Long Drawer Slides

[ChrisA Edwards]

I'm making a deep CNC cabinet, for my garage, that I would like to use 44" full extension drawer slides, so all access is from the front with full use of the cabinet space.

My concern is that getting the cabinet and drawer slides absolutely parallel or within tolerance, for the metal slides, that I don't get any real binding these long slides.

I'm actually thinking of making the cabinet sides mount kind of floating. I would mount the metal piece of the cabinet side drawer mount to a strip of wood an the this piece of wood would float inside a dado in the cabinet side. Does this make sense. Trying to keep my options open.

Thanks

EDIT:
DOH. Brain Fart, I guess I could just shim the ends to adjust as necessary

[Robert Engel]

Built the case square. The slides have a little slop built in.

It all starts with perfectly square and matching tops and bottoms.

[Jim Becker]

I've used longer ones for 30" deep drawers with no issue and Robert is correct that they have enough play to deal with minor deviations. You're a good builder, so I don't see any reason why the longer, beefier ones that are appropriate for your project wouldn't be equally easy to install and use.

[Bill Space]

I'm making a deep CNC cabinet, for my garage, that I would like to use 44" full extension drawer slides, so all access is from the front with full use of the cabinet space.

My concern is that getting the cabinet and drawer slides absolutely parallel or within tolerance, for the metal slides, that I don't get any real binding these long slides.

I'm actually thinking of making the cabinet sides mount kind of floating. I would mount the metal piece of the cabinet side drawer mount to a strip of wood an the this piece of wood would float inside a dado in the cabinet side. Does this make sense. Trying to keep my options open.

Thanks

EDIT:
DOH. Brain Fart, I guess I could just shim the ends to adjust as necessary

I suppose so. BUT what will you be putting in those deep, and maybe wide, drawers? Make sure you get slides that can handle the weight. CNC relationship equates to heavy items in my mind...at least when the total number is added up.

[ChrisA Edwards]

The CNC side of tools and jigs will not be that heavy.

I'm mostly utilizing the storage capacity/space beneath the CNC table. It's going to be about 78"W x 55"D x 36"H.

I've come to realize that large sliding drawers are much more efficient for storage and convenient to use than deep shelves.

I'll put a lot of my hand power tools in these drawers, handheld routers, track saw, etc..

Most of the slides, I've looked at, are rated 150-260lbs per pair.

[Bill Space]

Wow. A 6 foot wide by 4 foot deep drawer offers so much opportunity for over loading. Just from my perspective. Over the long term.

But it sounds like with limitations you should be fine.

Still...6 foot wide by 48" plus possibly? I'm impressed!

That's a huge area that begs to be overfilled in the long term...might just be me...

[ChrisA Edwards]

No, I'll actually have 2 rows of 3 drawers.

[mreza Salav]

Why not make the drawers from both sides and 24" deep, back to back?
I just installed some 40" deep drawers for under the dinette in our trailer but had no other choice to use the space under the benches. I wouldn't go deeper than 30" for stability and ease of access

[ChrisA Edwards]

Where I plan to put the cabinet will limit my access to pretty much directly from the front.

Although I will have slender access from the sides, for machine maintenance, I don't think it would work for the drawers, but I'll definitely take it into consideration once I have the main carcass built and can try it in a couple of possible locations.

[Larry Edgerton]

I have built drawers as large as 9'x4' using Accuride heavy slides. They were 500 pounders on the sides, and then one on the flat under the drawer. The one under the drawer keeps the drawer from cocking sideways. The one under requires a larger space between the bottom on the drawer bottom and the bottom of the sides, but that is good as this size drawer needs to be built extra strong. Has been in service for twenty years in a commercial setting and has not been a problem. Still open with one finger.

[Tom Bender]

Your plan is a good one, this is going to be really valuable storage space. However you might do better with more than 3 drawers high. It's surprising how much stuff only wants a drawer 3" deep.

Floating the slides is a cool idea. Make a mockup to get the design right, it would be a real pain to get it wrong on the finished cabinet.

[ChrisA Edwards]

Well the seven drawers are, tomorrow I'm off to go buy some Walnut for the fronts.