49 - Cabinet Maker's Tool Chest, страница 22

49 - Cabinet Maker

Runnere

FEATURE PR Oil

The drawers in this tool chest slide on hardwood runners screwed to the sides and the vertical divider, see drawing at right. It's best to mount these runners before assembling the case — while there's room to work.

The runners (T) are thin, narrow strips of hardwood, see Fig. 8. (I made fourteen runners altogether, two for each of the seven drawers.) So I started by planing enough stock for all the runners to a thickness of (the final width of the runners). Then I ripped fourteen V41'-thick strips.

mounting holes. After cutting the runners to size, the next step is to drill a hole near each end to accept a mounting screw. One thing to note is the holes are set in a different distance from each end of the runner. This way, when it's time to mount the runners to the vertical divider, you can flip two of them end for end to prevent the screws from hitting, see details 'c' and'd' at right.

Aside from their location, the holes are identical, see End View in Fig. 8a. A counterbore creates a "pocket" for a washer and the head of a screw. And oversized shank holes make the runner adjustable.

RUNNERS

BACK

BACK

VERTICAL DIVIDER

RUNNER

INSTALL RUNNERS. Now [

you're ready to install the runners. Even though the mounting holes provide some adjustment, it's still impor- '

tant to pay attention to the 1 alignment of the runners.

The goal is to locate each pair of runners so the top edges are level. (That's because the drawers will rest on the top edge of the runners.) This will ensure an even gap above and below each drawer.

ALIGNMENT BLOCKS. To accomplish that, I dry-assembled the case and used two scrap blocks to align

RUNNER

RUNNERS

K,'_VERTICAL DIVIDER

the runners inside the case, see Fig. 9. These are just pieces of MDF with grooves that hold the runners. \

The idea here is to locate the grooves the same distance from the top of the blocks as the distance of the runners below the dividers. This will ensure that the runners are positioned accurately in the case.

To make this work, you'll need to cut each block to fit snug in either the large or small drawer opening. Also, the depth of the grooves is slightly less than the thickness of the runners which means the runners will sit just a bit "proud."

The reason for this is simple. After "loading" the runners in the grooves (flush with the back edge of the blocks), a strip of carpet tape is applied to each end, see Fig. 9a. This way, when you press the blocks against the sides (or vertical divider), the tape sticks each runner in its correct position. Note: The blocks should be flush with the front of the case.

To install the rest of the runners, you can use the same alignment blocks. But you'll need to flip thenr end-for-end to locate the runners in the opposite side (or on the other

NOTE: RIGHT SIDE IS SHOWN;

LEFT SIDE INSTALLATION -____IS MIRROR IMAGE

HORIZ. DIVIDER

%2" I.D. x 3/s" O.D. FLAT WASHER

3/i6"-dia. HOLE

#4 x !£"—■ Ph SHEET METAL SCREW

VERTICAL DIVIDER

1/2"-DIA. COUNTERBORE, Ve" DEEP

RUNNER

(%" x 11" -V'-THICK HARDWOOD)

NOTE: position

RUNNERS ON VERTICAL

DIVIDER SO MOUNTING SCREWS

ARE OFFSET, SEE DETAILS 'c' AND'd' ABOVE

22 ShopNotes No. 49