Drawer slides

[Bruce King]

I’m back after 10 years of working too hard. I managed to find time to build some headboards, bath cabinet on a house we sold and remodeling type work. I just finished an end table and used ball bearing slides. When they get near closing they snap in place like most slides. If the end table is not loaded down with items it could tilt forward when you grab the knob. Luckily I was able to position the slide to prevent this detent. What do you guys do about this? Remove the detent parts? Order a different slide? If so which one? Thanks

[Jamie Buxton]

The slides you used are sidemounts? That is, they want a 1/2"-17/32" gap between the drawer side and the casework? If so, you can reach inside and remove a little black bumper near the rear of the slide, on the case member. You don't have to destroy it, you can just remove it. Try that, and see if you like the result. Usually the problem is that the drawer can then just slide out spontaneously. But try it and see if you like it.

You might a slightly different style of slide called a soft-close sidemount. They have a hold-in detent which works in a different way, and might not annoy you. They want the same side gap, so you should be able to install them by just drilling some new mounting holes.

[Bruce King]

Yes, side mounts. I forgot, what I did was put a stop behind the drawer that allowed it to start into the detent about 1/16.
It feels like a soft brake that is easy to open. The detent mechanism on these is at the front. Got them at HD.
Since the alignment trick worked I didn’t try anything else.