Cabinet Drawers

[Jack Harvey]

Is there a rule of thumb on making cabinet drawers. Not sure on how to measure to get correct drawer size to fit rollers. I was wondering if for example the opening size for drawer was 12" how much do I allow for the drawer roller clearance. I am new to this and was looking for some advice from fellow craftsman. Thanks.

Jack Harvey

[ray vile]

most drawer slides require 1/2'' clearance so for a 12'' openeing you should have an 11'' wide drawer,

[Jack Harvey]

Thank you Ray.

[Kerry Drake]

Best to read the instructions on the drawer slide hardware package though...

[John Schaben]

Hi Jack - For side mounted slides it is typically 1/2" + 1/64" -0" per side. Depending on the extension, there may also be a vertical clearance.  For top or bottom mounted slides there is a vertical clearance spec but I don't recall them off hand. Kerry gave you the best advice, read the directions.

[Jack Harvey]

Thank you John....very helpful.!

[steve kidd]

like ray said, you normally need to subtract an inch for drawer guides, but i give an extra 1/8 inch for a little "wiggle" room. so i guess i am saying i make my drawers 1 1/8 smaller than the opening.

[David Dean]

Sorry guy this isnt what you all was talking about but does anyone build them like this anymore.

[John Schaben]

Sure, they work a lot better over the long haul if a strip of UHMW is inlayed in there though. I've even seen them with a dado down the middle of the support with a bunch of short dowels just laying in the dado. Poor mans roller bearings. :)

If you are using pocket screws they would have to come in from the bottom though.

David Dean said:

Sorry guy this isnt what you all was talking about but does anyone build them like this anymore.

[RMK]

Jack: I agree with what everyone else said. I have read somewhere, build the drawer, then the cabinet. I haven't done to much large cabinet construction yet, but, it's coming.

David: Yep they are built like your way. i'm actually getting ready to install some drawers with their own slides like you have pictured in cabinets in my shop that came from an old elementary school. They were built like lockers, but, I'm gonna have lotsa good drawer and organized storage soon. I'll get a few more pics on how those turn out. I do have a couple of pics of a few drawers that I've already done.

Also, one other note: Keep a box of canning wax (you can pick up at the grocery store cheaply) in the shop. There are a zillion uses....such as, rubbin it on those slides of yours David, on your equipment tops, (a little goes a long way), hand saw blades makes the saw glide through a cut, and just about any place where there may be a little friction.  Try it, you'll like it. :)

[David Dean]

Thanks RMK does that wax work on rust some of my tools and I out of WD-40 I use it on top of my talbe saw and band saw.

[RMK]

David: the canning wax comes in a box that has 4 blocks  5"x3"x1" (just guessin these sizes). I use this wax when I want to "touch up" a top when wood is gettin a little sticky to glide while in the middle of jointing, or planeing mostly.

I don't think I'd use WD, only because I think that could get into your wood pores, then, you might have trouble with finish stickin.

I mainly use Boe-Shield, along with Johnsons paste wax. I pretty much re-wax all my tops after a project or 2. Maybe overkill, but, I like my tops to be slick for ez of the wood gliding over it.

P.S. you can also use that canning wax on any planes. just a little figure S will make your plane glide much easier

[Jens Jensen]

Pretty hard to beat good JOHNSON FURNITURE paste. I use it monthly on all my tables ,saw blades,worktable tops and have never had a rust problem .Even rub my 120yr old sideboard every 6 months or so.ths