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Well played sir, well played. Looks really nice, like it was meant to be there.
Drawers look great, but it would drive my type-A personality bonkers that the drawer pulls don't match on those two cabinets....
well done glenn,, and handles are just to open drawers so looks arent always important
I really could have just made the drawers piston-fit and let them ride on the plywood sides greased with paraffin and these would have lasted a lifetime. I wanted to try the guide method with sheet goods just for my own curiosity. Hardwood drawers work well with this method since it is easy to make small adjustments with a block plane. You can sand ply to adjust but, if the adjustment is too much you rapidly run out of veneer . At any rate, explaining this runner method takes longer than installing them:
I leave a 1/2" between the bottom panel dado and the bottom of the side (for other methods I only leave 1/4" - 5/16" on light duty drawers) to provide a decent side bearing surface.
View attachment 70984
The guides are just strips of hardwood with two counter-bores and through-holes. Ignore the finish on the runners; these things happen when you build from scraps . Both holes are oversized to allow adjustment. For the plywood drawers I added some UHMW tape to avoid wearing through the bottom panel over time. I must think I am going to live to 120 .
View attachment 70985 . View attachment 70986
The drawer rides on top of the runners and is held side-to-side by them as well. I leave the thickness of a piece of masking tape worth of "slop" so they are controlled enough to travel smoothly but, not loose enough to bind. The drawer front is an overlay but, I use the runners as a stop as well to distribute the force when a drawer is shut less than delicately.
View attachment 70987 . View attachment 70988
The runners center the drawer in the opening like so:
View attachment 70989 . View attachment 70990
A little more fuss than shop drawers deserve but, this method works so well on solid wood drawers, I wanted to try it out. The verdict? Not a good solution for plywood drawers. Glad I could take one for the team .
Glenn the whole setup looks perfect for shop draws.....where do you experience a problem with the ply version that has you giving a negative verdict on them.
I gotta say you had me sold on them until you said "not a good solution"
I got a few questions...if u dont mind.
Are the draws entirely pocket hole assembled. Could not quiet work out front attachment to sides of draws.
The frame u insert for the draws to slide on .....how is it attached to cabinet sides. Is the a dado it glides into or is it just pocket holed to side.
- 1/4" BB ply and yes, this is the bearing surface that rids the runners. Again, for the small drawers and light load this seems OK. It is the smoothness one can achieve and the length of service that concerns me.What did u use for draw bottoms? Looks like ply but how thick? Thats what carries the weight in the draw when it runs on the runners correct???
So i guess draw carrying weight needs to be considered but for the specific machine u using them for sanding consumables dont weigh much.
Funny thing is quiet a few years ago i refurbed some wooden draws in a tool cabinet my grandfather had made and the draws just run on the flat wood divide and no lubrication at all.
Thanks Glenn, BTW saw this stuff today at LV and thought of you...
wonder if anyone has tried the stuff.
I've been following this thread Glen and was wondering why you thought this style of guide isn't suited for a plywood drawer box?