Posted: 6/10/2024 9:35:14 AM EDT
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I will treat this sub as 'wood 101' until someone directs me elsewhere online ... I have an old wooden dresser with wooden drawers. I need to replace undermount center wooden drawer slides. What category of work is this (carpentry or woodworking or detail work or other) and where do I learn basics? |
Lots of youtube videos on the subject. I just searched "replacing wooden drawer slides" and had results with Lots of different types of drawers and methods of repairing them. Then again, I'm only an amateur at woodworking. I've learned most of what little I know from watching videos and just making stuff. 
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Originally Posted By EBR-Okie: Lots of youtube videos on the subject. I just searched "replacing wooden drawer slides" and had results with Lots of different types of drawers and methods of repairing them. Then again, I'm only an amateur at woodworking. I've learned most of what little I know from watching videos and just making stuff. Thx |
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Originally Posted By This_Is_Necessary: Is it a wood slider or metal rail with a plastic guide? By slider do you mean the piece attached to the dresser or piece attached to the under side of the drawer? Asking to learn vernacular. The dresser 'half' is a piece of wood. The under side of the drawer 'half' is a piece of plastic (molded in the 1970s which has broken and been glued repeatedly). Will update this post with pics in a bit. |
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Either way, there are options available to fix your drawer. You can try to find a matching part, or retrofit with a new slider design. Plenty of options out there and the prices are pretty reasonable. Just google “dresser drawer slide parts” and look for something that either matches your broken parts, or you feel comfortable installing yourself.  |
Originally Posted By LaRue_Tactical
I am shocked and amazed each day I wake to find electricity and the internet still working.
I am shocked and amazed each day I wake to find electricity and the internet still working.
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Originally Posted By This_Is_Necessary: Is yours something like this? https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/67450/IMG_2473-3238015.jpg @This_Is_Necessary Yes. Here is mine upside down with the broken piece laying adjacent to its proper location: Attached File Here is the 'hole' in case it matters: Attached File I think I can buy slides and modify them; follow-up question - how do I add a 'stop' to prevent the drawer from sliding straight out? |
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I don’t know what your level of woodworking / tool handling experience is, but something like this would be an easy fix. You’ll need to measure your drawer from front to back. Amazon Link Here is another option. Amazon Link As far as stopping the drawer from being pulled out to far, here is an option. You can mount these where you want the drawer to stop at. Amazon Link Hopefully some of this will help. |
Originally Posted By LaRue_Tactical
I am shocked and amazed each day I wake to find electricity and the internet still working.
I am shocked and amazed each day I wake to find electricity and the internet still working.
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Originally Posted By ropwoo: Not sure from the pictures, but it seems you should be able to repair and reattach the original piece? I have an entire set (15 drawers) and the cheap plastic manufactured in the 1970s has been repaired multiple times. A good idea but unlikely to work. |
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Originally Posted By This_Is_Necessary: I don’t know what your level of woodworking / tool handling experience is, but something like this would be an easy fix. You’ll need to measure your drawer from front to back. Amazon Link Here is another option. Amazon Link As far as stopping the drawer from being pulled out to far, here is an option. You can mount these where you want the drawer to stop at. Amazon Link Hopefully some of this will help. Thx for the links. I hadn't found the metal option and those might work. The 'stop' is a good find. I hadn't thought about drawer close stops installed backwards. Good idea! |
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Originally Posted By JQ66: OP should see if there is a Rockler woodworking store close by. They have lots of drawer and cabinet hardware Tag - will update in a bit ETA: the backstory ... I tried to source Rockler parts about 2 yrs ago and it was chaos ... local inventory was wrong when I called multiple locations then drove 35miles ... online orders billed me then were delayed for weeks and ultimately 'sold out' ... not a good experience |
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Originally Posted By This_Is_Necessary: I don’t know what your level of woodworking / tool handling experience is, but something like this would be an easy fix. You’ll need to measure your drawer from front to back. Amazon Link Here is another option. Amazon Link As far as stopping the drawer from being pulled out to far, here is an option. You can mount these where you want the drawer to stop at. Amazon Link Hopefully some of this will help. @This_Is_Necessary - Does wood glue adhere better via density or surface area? Example - If I want to glue a 2" piece of slide to the underside of a drawer, do I run a 'bead' which is .5" wide by .25" thick down the center of the slide, or do I spread glue 2.1" wide along the 'route' on the drawer? |
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@This_Is_Necessary I need help attaching the slide to the drawer ... Per the pics below, the original plastic slide has a bit of plastic to attach it to the backside of the front of the drawer (90° relative to the slide and/or parallel to the backside of the front of the drawer), but the wooden replacement does not have this feature. Attached File Attached File Do I need to modify the wooden slide to secure it to the front of the drawer, or will a sufficient quantity of wood glue suffice? |
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Originally Posted By Aaron56: Exactly... And would be the easiest way forward.  Originally Posted By Aaron56: Originally Posted By ropwoo: Not sure from the pictures, but it seems you should be able to repair and reattach the original piece? Exactly... And would be the easiest way forward. Again ... plastic which has broken and been repaired and/or is beyond repair. I'm actually impressed that 1970s plastic lasted this long under constant abuse. |
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Originally Posted By sendit14: @This_Is_Necessary I need help attaching the slide to the drawer ... Per the pics below, the original plastic slide has a bit of plastic to attach it to the backside of the front of the drawer (90° relative to the slide and/or parallel to the backside of the front of the drawer), but the wooden replacement does not have this feature. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/403935/1000002748_jpg-3241021.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/403935/1000002750_jpg-3241022.JPG Do I need to modify the wooden slide to secure it to the front of the drawer, or will a sufficient quantity of wood glue suffice? Sorry, work has been busy, I haven’t had a chance to get back in here and answer your questions. As far as glue, if you are gluing two surfaces together, spread the glue on both pieces evenly, cover the whole end of the new rail, and match that of the back panel. Doesn’t have to be overly thick, just a good coat of both pieces. There should be enough glue so that when you clamp / screw the pieces together, a little bit of glue squeezes out all the way around. Do you have a clamp long enough to go from the front of the drawer to the back of the drawer? Something like this: 24” BAR CLAMP ON Amazon Bar clamps come in all lengths, if you don’t expect to use it very often, something like the one I linked above would be fine. Just get one long enough to span your drawer. If I understand it, you are able to attach the new slide to the front of the drawer, buy no way to attach the new slide to the rear of the drawer. Is the new slide the exact length you need to fit in between the front and the back of the two panels, or is there a small gap? Reason I ask, if the new slide doesn’t fit up against the back, then you’ll need to add a small piece of wood in there to fill that gap. Either way, attach the new slide to the front of the drawer, then apply glue to both pieces being glued at the rear (or all three pieces if you’re having to add a small spacer), then attach the bar clamp and tighten it up till you get a little bit of glue seep out. Before putting any glue on, you can put some masking tape around the area where you are gluing, to make clean up easier when the glue seeps out. If you do have to add a spacer, you’ll want everything to be snug, but you don’t want to push / bow the front or rear panels out, you also don’t want there to be any gap, otherwise when you put the clamp on, you’ll bow the one or both of the sides in and may break something else. (If the gap from front to back is 23-3/4”, you’ll want the slide to be the same length, if not, then add a spacer as needed. The spacer should be at least the same height and width as the new slide, or slightly larger each way, but not so big that it sticks up past the lip of the rear panel). You could also add some glue between the top of the rail and the bottom of the drawer. Just find something tall enough to set the drawer on (upside down) so that the sides of the drawer are off the ground, put some glue on the top of the new slide, attach the front and rear and then put something heavy of the bottom of the new rail (dumbbell, ammo can full of ammo, etc.) just something heavy enough to press the new slide and the drawer together. If you’re using wood glue, let that sit for 24 hours and you should be good. If you have a drill, you could use a couple screws going from the outside of the rear panel, into the new rail. Just make sure pre-drill the holes and use the right size screws. You don’t want to split the new rail. I apologize if I’m over explaining this, but I don’t know your level of experience with stuff like this. I’ve never fixed a broken drawer, but I have built a couple night stands that had drawers and fixed more broken stuff than I can remember. I’ve been working with wood as a hobby for almost 40 years now. |
Originally Posted By LaRue_Tactical
I am shocked and amazed each day I wake to find electricity and the internet still working.
I am shocked and amazed each day I wake to find electricity and the internet still working.
