thanks for this Ray. I was reminded that I had to fix some of these. I had two that fell apart. In the first I use drywall screws to grab at the wood that had let go of the tiny screws supplied with the original hardware. I love cutting drywall screws to size, just long handled dykes. In the second the 20 year old dried mahogany doesn't look stable. I don't care about the visual of the back of the drawer. So I will be using the plastic wood to fill the holes and hopefully bind with the surrounding wood. I will drill that out, as you recommended when one wants to replace or move a hinge or lock plate. Thanks
On Sat, 23 Aug 2008, Ray Boyce wrote: > Replacing drawer slides is one of those annoying "must do's" that spring up > from time to time when the old drawer hardware wears out. The result is a > drawer that sticks-or collapses-inside or out of the cabinet, spilling its > contents all over the place. The only good thing about the replacement chore > is that it's an easy fix. > > > > > > > The only thing "extreme" about the project is how extremely simple it is. As > long as the slides are properly sized and installed level and even, you > should have the drawer back on track in practically no time. > > http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/hotprod_images/dslides1_IMGA0006.gif > > > Shown is a quick step-by-step guide on how to replace some basic wheeled > slides. In fact, the slides shown here are of the "el cheapo" variety we > grabbed at the local big box store. If you're replacing slides at home, it > may be wise to upgrade to some higher quality friction slides or even ones > that utilize ball bearings. Some slide mechanisms install on the center of > each side of the drawer, others at the bottom sides. Some even use a single > track centered at the bottom of the drawer. In any case, the replacement > procedure is basically the same. > http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/hotprod_images/dslides2_IMGA0008.gif > > Remove and Replace > First, remove the drawer by pulling it out and lifting the glides from the > guide tracks. If the hardware is only bent or misaligned, you can sometimes > bend the components back in shape with a pair of pliers. Otherwise, measure > the drawer so you can purchase the appropriately sized slides from your > supplier. In the case shown, the plastic mounting plate of the guide track > had broken. So I removed the broken hardware and opted for a full > replacement. It may help to take the old hardware to your supplier if > searching for an exact match. > > http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/hotprod_images/dslides3_IMGA0009.gif > In the case shown, the available slides were too long for the cabinet. So I > trimmed the slides with a metal-cutting chop saw, but you can also use metal > snips or a hacksaw. Once cut to size, the job is a basic remove-and-replace > process. Unscrew the existing hardware and replace with the new components. > http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/hotprod_images/dslides7_100_0787.gif > > The glides, guide tracks, mounting plates and necessary screws all came > together as a kit from the hardware store. Start with the glides, and move > on to the tracks, taking note of the locations for the replacement screws. A > cordless drill/driver makes quick work of the assembly. Instructions are > included with > the replacement kits, but the job really couldn't be more > straightforward.http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/hotprod_images/dslides5_IMGA0 > 011.gif > > Usually the guide tracks are fastened not only to the front and rear of the > cabinet case but also screwed to the side walls of the cabinets. In the case > shown, the cabinets were cheaply constructed and did not have an interior > partition wall. That factor probably contributed to the instability of the > drawer hardware and the resulting failure of the mounting plate. Adding an > interior wall to help anchor the guide tracks would probably help the > drawer's performance, but for the purposes of this article, at least the > missing wall affords a nice unobstructed camera angle at the replacement > procedure. > > http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/hotprod_images/dslides6_IMGA0016.gif > When replacing the guide tracks, use a torpedo level to make sure the slides > will travel in the same even plane, or the drawer will bind when operating. > Also take careful measurements of the mounting plates so they are > repositioned exactly in line with the slides-not too wide or too narrow, or > the drawer won't open/close properly. > With all the components in place, it's time to reposition the drawer by > sliding the wheeled slides into the guide tracks. If necessary, add a little > lubrication to make sure everything operates smoothly. > > > http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/hotprod_images/dslides11_100_0797.gif > > http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/hotprod_images/dslides12_100_0799.gif > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > >
