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Drawer slides for dusty environment

4K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  Dark_Lightning 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'm building a cabinet for under my router table in my shop (which is a corner of a garage). I'm putting a drawer in this cabinet, and am curious if you have any advice on selecting drawer slides for it. I was going to just buy some ball bearing ones from a big box store, but I worry that the sawdust and garage dust will cause problems. Any advice on what to use? I'm planning to put tools in the drawer, so it needs to accommodate a moderate amount of weight. And of course, cheap would be nice since it's a shop item, not anything fancy.

Thanks for any tips you can offer.
 
#4 ·
Not that those slides wouldn't work, but most of the router tables with an enclosure and drawers seem to have full walls surrounding the area where the drawers are located. Not real sure the slides themselves would see any more dust than a kitchen. Now inside that little open area where the router hangs, yeah a lot of dust, especially if you have a weak dust collection design.
 
#6 ·
Not that those slides wouldn t work, but most of the router tables with an enclosure and drawers seem to have full walls surrounding the area where the drawers are located. Not real sure the slides themselves would see any more dust than a kitchen. Now inside that little open area where the router hangs, yeah a lot of dust, especially if you have a weak dust collection design.
That's true, assuming I remember to close the drawer all the time. But when the drawer is open, the slides will be exposed. And my dust collection is not great (just a shop vac), and plenty of tasks get no dust collection at all (e.g. breaking down plywood with a circular saw).
 
#7 ·
Building it from scratch? Build the outer box, put in a support frame for the drawer and make it tight-ish on the sides.

That's the way I've been adding drawers all over my shop recently. I've been using MDF for the drawers, and poplar or halfway decent pine for the frames (And, I'm running a total brain fart for the term for this particular part of a cabinet!! Web frame? Is that right?)

I use wax on the bottom of the drawers and the tops of the frames. I find sanding to about 220 and paste wax and the drawers will slide smoothly for years. When the get sticky, hit 'em with wax again.
 
#9 ·
Not that those slides wouldn t work, but most of the router tables with an enclosure and drawers seem to have full walls surrounding the area where the drawers are located. Not real sure the slides themselves would see any more dust than a kitchen. Now inside that little open area where the router hangs, yeah a lot of dust, especially if you have a weak dust collection design.

- therealSteveN
i agree,the section of my router table with drawers is enclosed separate from the chamber that holds the router so very little dust gets in.ive been using this cabinet for several years with no problems.
 
#10 ·
I agree with SteveN and pottz. The drawer front, whether overlay or inset, will seal out dust just fine from the front, but be sure to put a back on the cabinet so it's closed in all around. Stick with good side mount slides with a 75 or 100 lb rating. Those flimsy ones JackDuren posted won't stand up to much of a load.
 
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
I agree with SteveN and pottz. The drawer front, whether overlay or inset, will seal out dust just fine from the front, but be sure to put a back on the cabinet so it s closed in all around. Stick with good side mount slides with a 75 or 100 lb rating. Those flimsy ones JackDuren posted won t stand up to much of a load.

- JerryMaldonato
Hummmmmm. They wI'll take what there designed too…

Most of these drawer guides fail because there put in too loose…

Sloppy work creates sloppy function…
 
#13 ·
Hummmmmm. They wI ll take what there designed too…

Most of these drawer guides fail because there put in too loose…

Sloppy work creates sloppy function…

- JackDuren
Most? I would like to see the data you got that from. My guess is most fail because the load rating is exceeded. Those are also an inferior design with synthetic rollers instead of ball bearings.
 
#14 · (Edited by Moderator)
I just answered the question with an option othere than full extension slides..

Data….you need to read to believe. There on my router table, how's that for data…

We used this drawer guides in the cabinet business for years I know why they fail. I don't be need to read data?.you learn from experience , not from data….

Read the specs on the drawer guides… not hard
 
#15 ·
ive used those glides for years and never had a fail yet.maybe in a commercial situation where their opened and close a hundred times a day? ive even used them on my potting bench where they get hit with potting soil and they keep on truckin.id say dont worry about it.maybe your using cheap quality glides?
 
#17 ·
Those rollers are generally what I use, but for light weight in transport (and a bit more drawer space), I use maple runners on the carcass, with poplar (usually) or oak for the drawer sides. The rollers carry a lot more weight that you will probably ever need, too.
 
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