Fitting a drawer to slide smoothly

[Matt Day]

I'm currently building a chest of drawers based off of some Popular Mechanics plans. These are wide drawers (about 32"), and are on simple wood runners on either side (no guide to keep them from racking).

A couple of them are sticky and bind easily when not pushed/pulled perfectly straight. What are some ways to reduce this? Should I consider installing some sort of guide to keep them from racking?

I hope you all can understand my situation. I'll take some pictures tonight if that would help.

Thanks

[Grant Wilkinson]

Hi Matt

If you have the clearance, you could put some slippery tape along the bottom and up the side of the rails. Lee Valley has it as catalogue number 25U0401. I'm sure you can find it in other places, too. I put a crease along the length of it so that half sticks to the bottom of the runner and half to the side. It's worked like a charm for me.
Grant

[glenn bradley]

Not sure how tall the drawer is but at 32" I would be concerned about eventual sag. Maybe a center guide / support would solve the immediate problem and prevent a future one? The UHMW tape is a good idea. Very slick, self lubricating and abrasion resistent.

[Matt Day]

Thanks guys. I thought about using UHMW, but at this point of the project I have the drawers fitted for height, so adding the strip would throw that off. I could cut some woof from the bottom of the drawer though to accomodate it.

I think it slides okay on the wood to wood bottom, but it's binding from the drawer racking slightly. I think the tolerances are okay, with probably 1/16" at most on either side between the drawer and the frame's side. Would putting a strip of UHMW on the SIDE of the frame help this???

It's all 3/4 Ash or Oak, so hopefully it won't sag too much.

[glenn bradley]

Yes, if you have room or try these on the sides:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=945

[Steve Clardy]

Run down to the grocery store and get a box of canning wax for jelly.
Just a few bucks.
Lube up the inside of the cabinet, bottom and lower sides where the drawer contacts it.
It comes in block forum, easy to apply, and not sticky to the touch

[Les Spencer]

I second Steve. You'll be surprised at the difference waxing will make. If you have furniture wax, give it a try. Also check your diagonals across your drawer. Then try racking by hand and see if it is indeed racking. If it is, no matter what you do, you'll always be fighting the racking until you eliminate it.:eek:

[Matt Day]

I have wax (Johnson's paste wax IIRC) I use for my tools, and was planning on using that. Will it be okay? I wasn't sure if it would help that much so I wanted to consult you guys.

I'm sorry for the confusion, but the drawers themselves don't rack. They're 3/4 Ash and White Oak, dovetailed at each joint with a 1/4" birch ply bottom. I'm pretty darn sure they're not moving. What I meant by rack is that the drawers don't slide in perfectly straight, and when they get out of alignment and one side goes in more than the other, it binds. Should I try the UHMW on the sides, or just go straight to the wax?

Thanks for the replies!

[Al Navas]

Go straight to the wax.


.

[Matt Day]

I did indeed go straight to the wax, and I serverely underestimated its powers! It's amazing how smooth they slide now, almost like I know what I'm doing! Thanks again SMC.

[Don Bullock]

I'll have to try some wax inside the antique chest of drawers that I inherited from my grandmother. Thanks.