but I'm just not comfortable with the future continued 'smooth' operation. For me, they'd be fine...for sale, I feel better with a quality metal slide/guide.

KC

[Mark Singer]

For heavy use the Blumotion or other quality slides are great. For fine furniture wood slides....NK drawers the feeling is unsurpassed and really says "Hand made" You can hear it as you open the drawer...."hand" and as you close it...."made":rolleyes:

[Dan Forman]

For fine furniture wood slides....NK drawers the feeling is unsurpassed and really says "Hand made":

Er....what is NK?

Dan

[Mark Singer]

Er....what is NK?

Dan

Nordiska Kompaniet....NK....a Swedish Company that designed drawers to glide on integral "skis" . Very smooth and taught at college of the redwoods I believe. Seth Janofsky had an article on making them in FWW...Smooth

[skip gleichman]

I use wooden drawer slides on all furniture. Often using runners on the drawer sides and sometimes in the center as well. When finished with oil and waxed they slide almost by themselves. It took some trial and error but I have a system that works for me in getting the fit just right.

[Jim Becker]

I only use metal slides in "cabinetry work", never on "furniture"...at least to-date.

[Lee Schierer]

On most items I have made, I used metal slides. I find that good slides make drawers work well and also make customers happy. Wood slides will wear in time and get loose or sticky. Metal slides don't change with age for a very long time. If a drawer is going to se much use (1-2 times per day) then it gets metal slides. If it sees only occasional use (1-2 times per week) then wood runners are probably okay. Think of how many times it will be used in say 10 years. (1-2 per day = 3600-7200 times in 10 years; 1-2 per week is only 500-1100 in the same period of time)

With regard to "traditional" furniture making. The way I look at it if the Shakers had been able to get metal slides, they would have used them. You don't see metal slides in furniture from 50 years ago because metal slides didn't exist where the common woodworker could get them or afford them. I see more and more Amish built furniture with metal slides. You don't see many antique pieces with wooden hinges, beacause metal hinges became easy to get at a reasonable price way before metal drawer slides hit the markets.

Just my take on the situation, to each his own!

[Tim Sproul]

The way I look at it if the Shakers had been able to get metal slides, they would have used them. You don't see metal slides in furniture from 50 years ago because metal slides didn't exist where the common woodworker could get them or afford them. I see more and more Amish built furniture with metal slides. You don't see many antique pieces with wooden hinges, beacause metal hinges became easy to get at a reasonable price way before metal drawer slides hit the markets.


I agree....but will say this in favor of traditional runner/kicker/webframe construction with no slides. I can get that 'piston fit' quality in a drawer. The feeling where the last couple inches of closure requires a bit extra push and you get tha slight 'pffffft' sound and also a similar experience when opening.

That is an aspect I've not experienced when using metal slide drawers.

[skip gleichman]

I think wood runners endure. I have a few antique dressers with big heavy drawers that are opened daily. They are 80-100 years old and open and close smoothly. I could probobly stand in one and it would hold up.

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I agree....but will say this in favor of traditional runner/kicker/webframe construction with no slides. I can get that 'piston fit' quality in a drawer. The feeling where the last couple inches of closure requires a bit extra push and you get tha slight 'pffffft' sound and also a similar experience when opening.

That is an aspect I've not experienced when using metal slide drawers.

Are you working for that 'piston fit' in the uncontrolled environement of a shop?

[Tim Sproul]

Kirk,

Here in the SF bay area.....I run A/C or heat for only 2 months out of 12.

At any rate....there is little/no expansion/contraction in the webframe or in the drawers.

[Jim Benante]

I use wooden drawer slides on all furniture. Often using runners on the drawer sides and sometimes in the center as well. When finished with oil and waxed they slide almost by themselves. It took some trial and error but I have a system that works for me in getting the fit just right.

Skip,

Can you elaborate on your system? I am making my first piece with drawers and am not sure if I should go with metal or wood slides.

