Drawer Slide Tolerance Issues

[Jim VanBramer]

I'm totally new to this drawer slide thing, and need some of your infinite wisdom to help me understand some things. I'm looking at using an Accuride 3832 (or equivalent) ball-bearing 100# slider, but the tolerances seem to be very tight. I can't guarantee that my casework is all that accurate, so can someone help me understand how these get mounted so that they actually function without binding?:confused: Thanks in advance.

Jim

[David Abel]

I'm totally new to this drawer slide thing, and need some of your infinite wisdom to help me understand some things. I'm looking at using an Accuride 3832 (or equivalent) ball-bearing 100# slider, but the tolerances seem to be very tight. I can't guarantee that my casework is all that accurate, so can someone help me understand how these get mounted so that they actually function without binding?:confused: Thanks in advance.

Jim

I use KV slides which have a tolerance of 1/16". You make the carcase first and then make the drawer VERY carefully to the correct size. for the KV's, it's carcase width minus 1 to 1-1/16. Not much room for error. A couple times I cut all the pieces dead on accurately, but when I assembled the drawer the tight dovetails didn't go together completely and the drawer (prefinished Baltic birch ply) had to be sanded down a bit. Not a good thing with a veneered ply!

the rear end of the slide has some width adjustablity towards the narrower dimension because the attachment screw goes through a small tab that allows the slide to move towards the center of the opening, if necessary.

[Steve Clardy]

Slide thickness are 1/2 on both sides.
Like Dave, I build the drawer 1 1/16" less than the opening.

[Matt Meiser]

I'm totally new to this drawer slide thing, and need some of your infinite wisdom to help me understand some things. I'm looking at using an Accuride 3832 (or equivalent) ball-bearing 100# slider, but the tolerances seem to be very tight. I can't guarantee that my casework is all that accurate, so can someone help me understand how these get mounted so that they actually function without binding?:confused: Thanks in advance.

Jim

If you accidentally make the drawers slightly undersize, you can shim the slides with pieces of veneer.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Not that I've ever done it mind you:) , but I've seen "people" place small washers between the slide and the side of the drawer. With a little longer screw, you can even put two washers in there if you need to.

[Jim VanBramer]

Okay, so I'm starting to understand how this whole thing works now. Here's another question for you ... on the Accuride spec sheet it gives the side space as .50" +0.062/-0.0 What exactly does that mean to me? Does it mean that if there is any error on my part building the drawers the error should be that they're just a hair too small rather than too big?

[Steve Jenkins]

Okay, so I'm starting to understand how this whole thing works now. Here's another question for you ... on the Accuride spec sheet it gives the side space as .50" +0.062/-0.0 What exactly does that mean to me? Does it mean that if there is any error on my part building the drawers the error should be that they're just a hair too small rather than too big?
yup.
If they are a shade too big the drawer will be hard to open and close. if you make it a bit too small and you can either shim the slides or use the mounting holes that are on tabs. bend the tabs out a bit before mounting the slide into the cabinet then when you insert the drawer it will flatten the tabs to the point they need to be for a good snug fit.

[Ken Garlock]

Jim, also make sure the surfaces that you mount the slides on are ABOLUTELY parallel, both cabinet and drawer; otherwise you can have ball bearings spewing out all over the floor. DAMHIKT:mad:

[Mark Singer]

As stated it calls for 1/2" per side....now I always build the drawer 1/16" smaller and it will glide better since the binding effect is gone and there is a bit of spring in the glides...I don't know why that don't state it in the instructions?

[David Abel]

Okay, so I'm starting to understand how this whole thing works now. Here's another question for you ... on the Accuride spec sheet it gives the side space as .50" +0.062/-0.0 What exactly does that mean to me? Does it mean that if there is any error on my part building the drawers the error should be that they're just a hair too small rather than too big?

It means what I said before. you have 1/2" of clearance on either side, but you CAN have up to 17/32 on either side (1-1/16 TOTAL difference between drawer width and opening). Two 1/32"'s equals ONE sixteenth, which is all the leeway you have. Better to make the drawers EVER so slightly too narrow and then shim.

