I'm working on building a stand for my CMS, and would like to add some
drawers to it. The drawers would be around 3-4" thick, 16" wide and hold
miscellaneous tools and random work pieces (you know, that stuff that
clutters up your bench when you need to cut a long piece.)

Am I just wasting my time making the slides using pine (1x2s cut from
2x4s)? I know it won't last hundreds of years, but would it be good enough
to get me going so I can see how the idea works out? The life span of this
project doesn't seem to be beyond 3-4 years max.

Puckdropper
--
On Usenet, no one can hear you laugh. That's a good thing, though, as some
writers are incorrigible.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

Puckdropper wrote:
I'm working on building a stand for my CMS, and would like to add some
drawers to it. The drawers would be around 3-4" thick, 16" wide and
hold miscellaneous tools and random work pieces (you know, that stuff
that clutters up your bench when you need to cut a long piece.)

Am I just wasting my time making the slides using pine (1x2s cut from
2x4s)? I know it won't last hundreds of years, but would it be good
enough to get me going so I can see how the idea works out? The life
span of this project doesn't seem to be beyond 3-4 years max.

Puckdropper

Use it, it will last decades beyond 3-4 years.

If you plan to hook up the drawers to automated openers/closers and cycle
them at 10 second intervals 24/7, I may change my opinion

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

dadiOH wrote:
Puckdropper wrote:
I'm working on building a stand for my CMS, and would like to add some
drawers to it. The drawers would be around 3-4" thick, 16" wide and
hold miscellaneous tools and random work pieces (you know, that stuff
that clutters up your bench when you need to cut a long piece.)

Am I just wasting my time making the slides using pine (1x2s cut from
2x4s)? I know it won't last hundreds of years, but would it be good
enough to get me going so I can see how the idea works out? The life
span of this project doesn't seem to be beyond 3-4 years max.

Puckdropper

Use it, it will last decades beyond 3-4 years.

If you plan to hook up the drawers to automated openers/closers and cycle
them at 10 second intervals 24/7, I may change my opinion

I'd still look for some hardwood scraps for slides. They will be harder
(unless you pick cottonwood) and slide more easily. Hardwood scraps are
all over the place, at least smaller bits are. Try finding an old
broken chair or sofa, a destroyed old box spring mattress, a hardwood
pallet with slats that have reasonably straight grain, etc.

Not only that, unless your 2x4's are really dry, they will shrink up
after you install the slides, and maybe warp, too.

No matter what you choose, be sure to apply lots of good wax for the
slides, like paste wax, or even candle wax. Don't use toilet mounting
wax. I did, and it is too sticky if you don't use the drawers
constantly. It has taken quite a while to get the sticky wax worn down
to the point where I can apply a harder wax. The toilet ring wax is
actually pretty good for driving screws, which is why I had it lying around.

dadiOH wrote:
Puckdropper wrote:
I'm working on building a stand for my CMS, and would like to add
some drawers to it. The drawers would be around 3-4" thick, 16"
wide and hold miscellaneous tools and random work pieces (you know,
that stuff that clutters up your bench when you need to cut a long
piece.) Am I just wasting my time making the slides using pine (1x2s cut
from
2x4s)? I know it won't last hundreds of years, but would it be good
enough to get me going so I can see how the idea works out? The life
span of this project doesn't seem to be beyond 3-4 years max.

Puckdropper

Use it, it will last decades beyond 3-4 years.

If you plan to hook up the drawers to automated openers/closers and
cycle them at 10 second intervals 24/7, I may change my opinion

FWIW, plywood works fine too.

About 15 years ago I made a down and dirty tool cabinet with 2x4s and 3/4
particle board; it has three tiers with four drawers in each; top two
drawers in each tier are 3", bottom two are 5 1/2".

The drawers have a strip of 1/4" x 1" ply attached to their sides. The case
has two pieces of ply, same size as on the drawers, for each drawer to
capture the drawer piece. They are attached to the PB tier dividers.

Some of the drawers are quite heavy, containing wrenches, log splitters,
sockets, etc. All drawers still slide fine.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

I have done it with several projects, always with wax, never a problem.

I say go for it.

-Steve


"Puckdropper" puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com wrote in message
...
I'm working on building a stand for my CMS, and would like to add some
drawers to it. The drawers would be around 3-4" thick, 16" wide and hold
miscellaneous tools and random work pieces (you know, that stuff that
clutters up your bench when you need to cut a long piece.)

Am I just wasting my time making the slides using pine (1x2s cut from
2x4s)? I know it won't last hundreds of years, but would it be good
enough
to get me going so I can see how the idea works out? The life span of
this
project doesn't seem to be beyond 3-4 years max.

Puckdropper
--
On Usenet, no one can hear you laugh. That's a good thing, though, as
some
writers are incorrigible.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

Save some time and buy the garden variety guides
for "about" $7-8

http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/pa...722,43743&ap=1

or from Home Depot

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...ctId=100211126

Home made are OK, but even the el-cheapo is better than
wooden slides in my opinion.


Puckdropper wrote:
I'm working on building a stand for my CMS, and would like to add some
drawers to it. The drawers would be around 3-4" thick, 16" wide and hold
miscellaneous tools and random work pieces (you know, that stuff that
clutters up your bench when you need to cut a long piece.)

Am I just wasting my time making the slides using pine (1x2s cut from
2x4s)? I know it won't last hundreds of years, but would it be good enough
to get me going so I can see how the idea works out? The life span of this
project doesn't seem to be beyond 3-4 years max.