Jim

[Brian Jarnell]

Like most here to see the kitchen style hinges on fine furniture is a abomination.
However this type of runner would be ok with me,apart from the price.

http://eagleamerica.com/product.asp?pn=470-2009&eid=FROOGLE&SID=FR470-2009&bhcd2=1129411697

[skip gleichman]

Jim,

Can you tell me more about what it is you are making? The easiest place to start is a table with a single drawer but using wooden runners and slides applies to any casework as well. we can likely help if you tell us more about your project.

[tony roth]

Skip -- I'm in the process of designing a chest of drawers and i was planning on using runners under the drawer sides, and the sides of the cabinet (solid) as the guides, and leave it at that (ie, no slides). sounds like you use both runners and wooden slides in the same piece. when doing this, do the runners support the weight of the drawers with the slides serving simply as guides, or do the slides also support the weight of the drawers? and do you use slides and runners bc this results in smoother operation than either would alone? do these questions make sense? i am a novice, so it's quite possible that they don't.... thanks, tony

[Michael Perata]

Kirk,

Here in the SF bay area.....

Sorry Tim. You don't live in the Bay Area any more. You bailed and went and moved over the the hill to live in a place where it is a 2 hour drive to work. :D

[skip gleichman]

I will try to answer some questions and hope I can explain what i do with any clarity at all.. For an end table (leg and apron design), I will just use runners on each side (machined to also guide the drawer), but have used one in the center for a guide on heavier drawers as well. The side runners support most of the weight and the center is usually used as a guide to make the drawer slide straight. All three can support the weight but that compounds the work required to make everything fit just right. (the Stikley dresser uses three locations of support)

The center runners are easy, just make sure the bottom panel of your drawer is located high enough to accept the two pieces of wood that you will glue to the bottom panel. Or better yet, use one block of wood and put a dado in it to accept the runner. (see pic)

I also have used a simple system that I saw David Marks use on woodworks where he had support at the top and bottom of each drawer end which also works very well though you can't make the fit too tight or contraction will cause binding.

When I first started using runners, the hard part was getting things to line up correctly. And often not realizing I had the right fit because of the drawer feeling "sticky". I usually use maple on maple and even when it is sanded smooth it will sometimes not feel right until there is some linseed oil applied.

If you can access each drawer from the above, you can make the runners and thier support first, place them inside, slide the drawer into them, shim the drawer then measure and mark the location of the runners from the top (think of an "L" shape ... see pic). With some drawers in casework, I pre-build the runners (think of a "T" shape on it's side) and then machine them to rest on the rails in the front and back until a perfect fit is established. This works in projects that have a leg and side panel or apron design and offers added room to fit runners in place.

If there is only a solid case panel on the side of a drawer, the rail has to be mounted directly on the side panel (or fit in a dado.. see photo). You then mark the location of a runner on the drawer from within while fitting the drawer in place.

I wish I could draw or explain this better. I can say that I initially learned a lot by going to look at the highest quality furniture (Stickley, Baker, Thomas Moser) and inspecting the joinery and the interior components.

[Jim Benante]

Jim,

Can you tell me more about what it is you are making? The easiest place to start is a table with a single drawer but using wooden runners and slides applies to any casework as well. we can likely help if you tell us more about your project.
Skip,

I am starting a changing table/dresser for my son. I am 3 months behind schedule, but I did manage to build the crib before he was born. Here is a photo of what I want my piece to resemble.

[Dennis Lopeman]

Nordiska Kompaniet....NK....a Swedish Company that designed drawers to glide on integral "skis" . Very smooth and taught at college of the redwoods I believe. Seth Janofsky had an article on making them in FWW...Smooth

Mark - I've started a little research and am coming up a little short here. can you please elaborate on this drawer slide method?

Specifically the 'integral "skis"' part. Do you have any [free] plans or pictures depicting this?

TIA
-dennis

[Dennis Lopeman]

Mark - I've started a little research and am coming up a little short here. can you please elaborate on this drawer slide method?

Specifically the 'integral "skis"' part. Do you have any [free] plans or pictures depicting this?

TIA
-dennis


I found some info, now. So no worries - I think I have enough to do on!