Want to mount drawer slides underneath drawer/shelf - any issues I should anticipate?

[sams93]

I am making a heavy duty shelf to mount my mitre saw on, it needs to be able to be pulled forwards and then lock out in the extended position for use.

The pull out 'sliding shelf' will be 18mm birch ply approx 40cm deep by 60cm wide, and will be fixed to a worktop.

I was originally thinking that I would have to build two sides onto the worktop to stand proud, then mount the shelf from the side to that, using drawer runners attached to the sides in the same way one would fit them in a unit.

This morning I wondered - could I fix the same drawer slides simply to the underside of the drawers (say 100mm in from either end).

Obviously the weight loading direction on the runners will change if I do this, so I wondered if it would work.

Thanks in advance

Sam

 

[Jacob]

I am making a heavy duty shelf to mount my mitre saw on, it needs to be able to be pulled forwards and then lock out in the extended position for use.

The pull out 'sliding shelf' will be 18mm birch ply approx 40cm deep by 60cm wide, and will be fixed to a worktop.

I was originally thinking that I would have to build two sides onto the worktop to stand proud, then mount the shelf from the side to that, using drawer runners attached to the sides in the same way one would fit them in a unit.

This morning I wondered - could I fix the same drawer slides simply to the underside of the drawers (say 100mm in from either end).

Obviously the weight loading direction on the runners will change if I do this, so I wondered if it would work.

Thanks in advance

Sam

Plenty of designs around for extending tables. Simplest could be swing out hinged brackets, or a full height "gate leg" brackets.

 

[Doug71]

I did exactly this on a pull out shelf under my microwave. It's okay for standing a bowl of baked beans on while you stir them but that's about all, certainly not a mitre saw. Used on their flat the load bearing of the runners is greatly reduced, there might be something else available that will do the job but the normal double extension type runners aren't up to it.

 

[sams93]

I did exactly this on a pull out shelf under my microwave. It's okay for standing a bowl of baked beans on while you stir them but that's about all, certainly not a mitre saw. Used on their flat the load bearing of the runners is greatly reduced, there might be something else available that will do the job but the normal double extension type runners aren't up to it.


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That’s really helpful to know - exactly what I was thinking about doing so unless I can find something that is rated to a decent weight for use in that way then I will have to stick with the normal method of mounting them.

 

[Jacob]

I did exactly this on a pull out shelf under my microwave. It's okay for standing a bowl of baked beans on while you stir them but that's about all, certainly not a mitre saw. Used on their flat the load bearing of the runners is greatly reduced, there might be something else available that will do the job but the normal double extension type runners aren't up to it.


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Reminds me - I've got a similar sized cupboard with two doors below, which open out and support the drop down horizontally hinged top door. It's antique and probably intended to hold a sewing machine or something. Neat design, sturdy but with no runners, brackets etc.

 

[Setch]

IIRC when I looked into doing similar a few years back, the tech sheets which specifically addressed this usage started the load capacity was reduced by two thirds. This was a deal breaker for me, it may not be for you.

 

[Myfordman]

Just make a drawer with a shallow front to allow the mitre angle lever to function and with sides nearly as high as table height. Will take little more room than a shelf but be much stronger and allow drawer runners to be used as designed. Such a drawer could well be used as part of an underside dust extraction scheme too.

 

[sams93]

Yes this was my original plan, which it sounds like I will have to return to!

Plan is to make a shelf from 18mm ply with some very short sides that I can attach the drawer slides to. On the worktop I will add two blocks to attach the other part of the slides to.

I hadn't considered whether to add a short front but I suppose it would add strength. Alternatively I could just use the 18mm as it is if it's strong enough, or could laminate two 12mm ply pieces and maybe that would be rigid enough.

Just make a drawer with a shallow front to allow the mitre angle lever to function and with sides nearly as high as table height. Will take little more room than a shelf but be much stronger and allow drawer runners to be used as designed. Such a drawer could well be used as part of an underside dust extraction scheme too.