Woodworker's Journal 2001-25-2, страница 64

TECHNIQUES

-▼—

Just a tew common tools are all that's required to install most drawer slides. Shown here i$ the base unit of Rick White s China Cabinet, featured on page 42 of this issue.

Heavy-duty Drawer Slides

Bv Rob Johnstone

that use metric measurements.) Ill is allows 1/2" on either side of the drawer, which is exactly the right clearance for the slide to operate property. More than 1/2" means the slide operation will be sloppy it may even dentil. With less than 1/2", the slide will quickly bind.

Most slides are screwed in place along the bottom edge of die drawer side. To locate the matching receivers inside the cabinet, use a paper template (usually included with the slides), or an aftermarket plastic template (available for most brands of slide), as shown in the photo sequence at right. In either case, follow the individual manufacturer's instructions.

Slide Ratings

Slides that run on ball bearings will always outlast and outperform slides that rely on friction between two metal surfaces.

Light-duty slides handle loads up to 7S pounds, while a medium-duty rating extends the limit to 120 pounds. Anything over 120 pounds gets a heavy-duty rating.

Light-duty slides are usually limited to 3/4 extension (meaning they extend 3/4 of their length). Your favorite kitchen utensils always seem to find their way to the backs of these drawers, out of reach.

There are drawer slides for every application. From tiny pencil drawer slides to computer keyboard slides, on up to massive 60'" long slides developed to support over 500 pounds of tools!

Must of the furniture we build w ill still be in daily service when our grandchildren retire. Viewed in that light, the cost of upgrading from standard to heavy-duty drawer slides isn't such a big deal. But the benefits sure are. A slide rated for 300 to 500 pounds will operate beautifully for a drawer full of heavy books or documents, but it also will endure many more decades of use than a slide rated for light use (say, 50 pounds).

Installing them is a snap. Begin by building your drawers so they're exactly 1" narrower than the opening. (Check the specifications that came with your drawers: there are a few versions