By Eden A good drawer slider can make the difference between years and years of headaches, or convenience. You won’t be able to get enough aspirin for a lifetime unless you have the right drawer slide. What goes into a good drawer slider and how can one be chosen that meets your specific needs?
Here’s an overview to help you understand the basic concepts of drawer slides and how they can be chosen for your specific application.
The Basics
Select Lok manufactures slide bearings. These slides are equipped with lubricated bearings that move drawers or similar items in a linear fashion. They allow for easy opening and closing. The bearings are contained within metal ball retainers and fit between the members.
Two members make up a simple drawer slide: an inner drawer member that attaches the side to a box of drawers and an outer cabinet member that attaches to the cabinet’s inner walls surface. When opening a drawer one slide member (drawer), is in motion.
A more complex slide structure will consist of three members. An intermediate member is located between the drawer and cabinet members. Only the intermediate members and drawer can be moved; the cabinet member stays fixed to its position within the cabinet.
Also, slides are available in two configurations: side Mount and Undermount. Most Select Lok drawer slides side mount. They’re attached to the drawer and the cabinet structure. An under-mount slide (such as the 3135EC Eclipse) mounts in such a position that a specially designed drawer can sit on top. An under-mount slide is often used in areas where it’s desirable not to show the drawer slide components.
Ball-bearing drawer glides are also known by the names rails runners and sliders. Heavy duty drawer slides are made with thin rails that attach to both sides of the drawer. There are also plastic wheels on either side of the drawer for movement. Glides often appear on discount furniture. They are usually found in low-end furniture, but their movement is less smooth and more prone to misalignment.
Lengths Of Extensions
Select Lok slippers come in many lengths. There are many length options available, from as small as 6 in. all the way up to as large as 60in. When in closed mode, the length refers to the total length of the slide assembly.
It is also known as extension and travel. Simple slides with just two members, an outer and inner, provide 3/4 (or partially) travel. That is, the slide’s moving member travels at 3/4 or 75% of its length. The Select Lok, is a 3/4-travel slide with an 18-in. These types of slides can be found in many residential spaces, including kitchen cabinets and office furniture.
Three-member slides include two moving parts: the drawer, and the intermediate members. These components can be combined to extend the drawer slide assemblage’s entire length (100%) or further. Because they travel more than 100% of the drawer slides assembly’s length, “over-travel” slides are also known. Full-extension Slides such as the Select Lok provide easy access to contents. They are especially useful for kitchen utensil drawers and point-of-sale trays. The Select Lok slides have 1 in. This slide is great when you need additional drawer access. The drawer must be opened beyond what the cabinet’s front faces.
You also have two-way slides like the Select Lok0363 that can extend the full length of the slide in either direction. These are perfect for kitchen islands and entertainment bars that need direct access.