Entertainment center drawer?

[Scoly2803]

In the middle section there will be a center speaker and under it a drawer 21" wide x 3" tall x 15" deep. Decided to try my Porter Cable dt jig for the experience and it is working out pretty good for a beginner. Now I'm faced with a decision. The drawer will be used only for manuals and such for the system so very lightweight.
Originally had planned on full extension drawer slides but with a dt drawer it just doesn't seem right. Sides are only 3/8" thick so I'm thinking of a runner on the drawer sides around 1/4 x 1/4 and a track on the vertical shelf supports. Are there things I should watch out for. Want the drawer to slide smooth and easy.
Wife thinks it's a bit silly to not use the drawer slides. Is it just me?
Would appreciate your thoughts
Steve

[pelligrini]

Well waxed good fitted wood guides move easily. I think they speak better for craftsmanship than metal slides. It doesn't sound like the drawer will be in constant use. I'd go with a crafted guides.

[Scoly2803]

Thanks!!!
Nice to get some reinforcement.
Any suggestions for the "well fitted" part? If I make the runner 1/2x1/2 and allow 1/8 clearance on each side and maybe a 9/16" dado for the runner will that be a good fit or is it to sloppy?
Steve

[pelligrini]

A 1/16" on the runner should be good. I'm not too sure about the 1/8" clearance on each side. That would give you a 1/4" play overall. You might mock it up and see if the drawer moves too much at an angle. Also, with that 1/4" play you have to make sure your guides fit into the drawer sides enough so it won't fall off. There's not a whole lot of material for deep dadoes. Your allowable tolerances will depend a lot on the quality of your craftsmanship.

I have a wood chest with a bunch of small drawers, much like the gerstner chests. The largest drawer is about 24x12x3. The dadoes on the drawer sides are only about 1/8" maybe a little more. the clearances on the side runners are pretty tight, maybe a 1/16" on either side.

Most of the runners I have made, or rebuilt were bottom runners in larger chests, I kept those clearances pretty tight. I did some long sliding dovetails on some adjustable height legs for an outfeed table. There wasn't more than a 1/32" of play on those, probably half that. Hopefully someone with some more experience with side runners will have some advice.

[Scoly2803]

Thanks so much for the info. Really does give me what I wanted.
May think about bottom runners also.
Steve

[crokett]

I would cut your dados first, then make the runners for the drawer sides. Rip them oversize, then sneak up on a fit that is just loose enough to slide but not too loose.

[Scoly2803]

Makes sense! Thanks.
Steve

[cabinetman]

With the drawer sides being so thin, I would add to the top edge a solid wood edge that protrudes from the sides and would be the runners, and its thickness be used as a dadoe for the cabinet sides. I would allow 1/16" vertical and edge clearance.

It would follow the entire top, but only protrude on the sides, by at least 1/4". to make it more decorative, the front edge can be angled 45 deg.
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