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Thread: Adjustable height drawers

  1. #1
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    Adjustable height drawers

    I'm designing a new pantry for LOML and I want to make pull out trays. I'm looking for a way to mount the drawer slides that would allow me to change the vertical spacing of the trays to accommodate different heights of items being stored on the trays. Does anyone make drawer slides that can easily be moved in height from one location to another? Something like the 1/4" shelf pin system often used for book shelves.
    Lee Schierer
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  2. #2
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    tenn-tex makes a product like that

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    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


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  5. #5
    Long ago on this forum someone had an excellent way to build adjustable height roll-out shelves. I tried searching for it and couldn't find it. I'm sure I have a link or a copy of the thread somewhere. Its probably on the CD archive of my old hard drive. My vague recollection was that it was similar to the eld fashioned notched wooden drawer standards and somehow rather than a cross member, the drawers fit in. I'm rambling and probably not much help. I'll poke around later. Good luck.

    Edit: Okay, they're called "sawtooth" shelf supports and my vague recollection was that a fellow on here did something similar, mounted the drawer slides on the front to back bar and then was able to slide the roll out shelf wherever. Here are a couple links to show what sawtooth supports are:

    http://sawtoothshelfsystem.net/www.s...f_support.html

    http://woodmechanic.blogspot.com/200...-supports.html
    Last edited by Peter J Lee; 01-02-2012 at 4:27 PM.

  6. #6
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    Try the removable caul system normally used for adjustable shelves. Only fasten the roller to the shelf support boards. It would work great, I think.

  7. #7
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    I just went through this task a couple weeks ago. I just ended up using soft close undermount slides and cut custome blocks to hold the front of the slides and screwed them to the backside of the face frame. At the back I just used the rear adjustable L brackets. With minimal trouble they can be moved but I spent time measuring our items and made the openings progressivy larger.



    Mike



  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter J Lee View Post
    Long ago on this forum someone had an excellent way to build adjustable height roll-out shelves. I tried searching for it and couldn't find it. I'm sure I have a link or a copy of the thread somewhere. Its probably on the CD archive of my old hard drive. My vague recollection was that it was similar to the eld fashioned notched wooden drawer standards and somehow rather than a cross member, the drawers fit in. I'm rambling and probably not much help. I'll poke around later. Good luck.

    Edit: Okay, they're called "sawtooth" shelf supports and my vague recollection was that a fellow on here did something similar, mounted the drawer slides on the front to back bar and then was able to slide the roll out shelf wherever. Here are a couple links to show what sawtooth supports are:

    http://sawtoothshelfsystem.net/www.s...f_support.html

    http://woodmechanic.blogspot.com/200...-supports.html
    That could have possibly been me/I.


    Rich
    ALASKANS FOR GLOBAL WARMING

    Eagle River Alaska

  9. #9
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    If you mount the strip of wood the you need to clear the hinges vertical & drill it with a shelf pin gig then you can adjust the shelves but moving the slides up or down. When ypu mount the wood strip make sure it lines up with the holes on the slide. I use the 5mm euro screws to mount them.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Richard McComas View Post
    That could have possibly been me/I.
    I think so. Is that thread still accessible? More importantly, how has that system worked out in practice?

  11. #11
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    Great link Frank.... it seems the Tenn Tex system has this solution all worked-out, and in an eloquent manner. Their solution also solves the problem of the drawers slides moving in and out, which would occur if you used shelf pins and wood supports, unless you notched all the wood support for the shelf pins to sit in.... If you don't notch the slide wood supports, you would have to make the wood supports a tight fit, which will make them difficult to change positioning, specially with a bit of warping.

  12. #12
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    Richard's Idea was the one I was referring to- I forgot what you call it, but I've seen it used many times.

  13. #13
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    You don't use shelf pins. I used a shelf pin template with 5mm drill. Then used the 5mm euro screws to attach the slides to the vertical pieces.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter J Lee View Post
    I think so. Is that thread still accessible? More importantly, how has that system worked out in practice?
    I don't know about "that thread" but the system has worked very well.
    Last edited by Richard McComas; 01-03-2012 at 4:33 PM.
    Rich
    ALASKANS FOR GLOBAL WARMING

    Eagle River Alaska

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Will Blick View Post
    Great link Frank.... it seems the Tenn Tex system has this solution all worked-out, and in an eloquent manner. Their solution also solves the problem of the drawers slides moving in and out, which would occur if you used shelf pins and wood supports, unless you notched all the wood support for the shelf pins to sit in.... If you don't notch the slide wood supports, you would have to make the wood supports a tight fit, which will make them difficult to change positioning, specially with a bit of warping.
    When I was looking at the Tenn Tex system I found this place to be the least expensive: http://quikdrawers.com/index.php?mai...roducts_id=215

    , but, when you add it all up it becomes a little expensive. That's why I chose the approach in my previous post. I decided to spend the $ on high end slides rather than adjustable shelves that you may change once in a lifetime.

    Mike

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