which ball bearing drawer slides for shop cabinets?

Jason Vanick

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25
Location
Cary, IL
I'm getting ready to start designing my shop cabinets and I'd like to put ball bearing drawer slides in... however the price at rockler and borg are putting me off to this idea...

I do remember seeing somebody post about decent quality drawer slides for not too much $$$...

can anybody give me some recommendations or a link.

I want to make a bunch of drawers, probably 2" deep for hand tools, going all the way to 12"-14" deep for power tools at the bottom... probably a grand total of 40 or more drawers... so anything I can do to keep cost on the slides down I'm all ears.

Thanks!!!
-J
 
Jason, my 5 cents is dont go with cheap ones. I did and pay for it every time I open a draw. Its a constant reminder too.:( Sorry I should add by cheap I mean inferior quality or the wrong type of slide, not the price.
 
I have used these. $10 a pair in a box of 10 (no screws) and McFeely's is very nice to deal with. Heavy loads in the shop and kitchen pantry (canned goods). No problems, 3 years. There are other sources for around the same price. These Mepla products have proven reliable ( I have no association, I've just used them). I never have to think about them and that pretty much says it all.
 
Glenn
Those Mepla ones look pretty good. I'd probably have to get the 650mm for a 28" deep cabinet I'm planning. But how tall are those? A couple drawers I'm planning will be fairly shallow. The pics of the Mepla look sort of wide but I dont see any height spec listed on McFeeleys.
 
Glenn
Those Mepla ones look pretty good. I'd probably have to get the 650mm for a 28" deep cabinet I'm planning. But how tall are those? A couple drawers I'm planning will be fairly shallow. The pics of the Mepla look sort of wide but I dont see any height spec listed on McFeeleys.

I seen to recall 1-3/8" but I will measure for you when I get home :thumb:. Jim D's KV source looks really good though.

Ooops! Went home for lunch. Height is 1-7/8".
 
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Drawer Slides

Jason: I have used #100 slides with the nylon rollers in several counters that I made for use in a shopping center. They get probably more use in a week then you would give them in a year. So far its been 5 years for them and still working well. They came from Rockler... $5.60 a pair. I also used several of there full extention accuride ball bearing slides and they are also a good investment. Both take up 1/2" on either side of the drawer.:D:thumb:
 
that's what I'm talking about... I can really deal with $5.60 a pair... even $5 each would be fine with me at this point.

Thanks for the info... it looks like I can get some of those roller slides like that from csh too... so I'll have to compare and see what the difference in shipping vs tax is.. :)

I knew that I'd get the right answer from you guys!

-J
 
Just an idea

Jason ------in 1959 when I had very little wherewithall and significant needs; I was lucky to get to know a country cabinet maker that made the cabinets in my house. I still have the house (it is on my farm) and I am there quite often and the cabinets still serve.

The object of my ramble is he saved me significant money by routing a drawer slide in each side of the drawers. Now they aren't as fancy as the Blum's in home in the city; but, they serve. I bet at least half of your drawers really don't need a high dollar slide. The top row of drawers may need a full extension; but, not the lower and bottom. I just completed sliding boxes for the door cabinets in my daughter's new house. They are nice and she will enjoy them; but, they only are a convenience not a need. The boxes cost about twenty dollars each and the slides from Lowes were $6.80 each. But, when it's daddy-do --- daddy does.

Let us know how the project comes along.

Ray Gerdes in beautiful Texas.
 
since I'm planning on building the drawers (and carcass) out of plywood, I was thinking that I couldn't get away with using a routed-type drawer slide.
my thought/assumption is that the different plys in the plywood would wear either the slide away or the bottom of the drawer?

actually, the cabinet will be deep enough where I really don't need full extension on those top drawers, I'll just mount the 'back' of the drawer more forward to keep the drawer in the slot.

I'm trying to learn sketchup right now, so I'll probably post pics of my thoughts in a week or 2... right now, I have a lot going on, so this is definately a longer term project

-J
 
I was over at my brother's house and he showed me the new drawers he put under his work bench. Some are loaded to the gills with scrap metal stock and tools - hundreds of lbs. For slides he used Unistrut. He had some scrap pieces left over from a job site. Two on the inside of the bench opening and two mounted on the drawer. They interlock. A little wax and they glide really smoothly. He's had them in place for about 7 or 8 months. They still glide really smoothly with regular use. I suppose if they ever get stiff, he can slide them out and shoot some more wax or oil in there.
They're not "full extension" slides, but then again the price was right.
Paul Hubbman
 
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