do you use metal drawer slides or do you make most of your furniture with wood drawer slides. If you are going to sell a dresser or night stand, which do you prefer.
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do you use metal drawer slides or do you make most of your furniture with wood drawer slides. If you are going to sell a dresser or night stand, which do you prefer.
Contributor
Metal slides for cabinets, wood for furniture.Originally Posted by Scott Brandstetter
Scott Vroom
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
I use metal slides in the dressers I make for a few simple reasons. They remain trouble free for many years. Wood runners wear more quickly than the metal ones and tend to have seasonal moisture problems.
Lee Schierer
USNA '71
Go Navy!
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Metal. I'm not making a reproduction. I want something that works.
Member
I've never used metal in furniture and used wood in a kitchen island to gain space. Wooden slides often survive >100 years in furniture. They may need trimmed due to moisture changes but only for a year or so. Metal slides add cost and waste space. My wife insists on them for the new kitchen we are talking about but the cabinets will almost certainly be purchased and that means metal anyway (and even more wasted space).
Contributor
I choose what I think will work best and based on what I am willing to spend at the moment...
I like metal full extension slides (especially with over-travel)
- Mostly easy to use
- long lasting
- I can pull that drawer way out and I don't have to worry about it tipping.
- Very easy to pull out and push in
- I do not need to figure out how I want to use the wood runner (cut a dado in the side, run it on the bottom, etc)
- Many can be adjusted
- More able to handle heavy loads (like all of my hand planes in a single large drawer).
I like wood runners because
- Much less expensive
- More forgiving with tolerances. Tolerances for metal drawer slides can be pretty tight, but they can generally be compensated for, but that might take more time than with wooden slides.
- Easier if you want to be able to pull the drawer completely out (often) and take the drawer with you.
My last set of drawers that I designed I placed under my surface planer (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...-Dewalt-Planer). I intended to use metal slides, but I kept debating what side I wanted to pull the drawers. The in-feed side (facing my table saw) or the out-feed side that is kind of available when I push my planer out of the way. I opted for wood slides because it allowed me to pull the drawers out either side (based on how I designed it).
I don't think that I have ever seen a cloths dresser using metal slides, but, if I built one, I would be very tempted to use them. With my computer desk, I certainly used them. This allows me to place my scanner in a drawer and I can pull it all the way out to use the scanner.
So, evaluate how it will be used by evaluating things such as How much weight will it hold and Will you want to pull the drawer and take it with you often, how much are you willing to spend, and then go from there.
Contributor
If I am building something that will get a lot of use, I use metal slides.
If I am building a piece of furniture trying to maintain historical accuracy, I use wood.
Ken
So much to learn, so little time.....
Scott, Lee and Cary hit my points; A small decorative but functional wall cabinet, night stands, coffee table, etc. will use wooden guides, the kitchen and bath (and shop) get full extension ball bearing slides.
Like Cary though, I want something that works so, for my own bedroom furniture I accommodated metal glides into something that I would not normally use them on if making it for a client (unless they asked).
CoD drawer glides (3).jpg . CoD-Finished-2.jpg
"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
Contributor
Glenn -
How is it even remotely possible that I never thought of recessing metal glides into the sides of the drawers? I'll be doggoned.........
On the topic - If I am using false fromt drawers, I am using metal. If I am doing DT box drawers, I use runners & kickers...........
When I started woodworking, I didn't know squat. I have progressed in 30 years - now I do know squat.
Guest
Agree, that is a very clever approach.Glenn -
How is it even remotely possible that I never thought of recessing metal glides into the sides of the drawers? I'll be doggoned.........
I have very little experience in this department, so I have nothing further to add.
Moderator
How thick are those drawer sides with the recessed slides?
Lee Schierer
USNA '71
Go Navy!
My advice, comments and suggestions are free, but it costs money to run the site. If you found something of value here please give a little something back by becoming a contributor! Please Contribute
They are about 3/4". There are slips inside to provide meat for the screws.
CoD-Finished-5.jpg
Pardon the paste-wax fingerprints on the inside left.
"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
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