Sliding Trays – Part 2

2011.12.09

Today I resawed a board to make the floor of the lower tray.  This one took about an hour.

Two halves of resawn board for lower tool chest tray floor

2011.12.11

I resawed a board to make the side runners for the lower tray, and ripped another board for the bottom runners.  The bottom runners are about 1″ x 3/4″, and the side runners are about 1/2″ thick, leaving 1/2″ on the bottom runners to support the tray.

Resawing board for lower tool chest tray side runners
Bottom runners for lower tool chest tray

2011.12.12

I decided to make some shallow rabbets in the bottom runners to help secure the side runners.  I used doublestick tape to affix a fence to guide my shoulder plane.  The rabbets are about 1/16″ deep.

I laid out and then started driving 1–1/4″ cut nails into the bottom runners.

Making shallow rabbet on bottom runner
Driving cut nails into bottom runner

When I tried to nail the runner in place, I quickly discovered that the nails were not long enough to securely hold the runners to the sides of the tool chest.  The 2″ nails I have would be too long.  As I thought about the other runners, I realized I didn’t have the various lengths I would need.  Not wanting to wait for an order from Tremont Nail, I decided to use screws instead.

Cut nails are too short to hold the runners
Countersunk brass screws in bottom runner

I crosscut two scraps of pine to set the position of the bottom runners above the floor of the tool chest.  I tried using a long warped scrap to hold the runner tight against the side, but it didn’t really work very well.  So I ended up crawling inside the tool chest, bracing my back against the opposite side, and using my foot to push the runner towards the side I was screwing into.

With the bottom runners in place, I set the side runners into the rabbets, just loose for now.

Screwing bottom runner into tool chest
Bottom runner in place, side runner sitting loose in rabbet