All-Wood Drawer Slides
Full-extention slides that are as pretty as the rest of your piece
Synopsis: These wood drawer slides support a drawer when it is pulled completely out of the case, and they are attractive and fit well with the look of fine furniture. Using this system, a single hardwood slide mates with dovetailed grooves in the case and drawer side. Stopped grooves and screws limit the travel. An oversize drawer front conceals the slides and acts as a drawer stop when the drawer is closed. Tapping bits and a full-size plan are the only special requirements to build these slides. See the full article PDF below for complete instructions on how to make these slides, and how to adapt them to your own designs.
Early in my career as a furniture maker, a client asked me to design and build an entry table. The client wanted an elegant piece and the practicality of drawers that would open all the way, giving full access to the contents. If I didn’t come up with a unique solution, I would be stuck with those convenient but ugly commercial metal slides.
With some forethought and trial-and-error, I developed a system that supports a drawer when pulled completely out of the case using attractive hardwood slides that harmonize with the piece.
I built my first set of these slides 25 years ago. That set is still going strong, and I am still building and installing these drawer slides the same way. The process isn’t hard. Beyond a couple of special tapping bits and a full-size plan, all it really calls for is a little extra care and patience. In the example I built for this article, I used thick, solid case sides, but the technique can also be adapted for use with a frame-and-panel case or a traditionally framed opening for a table drawer. In any case, the results, as you’ll see, are beautiful enough for a finely made piece of furniture.
A blueprint for success
When building the piece, it’s important to locate the dovetailed grooves that hold the slides accurately so that the drawer hangs properly in its opening. A full-scale drawing helps with this by showing exactly where to cut each groove. It also lets you check each machine setup by cutting a test piece and laying it directly on the plan for comparison. Finally, a drawing helps you plan the layout for the dovetails at the drawer’s back corners. The center pin, on the drawer’s side, should be wide enough to let you cut the groove for the slide without cutting into the joinery.
From Fine Woodworking #226
For the full article, download the PDF below:
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