Puckdropper

On Mar 24, 5:17*am, Puckdropper puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com wrote:
I'm working on building a stand for my CMS, and would like to add some
drawers to it. *The drawers would be around 3-4" thick, 16" wide and hold
miscellaneous tools and random work pieces (you know, that stuff that
clutters up your bench when you need to cut a long piece.)

Am I just wasting my time making the slides using pine (1x2s cut from
2x4s)? *I know it won't last hundreds of years, but would it be good enough
to get me going so I can see how the idea works out? *The life span of this
project doesn't seem to be beyond 3-4 years max.

Puckdropper

SPF will do just fine for slides. Obviously it is softer so will not
have the accuracy of hardwood or steel slides but it will do just fine
for prototyping or cheapness or convenience. It will last far longer
than you might expect as well. Some of my SPF experiments are still
in daily use 10 years later

Puckdropper wrote:
I'm working on building a stand for my CMS, and would like to add
some
drawers to it. The drawers would be around 3-4" thick, 16" wide and
hold
miscellaneous tools and random work pieces (you know, that stuff
that
clutters up your bench when you need to cut a long piece.)

Am I just wasting my time making the slides using pine (1x2s cut
from
2x4s)?

IMHO. yes.

Either use 1x3 or 1x4 clear stock or buy metal.

ElCheapos from off shore are maybe $5-$6/Pair.

100 Lb USA for less than $10/pair, if you know how to shop.

SFWIW, I built a bench with 48 drawers using 1x3 as the support lip
and let the 1/2 ply drawer sides ride on them.

Built "Strong Like Bull", it is still in service as far as I know.

BTW, I like 6"-12" drawers a lot more than 3"-4" drawers.


Lew

"dadiOH" wrote in
:

FWIW, plywood works fine too.

About 15 years ago I made a down and dirty tool cabinet with 2x4s and
3/4 particle board; it has three tiers with four drawers in each; top
two drawers in each tier are 3", bottom two are 5 1/2".

The drawers have a strip of 1/4" x 1" ply attached to their sides.
The case has two pieces of ply, same size as on the drawers, for each
drawer to capture the drawer piece. They are attached to the PB tier
dividers.

Some of the drawers are quite heavy, containing wrenches, log
splitters, sockets, etc. All drawers still slide fine.


I hadn't thought about using plywood for the slides. It's usually more
dimensionally stable, and would probably be harder. I've got a piece of
plywood that is just about the right size to cut down into drawer slides.

Thanks!

Puckdropper
--
On Usenet, no one can hear you laugh. That's a good thing, though, as
some writers are incorrigible.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

"Lew Hodgett" wrote in news:JIcyl.1800$6%.1714
@nwrddc01.gnilink.net:

Puckdropper wrote:
*trim*
Am I just wasting my time making the slides using pine (1x2s cut
from
2x4s)?

IMHO. yes.

Either use 1x3 or 1x4 clear stock or buy metal.

ElCheapos from off shore are maybe $5-$6/Pair.

100 Lb USA for less than $10/pair, if you know how to shop.

SFWIW, I built a bench with 48 drawers using 1x3 as the support lip
and let the 1/2 ply drawer sides ride on them.

Built "Strong Like Bull", it is still in service as far as I know.

BTW, I like 6"-12" drawers a lot more than 3"-4" drawers.


Lew



I'll have to add some deeper drawers to the bottom. I want the shallow
ones for storage of clamps and the like. I found long ago it's not about
how much storage space you've got, it's how well your storage space fits
the application.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll avoid the 1x2 SPF slides in lieu of
something a little more stable.

Puckdropper
--
On Usenet, no one can hear you laugh. That's a good thing, though, as
some writers are incorrigible.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

"Puckdropper" puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com wrote in message
...
I'm working on building a stand for my CMS, and would like to add some
drawers to it. The drawers would be around 3-4" thick, 16" wide and hold
miscellaneous tools and random work pieces (you know, that stuff that
clutters up your bench when you need to cut a long piece.)

Am I just wasting my time making the slides using pine (1x2s cut from
2x4s)? I know it won't last hundreds of years, but would it be good
enough
to get me going so I can see how the idea works out? The life span of
this
project doesn't seem to be beyond 3-4 years max.

Puckdropper
--
On Usenet, no one can hear you laugh. That's a good thing, though, as
some
writers are incorrigible.


IF you can lay your hands on 15mm BB. Works great. Doesn't cut too much
into the size of the drawer, yet allows a runner to be 1/4 " thick. Only
able to get it one time, a mistake (?) by the shipper. Russian Birch. At
least the shipping container had Russian writing on it.

On Wed, 25 Mar 2009 07:14:40 +0300, "Rick Samuel"
wrote:

Russian Birch. At
least the shipping container had Russian writing on it.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that "Russian Birch" was an
exterior glue version of "Baltic Birch". Or maybe it was "Finnish
Birch" I read about. Or maybe it was something totally unrelated to
any of this.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA

"Tom Veatch" wrote:

I seem to recall reading somewhere that "Russian Birch" was an
exterior glue version of "Baltic Birch". Or maybe it was "Finnish
Birch" I read about.

Finnish = exterior glue
Russian = interior glue.

Don't ever try to laser cut that Russian crap.

My ex-landlord learned the hard way.

Lew

Puckdropper wrote:
"dadiOH" wrote in
:

FWIW, plywood works fine too.

I hadn't thought about using plywood for the slides. It's usually
more dimensionally stable, and would probably be harder.


Yep, it will have some of that nice hard end grain. Well, not really hard
but much less friable.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico