Popular Woodworking 2006-06 № 155, страница 48

allowing the full drawer box to open past the front of the cabinet. Slides break down even further by weight limit and design. There are truly too many types of slides to discuss all of them here, so we'll hit the most common styles and discuss some mounting tips. ■ Side-mount Slides Side-mount drawer slides constitute what could be called traditional metal drawer slides. They've been around for a very long time and have generally provided good service.

Usually attached near the bottom of the drawer side, these slides are available in three-quarter or full extension.

Three-quarter-extension slides are most commonly available in 75- to 100-pound capacity and are used for lighter-duty applications such as small desk drawers and clothing drawers.

Full-extension slides are available in a wider selection of weight capacities, ranging from 100 to 500 pounds per pair. These heavier-duty full extension slides are often used for filing cabinet drawers, silverware drawers, media storage and computer components.

In choosing the correct slide drawer for your application, the weight load and required extension should be your first two factors to consider.

A side-mount slide (full extension) is shown at the left. At right is what is referred to as an under-mount slide. The misnomer on the under-mount slide is that it fastens to both the side and bottom of the drawer (providing excellent support). Both slides mount with the front edge of the slide flush to the drawer box. On the side-mount slide, the height can be adjusted using slotted holes in both the drawer slide and cabinet member. For the under mount, height adjustment is only available on the cabinet member. Notice that the under-mount slide has a "DR" embossed on the member. That stands for Drawer Right and can be a very helpful reminder during installation.

Shown above are under-mount and side-mount drawer slides. The top two are technically under-mount slides, attaching below the drawer side, though they wrap around the side and bottom. Both are three-quarter extension, with the top rated for 75 pounds and the second rated at 100 pounds. The lower two slides are side-mount, full-extension slides that are self closing, meaning the last couple of inches of travel when closing is automatic. They are also rated at 100-pounds capacity. Although from two different manufacturers, they differ only slightly in design.

The next factor is the length required. Drawer slides are sized in 2" increments starting at around 12" long and usually topping out at 22" long. If your drawer depth is 15" and you are using a three-quarter-extension slide, you would most commonly use a 14"-long drawer slide. If, however, your case has enough depth to allow a 16"-long drawer slide, you can allow the slide to extend beyond the rear of the drawer box and gain a little extra extension on the drawer.

When using full-extension slides you should try to use the longest possible drawer slide to match the drawer. Otherwise you will be defeating the purpose of the full-extension slide.

Side-mount slides most commonly require ¹/2" of clearance on either side of the drawer to accommodate the slide members. There are some models that require less space, but these are special application slides. Top-to-bottom spacing allowances will be determined by the type of slide used. Most side-mount slides allow the drawer to slide straight in and out of the cabinet, allowing nearly full-height drawer sides and maximized storage space.

Because side-mount slides can be mounted anywhere on the side of the cabinet and drawer box, both the drawer member and the cabinet member offer elongated slots to adjust for height and depth. This offers a fair amount of forgiveness when attaching the drawer slide members. But don't confuse this extra adjustment with a license to be haphazard. Aligning the slides accurately will make the process much more convenient and keep you from becoming frustrated.

Using spacing templates when installing slides will help you evenly space the slides from top to bottom. More important, spacers will help you make sure that the left and right drawer slides are evenly spaced in the cabinet so you don't end up with a "leaning" drawer.

After the drawers are properly fit and adjusted in the drawer space, go back and install the permanent screws in both the cabinet and drawer members. As the drawers are used over time, the slides can shift on the screws in the slotted holes, changing the fit of the drawer.

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