[fred woltersdorf]

i just installed 13 rollout drawers in base cabinets.i was looking at the accuride 3832 slides also,but i remembered i had dealt with Custom Service Hardware before.the accuride slides in 22" length were $11 a piece.at CSH they were $7.50,and i couldn't tell the difference.fast shipping,no affiliation just a satisfied customer yada yada yada.http://www.cshardware.com/index.html.Also look at the QuickTray Rollout System at www.tenntex.com.It gives you a 1/4" + tolerance in drawer width but you lose 2" in total drawer width.

[John Lucas]

Jim,
If the slide instructions didnt scare you, I bet we have. Let me add some common sense stuff to the rest. Yes, you build the case first. When you measure the width of the opening, measure exactly or don't measure at all. The width of most adjustable square rules is 1" exactly. CHeck yours to be sure. Place that in the opening (represents the slides) and have two sticks that you can adjust to the remainder width. That is the width of your drawer that you can now make. When you cut the front and backs for the drawer, use these same sticks (story pole) to guide your cut off saw.
Now make your drawer. without measurements and without error. If you are dovetailing the corners, that wont upset this method at all. If anything it will improve it since most dovetails are made slightly proud and sanded to smooth...but that reduces the drawer box width by 1/32 or so...within the tolerance of the slide specs. Someone mentioned veneer that can be added under the slide to make up for a little looseness. Try using iron-on veneer edging.

[Frank Chaffee]

Jim,
When a spacing tolerance is .50” +0.06/-0.0[0], then in production the machining is set at the midpoint of that range, or +0.03”. That is why Mark Singer builds 1/16” under the nominal dimension.

As stated it calls for 1/2" per side....now I always build the drawer 1/16" smaller
And David Abel says essentially the same thing here…

It means what I said before. you have 1/2" of clearance on either side, but you CAN have up to 17/32 on either side (1-1/16 TOTAL difference between drawer width and opening). Two 1/32"'s equals ONE sixteenth, which is all the leeway you have. Better to make the drawers EVER so slightly too narrow and then shim.
So if you shoot for the middle of the range of tolerance, and keep your own production within +/- ½ of that range, you will be OK. Who wants to reach in there and shim, after the fact? DAMHIKT
And as Ken Garlock says, keep your drawer and cabinet sides parallel, ‘cuz that enters into your tolerance equation too.
Frank

[Dave Falkenstein]

i just installed 13 rollout drawers in base cabinets.i was looking at the accuride 3832 slides also,but i remembered i had dealt with Custom Service Hardware before.the accuride slides in 22" length were $11 a piece.at CSH they were $7.50,and i couldn't tell the difference.fast shipping,no affiliation just a satisfied customer yada yada yada.http://www.cshardware.com/index.html.Also look at the QuickTray Rollout System at www.tenntex.com.It gives you a 1/4" + tolerance in drawer width but you lose 2" in total drawer width.

Another good source for slides is Gliderite:

http://www.gliderite.com/

Gliderite sells 3/4 and full extension slides by the box, 15 pair to a box, and the price is $3 to $4 a pair, plus shipping. I have used them and find the quality to be just as good as any of the other slides.

[Brian Hale]

I'm a bit different (Who'd of thought that :rolleyes: ) I build my drawers first, set the drawer and 2 slides on the tablesaw with a couple sheets of paper between the fence and the slides and use that to set the fence-to-blade distance. Rip a sheet of plywood to that size and use it as a "Story Stick of sorts to build the cabinet.

More than once i've screwed up and needed an extra bit of space in the cabinet and wound up re-doing the drawers and this method seems to have solved that problem for me. Of course something else usually comes along bits me where the sun don't shine... :o

Brian :)

[Jim VanBramer]

Thanks for all the great advice guys ... much appreciated! It's looking like I should have asked this question 'BEFORE':eek: I built the drawer casework! It's close, but I don't know if it's close enough. Working in the aircraft business I know how many pounds of shims go into making everything 'just right' ... I might just have to borrow that concept here, by the sounds of it! Thanks again for all your help.

Jim