drawer guides

[alex grams]

I am building a desk for my wife and am coming up on drawer guide selection. I would like a low profile guide where you optimally show only the drawer when it is extended. The cabinet for the desk is 27" deep, so I really don't need full extension guides (but it would be nice). However, the only bottom mounts i can find seem to run about 30$ for a set, which i really don't want to spend 200$ on guides.

I've always been used to the accuride side mounts and the simple tandem mounts.

Any suggestions on which works well or what you prefer would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Travis Gauger]

So I just finished up a desk for a recent commission I'm working on and have been using the blum no-profile guides through rockler. I did all the drawers with dovetails and wanted to show them off a little, so these were the choice. The desk portion that accepted the slides didn't have a face frame so the no profile allowed me to run very tight side clearance with no visible slide when the drawer extended. Really neat looking when the drawer is just floating there. They are about $25 a set and only 3/4 extension, but boy they really made the piece. The gentleman that got the desk was more impressed with the slides than the dovetails.:eek:.

[Chris Friesen]

Lee Valley has Blum Solo slides for $17/set, and no-name ones for $8/set. They're only 21" slides though, and only 3/4 extension.

[Charlie Plesums]

Those full extension under mount slides (with soft close) are VERY nice. I suggest you consider them, despite the obscene cost.

[Greg Cole]

Alex,
I'm a fan of shop built wood slides-runners.
Were I buying some, I'd definately look at the undermount soft close ones too... IIRC FWW has a review on them in the recent mag. Least I think it was FWW, I read lotsa mag's and which macgazine has what article is lost between the ears somewhere.
How's the desk coming along? Any progress pics?
I would up shelving the desk, for now. Exectuve orders for a bed came down from above, literally since I work in a garage shop.:D
And my bro-in-law moved to town a couple weeks ago and I am somehow now making a bed for him & his GF too.:confused: And it's a KING SIZE.
Building 2 beds at the same time in a 2 car garage full of tools, silly me.:rolleyes:

Greg

[alex grams]

Greg,
I just got most of the panels finished and am now framing things up. I managed to get the first side cabinet framed last night, and should hopefully have the second done tonight. I've been taking sporatic pictures to document the project, and it is coming along well (and faster than I thought, but I suspect making drawers will take a good amount of time)

I am going to take some scrap pieces tonight and start trying different finish coats. I have the pieces finished with a natural stain, now going to decide what top coat i want to use for it. I like the semi-glossy look on it, but want to leave the natural wood look and not have too smooth of a finish that looks plastic.

Learn something new every project!

[Joe Chritz]

Good undermount slides are expensive, no way to really get around that if you want a mechanical slide.

I really prefer a side mount ball bearing full extension whenever possible for a number of reasons but for a desk just having it run on waxed maple is a good choice. I doubt desk drawers, except pencil or keyboard drawers would get the use that say a kitchen or dresser would. Even so wooden runner have been used for eons and still function great. Plus I still think they just look right on a piece of fine furniture.

If you haven't tried waterlox original it may be just the ticket for the finish you describe. It will also allow you to use say 2 coats on the vertical surfaces and add a few for the top.

Joe

[alex grams]

Thanks for the advice Joe, waterlox is something people on here have been heaping praise upon, but i just haven't bitten the bullet to try it. I like the natural stain look of the walnut, and would like an open pore style finish that gives a good protection.

Time to go hit up Woodcraft sometime after work.

[Greg Cole]

Hi Alex,
Sounds like you're cruising along. Interested to see pics etc when ya put'em up.
FWIW, I've really gotten to sample boards etc. I like seeing what the various shades of dye, shellacs/sealers/glazes/top coats look like on the same board so as you can't blame subtle nuances in shades etc on being from a different board etc. I try to get a 3' or so piece & prep it per your schedule for the piece and try a few different finishing schedules side by side by side. The sample boards make a nice early morning job for me while the wife n boy are still snoozing on weekends.
Assume you are referring to analine dye as "stain". BLO makes a good intital step on walnut too IMO. Especially if the walnut has any of the "rainbow" of colors not just browns.... if the walnut has been steamed or kiln dried it tends to lose some of the "rainbow".
Anywho, I'm hijacking-rambling again. Might be worth posting in the finishing forum for the guru's to chime in on too. Steve & Howard are the shiznit, give an idea of what you want and they can really help work on the schedule etc.

Greg