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  1. #1
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    Feb 2021
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    Default over-extension drawer slides

    Hello all,
    I'm hoping someone can help me source some light duty, ball bearing, 400mm side mount slides that extend more than 100%. I have inset drawer fronts and need for the drawers to go at least another 18mm beyond the drawer length to be able to access the rear of the drawer contents easily.
    I know accuride makes them, but these can be hard to find in Oz. Anyone have a suggestion? \
    Thanks!

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  3. #2
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    Aug 2008
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    Melbourne
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  4. #3
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    Helensburgh
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    Default

    Drawer Slides | Elraco Distributors.

    Good service and good prices.
    CHRIS

  5. #4
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Parks View Post
    Drawer Slides | Elraco Distributors.

    Good service and good prices.
    Have I missed something, Chris. Elraco seems to have full extension drawer slides but the OP is specifically seeking over-extension slides?

    The accuride slides referenced by Elan over-extend by one inch, and the Rollon runners on the same website extend to 150% and even 200%. They are made by Timken, presumably the company that makes those superb bearings.

    But they do look like $$$$$.

  6. #5
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    Feb 2021
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    Canberra
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    Default

    Thanks for the suggestions. Those Accuride slides carried by Concept Latch are intended for steel rack style usage, attaching via bolts at the front and rear. I've put the question to Accuride tech support about whether they can suitably work in a timber cabinet.
    Elraco doesn't carry over extension slides. Hafele has some undermount style concealed runners that are over-travel, but I designed the cabinet for side-mount slides and the undermount type would mean changing all the dimensions and they cost about five to six times more per pair. I was hoping not to up the budget with pricey hardware as there are eight drawers in this design.

    I think a compromise might be to router out the fronts where the slides are so they are only 6mm thick at that point, and then use regular full-extension slides. Then I'm only losing 6mm of access toward the back of the drawer. It's not ideal, but it avoids having to use expensive or esoteric hardware, and only minor alterations to the original plan.

    If anyone has more ideas of a work around I'd love to hear them.

  7. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr Harris View Post
    Thanks for the suggestions. ....
    If anyone has more ideas of a work around I'd love to hear them.
    Have you actually built the cabinet and drawer carcases yet?

    If YES, could you post a photo?

    If NO, could you post a drawing?

  8. #7
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    Feb 2021
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    Canberra
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    Default

    Here's a few CAD rendered images. I've already cut and dryfit the carcase, but until the drawer runner issue is resolved I'm reluctant to start milling drawer parts.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  9. #8
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    Like the minimalist design; the proprotions look good to my eye.

    Suggestion 1: Metal draw side rnners are highly visible and I think would detract from your design. Underdrawer runners such as Blum are far less visible, But are only 100% extension.

    Suggestion 2: You seem to have a high priority on access to the entire 400mm of the drawers. If you made the carcase 450mm deep and used 450mm runners then your 400mm drawers would have an over-extension of 50mm.

    Suggestion 3: Make you own wooden over-extension runners like this. You do not have to use contrasting timbers.

    Drawer Slides.jpg

  10. #9
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    Feb 2021
    Location
    Canberra
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    Thanks very much for your input Graeme. Suggestion 2 reminded me that I can simply shorten the drawer. I can still use the 400mm runners as that is what the carcase is dimensioned for. The drawer sides can be the same length, but if I simply move the drawer back forward the same amount as the fronts are thick, then full access to the back of the drawer volume should be possible. The only reason I'm concerned is that this is a storage cabinet for audio CDs (about 900 discs), for a client. The drawers may be packed front to back with CDs, so if the drawer doesn't open fully, the rear-most CDs will not be visible or accessible.

    I know the side-mount runners are not attractive, but they are roughly 6Xs cheaper than the undermount variety. I have used the Blum undermounts, and a few other brands as well. They are my preferred option, but cost for 8 Blum runners shipped to me would be about $550. Compare that to $80 shipped from Hafele for the side-mount variety.

    Lastly, I know there are ways to make them yourself, but this is not supposed to be a precious cabinet but more of an organisational, functional storage unit for the client. I am making the pulls myself, based on the size of a CD jewel case, with the cutout following the diameter of a compact disc. I thought this was enough of a fussy detail to labour over, and I'll let the ball bearing slides do the work inside the cabinet.

    Very much appreciate your thoughts on the matter! I'll send in a few process shots as can.

  11. #10
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    Feb 2021
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    Canberra
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    Hello all,
    well I delivered the cabinet to the client a few days ago, after many stops and starts. I said I'd post some progress pics but these are now retrospective.DSC09848.jpgDSC09823.jpg
    Attached Images Attached Images

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Location
    Canberra
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    a few pics of the drawers in process here. I cut the dovetails with a Porter Cable Omnijig, and I enjoy using that contraption every time I do, but there are some things to watch out for and it is possible to muck it up if you don't bring your attention and care to the whole process. Dovetails for all four drawer box corners, dry fit each box, then routed a 9mm groove for the bottom using a slot cutter (Amana Quadraset, which I recommend as a very useful addition to your router kit) mounted in a router table, holding each box firmly down as I freehand the groove cut with 5mm depth controlled by a bearing. Of course the grooves have to be completed by hand if you want to avoid seeing them running through the corners. After knocking the drawer sides apart, I used a rip dovetail saw and a chisel to bring each groove to a stopped corner invisible from the outside of the drawer box. The bottoms are 9mm baltic birch plywood, glued into the grooves. I guess the glued in bottom is not something everyone does, and it complicates assembly, but I feel like it strengthens the drawer and makes it a whole assembly. I'm happy how it all turned out, though the side mount runners are silky smooth but not attractive to the eye, as Graeme predicted. Also, I vastly underestimated the time required, as I had initially priced it as being a plywood project. The salvaged tassie oak and silver ash I ended up using was such nice material that I just tried my best to highlight the grain and throw in better joinery. Which proves once again, as every project seems to, that I'm hopeless when it comes to making a decent living as a furniture maker. I hope you all fare better than I do at that aspect. DSC09804.jpgDSC09799.jpgDSC09795.jpgDSC09800.jpg

  13. #12
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    Delightful conception and execution; well done! I think that the grain continuity in the drawer fronts is really classy. Ditto, the half blind dovetail to the back of the drawers.

    You have intrigued me with the joint on the carcase top. Is it a butt joint reinforced with six sliding dovetail splines? Or something else?

    Sliding Dovetail.jpg

  14. #13
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    Feb 2021
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    Canberra
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    Thanks Graeme. I like the drawer back dovetails matching the front because when you assemble the box it is somewhat self- squaring, though my assumption there proved not the case as two drawers weren't square enough. I did have to use clamps in a few cases to bring the tails home, and I think the clamping pressure applied eccentrically maybe skewed two drawers a bit.
    As for the carcase joinery, those are butted boards with dominoes interspersed to hold it all together for an initial glue up. I then routed channels for finger tenons between the dominos (just straight sided channels, not sliding dovetails), and glued in these tenons as a visible expression of what's holding the carcase together. It's kind of belt and suspenders, but I don't really like the dominoes only as it's a domino side grain glued to mortises in the top that are end grain conditions.

  15. #14
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    Thanks Dr Harris

    I often use sliding dovetails at the rear of drawers for the same reason. Glue drawer sides to fron, clam lightly, slide in drawer bottom, slide in dovetailed back - check that everything has self aligned.

    Those splines are unusual and distinctive. As you say, probably belts & braces, but ensuring more than enough side grain gluing surfaces. Nice.

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