Installing Drawer Slides

[Jerry Bittner]

Building a coffee table with four drawers. Purchased side mount drawer slides from Lee Valley and although I have installed these before, it was only with a lot of measuring -- you know making sure the slide on the drawer matches up perfectly with its mate on the frame.

Knowing all the experienced woodworkers who visit this site, I'm sure there are tricks to the installation or jigs to cut much of the tedium to a minimum.

Any help?

[Steve Clardy]

I use a couple of different versions of these.
Just need to make sure you have a correct gun for the brand of slide.

Kreg also has universal gun, which I use for ball bearing slides.

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=drawer+slide+gun&num=50&hl=en&lr=&newwindow=1&safe=off&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2006-17,GGLD:en&sa=X&oi=froogle&ct=title

[Jim O'Dell]

I'll add that the Kreg jig looked to work great at the demo I saw at last year's Woodworking Show. They may have a video of it on their website. Jim.

[John Huber]

I've installed about forty pairs of Accuride slides. Here's the method that works for me. Paint the interior of the carcass a dark color over a white primer. Mount the entire slide flush with the top of the drawer. Lay the drawer in place in the carcass. This works best if you can lay the carcass on its side so you don't have to fight gravity. With a marking knife, scratch a line along the top edge of the slide. This is where the contrast between the dark paint and the white primer pays off. Dismount the carcass halves of the slides. Mount them on the carcass aligned with the scratch lines. Mount the drawer. Depending on the desired precision, you might need to do some fine tuning. Sometimes the carcass is a little wider than the drawer; use washers to shim it to the correct alignment.

[Bob Childress]

I've had good luck with the Kreg jig installing Accuride slides. :)