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Originally Posted By This_Is_Necessary: Sorry, work has been busy, I haven’t had a chance to get back in here and answer your questions. As far as glue, if you are gluing two surfaces together, spread the glue on both pieces evenly, cover the whole end of the new rail, and match that of the back panel. Doesn’t have to be overly thick, just a good coat of both pieces. There should be enough glue so that when you clamp / screw the pieces together, a little bit of glue squeezes out all the way around. Do you have a clamp long enough to go from the front of the drawer to the back of the drawer? Something like this: 24” BAR CLAMP ON Amazon Bar clamps come in all lengths, if you don’t expect to use it very often, something like the one I linked above would be fine. Just get one long enough to span your drawer. If I understand it, you are able to attach the new slide to the front of the drawer, buy no way to attach the new slide to the rear of the drawer. Is the new slide the exact length you need to fit in between the front and the back of the two panels, or is there a small gap? Reason I ask, if the new slide doesn’t fit up against the back, then you’ll need to add a small piece of wood in there to fill that gap. Either way, attach the new slide to the front of the drawer, then apply glue to both pieces being glued at the rear (or all three pieces if you’re having to add a small spacer), then attach the bar clamp and tighten it up till you get a little bit of glue seep out. Before putting any glue on, you can put some masking tape around the area where you are gluing, to make clean up easier when the glue seeps out. If you do have to add a spacer, you’ll want everything to be snug, but you don’t want to push / bow the front or rear panels out, you also don’t want there to be any gap, otherwise when you put the clamp on, you’ll bow the one or both of the sides in and may break something else. (If the gap from front to back is 23-3/4”, you’ll want the slide to be the same length, if not, then add a spacer as needed. The spacer should be at least the same height and width as the new slide, or slightly larger each way, but not so big that it sticks up past the lip of the rear panel). You could also add some glue between the top of the rail and the bottom of the drawer. Just find something tall enough to set the drawer on (upside down) so that the sides of the drawer are off the ground, put some glue on the top of the new slide, attach the front and rear and then put something heavy of the bottom of the new rail (dumbbell, ammo can full of ammo, etc.) just something heavy enough to press the new slide and the drawer together. If you’re using wood glue, let that sit for 24 hours and you should be good. If you have a drill, you could use a couple screws going from the outside of the rear panel, into the new rail. Just make sure pre-drill the holes and use the right size screws. You don’t want to split the new rail. I apologize if I’m over explaining this, but I don’t know your level of experience with stuff like this. I’ve never fixed a broken drawer, but I have built a couple night stands that had drawers and fixed more broken stuff than I can remember. I’ve been working with wood as a hobby for almost 40 years now. Awesome post. Thanks for all the detail. |
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Originally Posted By Aaron56: Originally Posted By sendit14: Again ... plastic which has broken and been repaired and/or is beyond repair. I'm actually impressed that 1970s plastic lasted this long under constant abuse. I saw and looked at your pictures.  https://i.imgur.com/L5ew79M.jpg Attached File |
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Since I live in Texas, and my metal building shop isn’t insulated, I know my wood glue is bad when it’s hard as rock lol. I’m careful about putting the lid back on tight, but that heat still does a number on it. A few years ago I started storing my wood glue inside the house in the laundry room. Unless your glue is REALLY old, it should be good. For this project you shouldn’t need a whole lot of glue. A small bottle will be good. |
Originally Posted By LaRue_Tactical
I am shocked and amazed each day I wake to find electricity and the internet still working.
I am shocked and amazed each day I wake to find electricity and the internet still working.
|
To help strengthen the connection you could drive a screw from the back of the drawer into the slide. For that I would use a small pocket screw. Pre-drill the back of the drawer so the screw threads will fit through and pre-drill the slide with a bit the diameter of the screw shank. EBR |
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Originally Posted By sendit14: How do I know if wood glue is bad? No expiration on container Before you try to glue anything you might want to test secure / fit the pieces to make sure that everything is lined up and functioning the way you want. Since you don't really have 'adjustable' guides - You really want to double check that everything is exactly where you want it before you start using any sort of glue to make it permanent. |
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Originally Posted By This_Is_Necessary: Since I live in Texas, and my metal building shop isn’t insulated, I know my wood glue is bad when it’s hard as rock lol. I’m careful about putting the lid back on tight, but that heat still does a number on it. A few years ago I started storing my wood glue inside the house in the laundry room. Unless your glue is REALLY old, it should be good. For this project you shouldn’t need a whole lot of glue. A small bottle will be good. Thanks. |
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Originally Posted By EBR666: To help strengthen the connection you could drive a screw from the back of the drawer into the slide. For that I would use a small pocket screw. Pre-drill the back of the drawer so the screw threads will fit through and pre-drill the slide with a bit the diameter of the screw shank. EBR This is funny - I borrowed a pocket hole jig and tried to plan/measure/prep for this but the tolerances are too small (perhaps for the jig I borrowed, but definitely for the skills I possess). So your post motivated me to find some tiny screws I had laying around and simply screw them into the back of the drawer front. |
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Originally Posted By Aaron56: Before you try to glue anything you might want to test secure / fit the pieces to make sure that everything is lined up and functioning the way you want. Since you don't really have 'adjustable' guides - You really want to double check that everything is exactly where you want it before you start using any sort of glue to make it permanent. Originally Posted By Aaron56: Originally Posted By sendit14: How do I know if wood glue is bad? No expiration on container Before you try to glue anything you might want to test secure / fit the pieces to make sure that everything is lined up and functioning the way you want. Since you don't really have 'adjustable' guides - You really want to double check that everything is exactly where you want it before you start using any sort of glue to make it permanent. Good tip. This also helped me identify that there is ~.25" space laterally which I didn't solve for. My first test was a crooked drawer 🤣 |