# Homemade Drawer Slides, Heavy Duty and Light



## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

This seemed like the best place to put this. Seems the cost of drawer slides is way up. I don't know, I don't use any. Anyway, seems to me I recall a site where there were instructions for making your own. I said I'd search, but not found the one I was thinking about. However, there is always a 'however', I have been finding a lot of information on making your own. So, passing it along. I'll be adding to this post, not making new posts, for a bit, so check back on it, until I say I'm done adding to it, and I'll be doing new posts then. Some interesting stuff.
Any ideas for low cost heavy drawer slides? 
Wooden drawer slides 
Behold...my home-made Engel fridge slide! - Expedition Portal!
More:
http://www.finehomebuilding.com/ite...-drawer-and-get-easy-access-to-all-your-tools 
And more:
http://vimeo.com/6462794 (interesting)
http://www.finewoodworking.com/how-to/article/all-wood-extension-drawer-slides.aspx (might be good, but have to be a member) 
http://www.finehomebuilding.com/ite...-drawer-and-get-easy-access-to-all-your-tools http://www.4wdaction.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=177&t=121689
http://www.4wdaction.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=177&t=121689

I think I'm done now. My search phrase was 'homemade drawer sliders'. This should pique some interest.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I should have just posted this on your thread Theo but I'll post again anyway.


Something I've used in the past is counter top laminate. You put a frame member below and above the drawer sides and glue a strip of the HPL onto the runner. You can put one on the bottom of the drawer side too if you want. The runner above the drawer has to be close clearance to keep the drawer from tipping when open and even then you are limited to about 3/4 extension. A rub of candle wax (paraffin) keeps them sliding nicely and they last about as long as the roller ones.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Anywhere is fine, I'm a firm believer in passing information along. And, just found these.
SoloWoodworker - Hints and options for building wooden drawers 
Making drawer slides 
Full Extension Drawer Slides in Period Furniture | Pegs and 'Tails
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?3339-Making-drawer-slides
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/wood-drawer-slides-question-9720/

There's some very interesting stuff out there.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

I've made a lot of these...

In your posted links (Woodworking Talk), I've made some as described in this post (#5):
Wood drawer slides question - Woodworking Talk - Woodworkers Forum








Where you cut dados for runners (to glue them) into the stretchers and dado tracks into the sides of the drawer. I've also done those the opposite, where I glued the runners into dados in the drawer sides and made a miter type dadoed slots for them which I mounted to the stretchers. Those silde very smooth and give a good solid feel to the drawer as it slides. These are forgiving for the side to side placement (you can set them in loose.)

Here's a pdf article on them from Woodsmithshop:
http://www.woodsmithshop.com/download/108/108-wooddrawerguides.pdf
(I remember a good article on them at woodgears also.)

Second Option-- I like to make my own top or bottom drawer glides... Which are an inverted "T" above suspended above the drawer. You can also mount them belox the drawer. I've also bought them at a lot of hardware stores... Look at this photo:








The I make them on the router table, with a rabbeting bit on the sides and ease the edges with a small roundover. I mount it behind the rail with 2 small angle brackets and make a mortised bracket to mount to the rear. Then I make a small inverted "T" female cutout, which I mount to the rear of the drawer. I notch the first 1 off the sides for the drawer support. I usually mount those above the drawer and if it's a wide drawer, I use 2.

The usually come with a plastic "L" shaped glide to put on the top side of the rail for the bottm (sides) of the drawer to ride on... I don't like those and have a garage drawer full of them that I've not used. Instead I use roller glides for pocket drawers. These work, feel better and have more adjustment and range where you can put them (left to right, they don't have to be against the stiles like an "L" glide does.) They don't cost much, but they add a lot to the feel of the drawer.

Even if you buy these in a hardware store (which most don't know they even exist so they don't look for them), they are very strong and very reasonably priced. If I'm making some up (or if I'm rushed and have to buy them), I just usually make up a bunch of 36 incher's, as I just trim them to the length I need.

Third option- If i'm doing something "special"... then I make something with sliding dovetails. 








For single sliding dovetails, you end up like option one, but you control the side to side movement for a solid feel. You can also use them as center drawer slides from underneath. 

For full-slide sliding dovetails, I make the slides like like a small version of a table slide, with wooden dowels holding them together:








This type is strong. This type is good for high end furniture where you really want a high end look... But they really don't work well out in a shop, where you might have wide humidity changes. They also do not do well with sawdust getting into them. (Experience- groans.)


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## geoff_s (Apr 14, 2012)

I've found the Harn euro bottom slides to work well and to be economical, especially when bought in bulk. I think I paid about $4 a pair. Rated to 30kgs.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

I will 2nd your post I do it the same way,I got them for 1.oo to 2.oo per pair off ebay,I keep them on hand all the time from 12" to 24" deep drawers,they come with nylon rollers..

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geoff_s said:


> I've found the Harn euro bottom slides to work well and to be economical, especially when bought in bulk. I think I paid about $4 a pair. Rated to 30kgs.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Mike's comments on laminate reminded me that that's a favourite, and highly effective bearing solution for Dobsonian telescope mounts. Apparently almost frictionless, for any practical purpose.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

It's tough to beat a good commercial drawer slide...
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2FPqNby3r6I/Ul6v4Pyjj2I/AAAAAAAAaGg/4SDxlJ1KIq8/s1600/OACGDrawer.gif


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## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

I like that.
Hey Dan can your cat open the drawer to get out?


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## mark greenbaum (Sep 26, 2010)

MAFoElffen said:


> I've made a lot of these...
> 
> In your posted links (Woodworking Talk), I've made some as described in this post (#5):
> Wood drawer slides question - Woodworking Talk - Woodworkers Forum
> ...


We have solid maple furniture made by Copeland's in Vermont, and they use this system of drawer slides effectively. They installed springs behind the fixed rails for lateral adjustments, and a drop caul on the sides of the drawer to top the drawer from being pulled all the way out. Nicest commercially made furniture we could afford. Now I have to make my own versions of it, but it may be cheaper to buy theirs, because kiln dried maple is pricey in short quantities.


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## skiroy56 (Aug 7, 2011)

All great info to be filed for later use.
Thanks


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

almost without exception, every piece I've done with wooden drawer slides/guides has been commented on positively. Metal slides not so much except when a full extention slide. This is one of those little details (sometimes no so little) that can make a big impact on a project.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Knot working said:


> I like that.
> Hey Dan can your cat open the drawer to get out?


Not my cat, Larry, but I assume from the apparent healthy appearance of said cat that either that's his food supply in there, or they _let_ him out on Day Passes... 

Our dog's more of a pantry kinda guy.


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## papasombre (Sep 22, 2011)

TwoSkies57 said:


> ... This is one of those little details (*sometimes no so little)* that can make a big impact on a project.


Tell that to me, Bill.

Recently I made a file cabinet for my son and no money at all was expended on wood. Everything was good until I went to the hardware store to buy the sliders. They made the big difference.


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