Drawer slides

[Craig D Peltier]

Hello fellow creekers,
Im going to attempt to build a dresser , 4 draws on top and 4 doors below with sliding shelves.
Im thinking outside carcass mahogany ply and face frame mahogany and top something thick an exotic.Sliding shelves ply and doors solid.
My question is , I havent installed drawer slides in many years. Whats the easiest to learn system and smooths smoothly? I dont care either cause I dont know better or it doesnt seem to make a whole lot of difference if there under or on the side.I guess on the sliding shelves they will be under.
Another question is the ply sides the way to go or should I use solid mahogany.Im keeping this piece.Heres my schematic.

61007

[Ellen Benkin]

The most important aspect of drawer slides is to keep them level and make the left and right parallel to each other. I simply use spacers cut from left over scrap. I'd use a spacer from the bottom of the opening to the lower slide and then a spacer from the lower slide to the top one.

If your face frame overlaps the opening you will have to make spacers so that the slide don't run into the face frame. I think this actually makes the procedure a little easier because you can pre-drill holes for the slides while the spacers are on your workbench and you're spending less time crawling into the cabinet.

I'd go with plywood for the sides because it more stable and is less likely to move than solid wood.

Good luck.

[Jim Becker]

Craig, Ellens' advise is excellent relative to using drawer slides. I do need to put in a plug for actually not using them on furniture. I think they are great for kitchen and bath cabinetry, but not really necessary for furniture, although they may be a good idea on kid's stuff for ease of use. The carcass design construction can provide everything necessary for smoothly operating drawers with out slides. Obviously, this is a personal choice, but I wanted to provide an alternative idea to you.

[Craig D Peltier]

So just sliding wood over wood right?


Craig, Ellens' advise is excellent relative to using drawer slides. I do need to put in a plug for actually not using them on furniture. I think they are great for kitchen and bath cabinetry, but not really necessary for furniture, although they may be a good idea on kid's stuff for ease of use. The carcass design construction can provide everything necessary for smoothly operating drawers with out slides. Obviously, this is a personal choice, but I wanted to provide an alternative idea to you.

[Jim Becker]

So just sliding wood over wood right?
In a sense, but it's really sliding wood over waxed wood. This method is timeless and typical of furniture outside of some commercially produced mass market products. Metal slides are a better idea for situations where there is a LOT of use...the kitchen and bath being easy to picture in that regard. Most dressers, nightstands, armoires, sideboards, etc., don't have constant drawer opening/closing. And by eliminating the metal slides, you can often gain slightly more space in the drawers since you build them to fit the total opening. Do note that the carcass design needs to accommodate them with structure..."dust frames" and the like...so that the drawers have something to ride on. Additionally, it's common/necessary to build things to avoid the drawer tipping. Take a look at my "Project: Cherry Vanity" thread as there are some pictures that illustrate one way to deal with tipping and limiting extension.

[Dan Forman]

Check out this thread for more on drawers without metal slides. http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=42799

Dan

[Craig D Peltier]

Thanks I had that one bookmarked.I will try it.I think today I have chose to use phllipine mahogany no ply due to mahogany ply is a different color and I dont know how to veneer. The top will most likely be leopard wood. Both colors flow nicely.


Check out this thread for more on drawers without metal slides. http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=42799

Dan