See
It's a very simple cabinet; not a face-frame design.
I just want to build a cabinet where the drawer rests on runners and is held in place side-to-side by the cabinet case itself. It seems that it should work as designed, but somehow it seems "too easy" when I compare it to other cabinets I've seen.
There are three problems, I see.
First, the sliding surfaces will wear. It would probably be good to make them out of something like Ash or Ironwood. ;-) If you can somehow make one mating surface sacrificial, it might be a good idea.
The drawers will only be good for about 1/2 draw. After the COG goes forward of the middle of the runners the wear on the front corner of the runner (and the mating surface of the drawer) will wear excessively. If they're pulled all the way out (without support at the front) the runners may be damaged. Of course this can be a minimal problem if these drawers are never heavily loaded. I prefer at least 3/4 draw on all drawers, if not full extension (or more), though.
Without "stretchers" (side to side pieces in the middle, holding the sides parallel), the sides may bow outward causing the runners to bind or slip off track. Again, this may be a minimal problem if the drawers are never heavily loaded. Ours always seem to be, though.
For what usage? A zillion chests and such have been built that way for centuries; it's important to fit well, of course. A _little_ taper to the back can help.
Alternatives include use a side runner that fits in a rabbet along the drawer side.
The comment on tipping is pretty easily handled by including a surface above so that it has a running surface there, too, with just a little clearance so the tipping isn't too great.
As far as the choice, poplar is quite soft, I'd suggest a harder wood.
A newer alternative there (and one I've used on several older pieces including the dining room buffet here that has one full-width drawer on the top; nearly 5-ft I'd guess) is to use a piece of the stick-on UHMD plastic as a wear strip and friction-reducer.
Now, as a kitchen cabinet, maybe not so much, but you didn't say...
Very true. Hard maple works pretty well. If both surfaces are hard maple, they should outlast thee or me.
That's easily solved. Either by runners in the middle of the drawer sides (which can easily be sacrificial) running in a groove, or by a kicker above the drawer.
This is what my dad did in the kitchen, 60 some years ago, still works.
IMHO it works. Just use heavy wax coating. OR, use the nylon type glides that they sell that you staple in, on the front end. That lets the drawer slide well and that wears over time and is the sacrificial piece.. LONG TIME.
I love fir...it's only obtainable here any more by special order at astronomical prices. Almost 15 yr ago now, shortly after returned to the farm here after the sojourn (like Mr Van Winkle of 30 yr) in VA and TN, asked the kid working in the local lumber yard for some fir--he didn't even know what it was. In the loft of the barn from 50 yr ago now are some 20-ft 2x12 and 2x10's left over from building a set of bins for a small feed mill. I can't bring myself to touch 'em... :)
Anyway, "hard" vs "soft" here only has to do w/ the hardness, not the genus classification. For a small vanity side drawer, the weight isn't going to be enough that the poplar would likely be ok for a long time, too. I was thinking heavier than that...
Yes, runners (in slots) are a good idea too. That doesn't address the wear issue but it will solve some of the tilt problem. The sacrificial member was what I was getting at, though. I hate building anything that can't be repaired.
I'd beef the stretchers up substantially. Remember, that's end grain they're attaching to the sides with. Really think about the joinery. ...or you could make it a solid panel (plywood, etc.) to eliminate the end grain.
They should have you in Detroit to design the location of spark plugs and oil filters.
Amen to that.
-------------------------------------------- There was a time I would have said "AMEN", but that was then and this is now.
Just had an oil and filter change.
Cost $24.00 including tax and proper disposal of old oil.
An air filter was $15 + tax by itself.
These days plug wires are designed for 100,000 miles of service per Toyota.
Aftermarket wires are another matter.
Around here the wires cost more than the labor to change them.
At these prices, do it yourself offers no advantage.
Lew
To be completely fair, spark plugs don't need to be replaced very often. I don't even remember replacing them on my last vehicle. Oil filters, well, you have a point. I bet you just love interference heads, too.
Last oil change I did was on my '91 Regal. It was a real PITA and I've paid to have it done since. I've been paying about $32.
Not on everything. My car is a turbo and plugs should be changed at
48,000. On older engines, it was a 15 minute job to change 4 or 6 plugs. I'm sure it will be considerably more time on a car where the plugs are not even visible. Don't know yet if I'll DIY as I've not looked seriously yet. 10K miles to go.I know some cars you have to loosen a motor mount and jack the engine, others require pulling a wheel so you can go from a wheel well with 2 extensions and a U joint. Not at all like my flathead Merc pr a Chevy straight six.
I would agree with you if I believed that they replaced the filter
100% of the time. If the filter is impossible to get at, I'm quite sure they're often skipped. "Who'll know?"
Our mechanic wanted $180.00 to replace the plugs on my F150.
Buick never expected the car owner to do their own maintenance. That filter is hard to get to. In fairness to Buick, they do build a good car, why can't the rest of GM manage that?
The Regals were supposed to be like that, but I had little trouble with my '95 Regal. I don't mind the extra work so much as the replacement intervals are lengthy.
What I don't like are cars that don't ever seem to get fixed right, particularly when I wind up being the fallback when the shop fails.
What a run that had, 80 years:
That will work but to remention what others have or may have said,
These drawers are almost 16" deep and can be pulled out about 14 inches before they begin to exhibit any drag or tilt.
In this example the drawer chest side of the slides are dado'ed in and the drawer sides have groves so that the chest slide engages the side of the drawer. Again tight tolerances enables for the drawers to pull out almost completely before they begin to tilt.
In this example the tolerances allow the drawer to be pulled out to with in 1" before it begins to tilt and they are 13,3/4" deep.
And of course consistency in size counts too.
If the filter is not changed at the oil change the oil will immediately look dirtier than the new oil. The filters typically hold 1/8 to 1/5 of the oil that is in the engine. That old oil never really drains out of the filter if it is left on the vehicle.
Besides that, I have probably changed the oil on a couple hundred different vehicles. The the vehicle up on the lift makes all the difference in the world in how accessible the filter is.
Interference heads?
--------------------------------------- Better you than me.
From memory, replacement labor was about $35 for a Toyota Tacoma 4 cyl last year.
Lew
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