Attaching Slides to Drawer Boxes
Tips on efficient, accurate, and consistent ways to position slides on drawer boxes. February 26, 2007
Question
Getting the slides attached to cab sides is straightforward, but I always find attaching slide to box tricky and it's taking longer than I think it should. I would really appreciate learning if there is a quicker method to do this. What I've been doing is positioning the box in the opening, shimming for correct space and then attaching slide. There must be a better way.
Forum Responses
(Cabinetmaking Forum)
From contributor P:
For standard full-extension slides, we use a rabbited strip to sit at the drawer bottom that holds the drawer part at the correct height. For non-standard heights, we've got a series of spacer shims to raise it to where we want it to be. Vertical wings on the ends of the rabbited piece keep the slide flush with the face of the drawer box.
From contributor J:
What kind of slides are they? From what you're describing, it sounds like side mount full extension. If that's the case, remove half the slide after mounting it in the box, do some measuring and use a scrap piece of wood to space the slide in the correct place on the drawer box.
From contributor R:
I would suggest standardizing your mounting points and using the bottom of the drawer box as the box reference point (so drawer box height no longer becomes a variable). Make a jig up to position the box member consistently. Then determine distance from cabinet member to stile/cabinet bottom and create a jig for that. Then, set of spacers for cabinet members up from the bottom cabinet member reflecting member height, drawer height, and gap. Using millimeter dimensions makes the math easier. A millimeter adjustment on a face is easy.
From contributor E:
Very much like Contributor R describes - a simple L shaped jig for Acc 3832. A 2 part jig for Acc 3640s, etc. We also set up a few drills for the process, and pre drill holes. The first hang is the last 90% of the time. Every time I use a new type slide, it gets a number of jigs for any spacing. The second time around it's fast. My original 3832 spacer is 15 years old and dark from oil and still perfect.
From contributor T:
We've changed to epoxy undermount drawer slides from Hafele. They have a doweled rear bracket, we use a jig to drill 2 holes on either side of the cabinet then we press in the bracket. Screw the drawer slide to the face frame and you are done. Standard 22 inch slides with brackets cost under 3 dollars and have a hundred pound static load.
