I’ve fitted my workbench with a drawer stack that extends on a double set of runners. This design allows the contents of each drawer to be fully exposed, even the stuff at the back. But when closed, the entire unit is set back from the front of the bench, so the drawer stack won’t interfere with clamping operations.

Each drawer is fitted with a pair of 14-in., 100-lb., full-extension ball-bearing runners. These runners are screwed to sliding 5/8-in.-thick plywood panels, which in turn are screwed to two 14-in., 350-lb. runners attached to the sides of the bench.

This robust system allows a fully laden drawer to travel smoothly twice its depth. I screwed a stop to the bottom of each sliding panel to prevent the drawer units from opening farther than necessary and possibly tipping the bench.

Drawing by Jim Richey

Drawing by Jim Richey

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