Drawer Runners

[Rob Russell]

I figured I'd just start a new thread on this ...

The following comment was made by Tim Sproul in another thread:

If you employ traditional building techniques like slide-less drawer boxes...you want the drawer sides to be made of a relatively soft wood. Drawers are easier to repair/replace when the sides where out than to replace the runners the drawer sides were sliding on.

Offline Tim sent me this comment.

I said something along the lines of 'relatively soft.' Relative to the drawer runners. If you make the drawer runners out of cherry, I'd use poplar or if you can, basswood for the drawer sides. If you want maple drawer sides, I'd use jatoba runners. The Jatoba will be a similar color to oiled and aged cherry and won't 'stand out' when the drawer is removed. Jatoba is relatively inexpensive and is more dense/hard than hard maple.

Wax the runners and bottoms of the drawer sides to keep them working well and extend the life of the piece. The waxing/lubricating is probably more important than the choice of woods....less friction leads to less wear.

What if I just screw the runners to the aprons with no glue? That would make it a simple task to replace the runners and much easier than building new drawers. Just flip the table upside down, unscrew the old runners and screw on new ones. I could use maple for both the drawer sides and runners and the only time you'd see the runners is when the drawer was pulled out.

I agree that wax is an important part of extending the drawer side bottom/runner life as well as making for a smoother drawer action.

Comments anyone?

Rob

[Mike Weaver]

What if I just screw the runners to the aprons with no glue? That would make it a simple task to replace the runners and much easier than building new drawers. Just flip the table upside down, unscrew the old runners and screw on new ones. I could use maple for both the drawer sides and runners and the only time you'd see the runners is when the drawer was pulled out.

I agree that wax is an important part of extending the drawer side bottom/runner life as well as making for a smoother drawer action.

Comments anyone?

Rob

Rob - sounds like it'd work to me.

Although it's not altogether "traditional", what about inletting small strips of UHMW into the runner or drawer bottom? That'd never wear out.

If you wish to remain traditional, I think your solution would be fine. I would suggest making your runners a "standard size" so that replication would be a no brainer in the future.

Cheers,
-Mike

[Alan Turner]

Rob,
I see no problem with your approach. I am assuming that the grain of the drawer runners would be running the same direction as the grain of the apron. If so, a bit of glue will secure them, with the screws acting as clamps. Hide glue is traditional and reversible, but I don't know the value or age of your piece.

As to the relative hardness issue, I would guess this is a smallish drawer, and that it would be carry great weight. If so, I would not be overly concerned about the relative hardness of the drawer sides and runners. If you are worried on this issue, then mount the drawer bottom in a separate slip, and make it softer than the runner, and then all you need do in 50 years is change out the slip. The slipo is set just below teh drawer side, so the drawer runs on the slip, not the side of the drawer. I occasionally make slip drawers, but they are a bit of a PITA, so usually don't.

I think you see them more in English pieces than American.

[Rob Russell]

Alan,

What do you mean by mounting the drawer bottom in a separate "slip" - never heard of that before.

Rob

[Charles Stanford]

If the drawer runners wear out in your lifetime then you've lived far too long or you're a lot younger than your picture suggests.

[Charles Stanford]

Alan,

What do you mean by mounting the drawer bottom in a separate "slip" - never heard of that before.

Rob

You definitely need to buy Ernest Joyce's "Encyclopaedia...."

One uses slips when the drawer sides are thin and grooving them directly to accept the bottom would compromise their integrity.

[Tim Sproul]

What if I just screw the runners to the aprons with no glue? That would make it a simple task to replace the runners and much easier than building new drawers.

I agree it would simplify repairs.

A counterpoint or addition. Runners (and kickers) are traditionally joined to the front and rear rails as well as to the vertical case sides and internal dividers. This joinery to both elements of the case further strengthens the case. In your description, you might want to lap the runners/kickers to the front and rear rails and join via a countersunk screw or two. This would provide the overall strength given by traditional means. Do a 'blind' lap at the front rail if the rail will be shown. Be sure to account for movement of solid wood case sides by slotting the screw holes in the rear lap and rear of the runner/kicker to the case. Plywood cases don't need such slotting.

It is certainly debatable wether or not certain cases need the additional strength obtained by joining kickers and runners to front and rear rails as well as case sides.

[Rob Russell]

If the drawer runners wear out in your lifetime then you've lived far too long or you're a lot younger than your picture suggests.

These are a wedding present for my 25-year old niece. I'm more worried about someone having to replace parts when they are old and building the piece so it can be refurbished (if needed) and passed on to their kids.