Dresser Drawers: mechanical glides or not?

[Art Mulder]

I'm thinking seriously about building a pair of tall dressers for two of my sons.

My oldest is almost 10, and the youngest is 3, so I know that any such furniture is going to get beat on. So I'm probably going to go for simple and sturdy. Probably baltic birch drawer boxes, and plywood for the sides, hardwood for the face frame + drawer fronts. Something similar to the 7-drawerchest in Thomas Moser's "Measured Drawings of American furniture"

So the question I have for all of you out there who've gone down this road before, perhaps multiple times... What do you think works better for drawers? Mechanical slides, or just let them ride on wood tracks?

Mechanical slides add to the cost, especially as I'd be inclined to get full extension 100lb slides for at least the two bottom/biggest drawers. (I know my kids, and I know that they'll stand on the drawers! ) They make the drawers easy to pull in and out for little kids, but I'm not sure how I'll feel about the look of them.

Wooden slides are cheaper, traditional, repair-able if there is ever a problem, and so on.

Actually, "hidden" bottom mount slides are also an option. I'm not sure how strong they are compared to side-mounted full-extension slides, though.

thanks for any advice you care to share.
...art

[Jim Becker]

While I don't prefer metal slides for "fine furniture", there is merit in using them for kid's furniture, IMHO. Easier to operate and adjust, etc. The "good" hidden undermounts are strong enough for your application. (Blum Solo or equivalent) and don't take away from the look. They also don't take away from the width of the drawer. They are not too bad in price if you are careful with your sourcing. I've been liking pricing at Woodworker's Hardware these days on slides and Euro hinges...

[Steve Kohn]

I have built 3 bedroom sets for my family. All have had metal drawer glides. Even when I built the master bedroom set, my wife specified drawer glides "like what is in the kitchen cabinets."

Since she is the chief financial officer of our household she gets what she wants. I got a tablesaw out of the deal.

[Dennis Peacock]

All I use for family furniture are the full extension ball bearing slides, 75 pound rating. My kids "use" their furniture and the slide just make the "feel" of the furniture seem to be of higher quality. The decision was made long ago after dealing with the "cheaper" epoxy coated slides as well as they just didn't feel good to the hand when pushing or pulling a drawer. Since that day, the LOML mandates that all my drawered furniture must have the ball bearing slides. No matter who the piece is made for. :D

[Merle Clor]

There was a really good article by Mark Edmundson in FWW #184 explaining how to make side-hung drawer slides. It is less expensive than buying metal drawer slides and IMO better looking. I believe that if properly designed, these can stand up to boys and will look good once they are no longer climbing on the lower drawers to reach the upper drawers.

Another option, good luck,
Merle

[Matt Meiser]

My wife's and my dresser is amish made (wedding gift from my parents) and has metal drawer slides. They make the drawers open and close very easily and I really like that. I did the same when I made night stands for our room. My daughter's night stand has more traditional wood slides and she has some trouble opening and closing the drawer. For her dresser, I plan to use the slides. On the buffet I built my brother I used slides at their request and they work nicely. All of these are the similar to the ones below which are inexpensive. I've gotten the ones I've used at Home Depot.

http://wwhardware.com/media/products/k/kv1805.jpg

[Dennis Peacock]

Hey Art,

If you go with full extension BB drawer slides, there are a few places where you can order them for under $7 per pair. They are exactly like the Accuride slides, but much less expensive.

[Art Mulder]

Dennis,

I'm thinking a lot about the underdrawer slides, like the blum Solo.

Next time I'm at LVT I plan to look at their display and see what I think of the solo slides (http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=1&p=55157&cat=3,43614,43616&ap=1) (somewhat expensive at CDN$16 a pair) versus some of their cheaper (http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=1&p=50509&cat=3,43614,43616&ap=2) under-mount (http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=1&p=45056&cat=3,43614,43616&ap=2) slides (half the price at CDN$4-5 ea - I'd want two per drawer)

I looked at the tandem slides on the LVT website, but reason prevailed... I'm considering making two 7-drawer dressers. Soooo, 14 drawers times CDN$27.50 each (the cheaper bulk pricing @ LVT) gives me $385 (plus tax) just on drawer slides.

Thanks for the thoughts.

[Carl Eyman]

In a china cabinet I built I used the under the drawer variety for the bottom drawer. I knew it would be used to store such things as heavy turkey platters, for instance. It was a good decision. It can't be seen yet makes the drawer very easy to use.

If I were making a seven drawer chest I'd not use this type on all drawers. The extra room you have to allow on the bottom would make the drawer proportions look out of whack.

[Charlie Plesums]

There are three conditions that make me use metal slides...

Heavy load, like a file cabinet drawer
Constant use - an office desk or kitchen drawer (as contrasted to a clothing drawer)
Need for full extensionOtherwise I like the luxurious feel of a waxed wooden slide (especially with real hardwood - not plywood - drawer sides), and the extra space in the drawer. I had a client choose wooden slides rather than metal for kid safety - pinched fingers would be less likely to be injured.

[Byron Trantham]

While I don't prefer metal slides for "fine furniture", there is merit in using them for kid's furniture, IMHO. Easier to operate and adjust, etc. The "good" hidden undermounts are strong enough for your application. (Blum Solo or equivalent) and don't take away from the look. They also don't take away from the width of the drawer. They are not too bad in price if you are careful with your sourcing. I've been liking pricing at Woodworker's Hardware these days on slides and Euro hinges...

Jim, take a look at this source:
http://www.dlawlesshardware.com/
The prices are excellent and free shipping on orders > $50. I recently bought some frame mounted euro hinges from them for 58 cents a piece! They are stamped steel but very strong. I hung solid wood raised panel doors with them and they work great. They carry everything pulls, rollers, screws, glides, you name it.

[Jim Becker]

I'll check them out Byron.

[Art Mulder]

Constant use - an office desk or kitchen drawer (as contrasted to a clothing drawer)

I think you'r missing: Ease of use, or for a person with reduced strength.

My three year old, for instance, has a very hard time opening large wood-on-wood drawers in one of the dressers we currently have.