Great job! Great educational props and explanation, as well! On the first prototype, you milled the groove on the first piece, then flipped it around to mill the other groove, creating a second reference edge. If you used one fence setting to mill the first groove on all three pieces, then moved the fence and milled the second grove using the same reference edge against the fence, then all grooves would align perfectly. Reducing the number of reference surfaces during a project is something that took me FOREVER to learn and I don't think I have ever finished a project to completion without forgetting this at least once. We'd all love to believe that when we mill a component to x dimension that it is truly that dimension. What I can promise you is that it is not that exact dimension The more components to the project, the more the errors accumulate, an reducing the number of reference surfaces helps reduce the cumulative error. On the bearing strips, you cut the strips first, then stacked them up and drilled the stack. If you drill the holes before cutting the strips, it may be easier in the long run. A note on cutting thin strips is to position the fence so the thin strip is to the left of the blade, and use a vacuum hose taped to the tablesaw just to the left of the blade to catch the strip before it gets damaged by the blade. A zero-clearance insert helps here too. Sorry for being critical on those two points, but I felt it was worth mentioning. Regardless, I love your ingenuity and passion to create! Liked and Subscribed.
This is an awesome and ingenious look into helping everyone think beyond their box. There's so many good principles here that can easily apply to large scale applications. Thanks for sharing this with everyone! 😊🌎❤️
Good job breaking down how the load is displaced when you’re pulling out the drawer. I’m making some drawer slides from wood and found this very helpful. Thanks.
Very instructive. The metal ones are pricey. The ball bearings are cheap from the bicycle shop. All design goes back to the elegance and simplicity of a bicycle. I hacked drawer slides for a sliding table for a table saw that allowed them to extend further than intended. Your insight was to stagger the balls- excellent
Excellent comment ! It's exactly what brings me here, I have a table saw and trying to configure a slide for the final part of the build. I have a steel set of slides but they are heavy. This design will be absolutely helpful. Thanks Thomas!
This is super neat! I’m trying to engineer something similar but where the bearings are under the drawers instead (for retrofitting some old kitchen cabinetry). Thanks for the tips!
I really enjoyed this video...just watched for a 2nd time. I'm thoroughly intrigued by homemade drawer slides, especially ones containing ball bearings...(such a strange sentence, I know.) I so thoroughly related to the feeling you communicated with the fire. Lol instant sub on the merit of that alone. fantastic entry into the world of RU-vid, bud! Can't wait to see what else you've been rolling around!
I just made drawer glides for my truck bed using unistrut and skateboard bearings. Watching this video has me rethinking that design. I'll see how long they work. Haha!
Good job and great video, I wouldn't have guessed it was your first if you hadn't said something. I had an idea to keep the cages together. You could just glue them to another thin piece of wood to make them act just like the metal ones. You would only need to create a slightly bigger rebate for them.
Amazing brother!!! This didn't seemed me your first video. I thought you have been posting these types of videos not less than 3-4 years... Perfect work brother, really appreciative talent.
Hey kid! I’m an old school MacGyver type. I like to make my own tools, hardware, whatever,,,,, when possible. I had and idea for a vertical tool drawer using either ball bearings or just bearings like you did. Kid! Get a job at NASA or something. When I was around your age I sure wasn’t reinventing the wheel. Gonna subscribe just to see what else you come up with. Keep the thinking ALIVE! 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽
Very important ! Never run your stock between the router bit and the fence!! you can do the same operation by moving the fence forward and off setting the bit clearance the same distance as before.
If I had the tools to make the grooves, I think I'd use this for the drawers I'm putting in my computer desk design. Unfortunately, I think I'll have to go with low friction tape, and very simple drawer slides. I'll put stops in to keep it from pulling out all the way. Pre-made slides were too expensive, considering I want three drawers and have a budget. I'd also like the slides to be narrower. Your design is impressive though.
Hello! awesome first video. seems you work with wood quite a lot, but I am interested in your take on this same drawer or drawer set up but using metal instead of wood. what do you think?! Looking forward to hearing back.
Hello, very nice work! I am looking for a drower sileder long as 1300mm for a 60kg load to put my tool in my van for safe keeping and to be organized, but at that length the price is over 250$, do you think I could make it cheaper and reliable? Thanks.
Hello, very nice work! I am looking for a drower sileder long as 1300mm for a 60kg load to put my tool in my van for safe keeping and to be organized, but at that length the price is over 250$, do you think I could make it cheaper and reliable? Thanks.
hmmmm, because the tracks that attach to the dovetail on the drawer are free floating, excessive load will cause those tracks to bend and then bind. I just tested mine with 40 pounds and it didn't work :/ Under 60kg I think metal is the only way to go.
@@thomasaoki748Sorry to reply 3-4 years later but would this design still work under heavy load if I didn't mind not having the extra drawer length the dovetail gives?
As another poster pointed out his drawer slides DID do what he aimed for. However, I'd like to point out that even if his slides didn't achieve his goal that doesn't signify either failure nor prevent posting his project here. Brilliance is found in accidental success drowning in failure. Also, it takes a lot of tenacity to produce one of these videos, and even more courage to post it. Your blunt negative feedback won't win you any inspiration awards.
Hey very interesting DIY ball bearing drawer slides. However those are not "Full Extension". Full extension mean the drawer can be taken out on it's entire length. With your design it still need to be in for the length of the ball cage. Full extension is twice that so probably x4 complication.
