Now that mixer is really easy to reach!

This project requires very precise measuring and cutting, to the millimetre, but all the cuts are 90° and best made with a circular cut-off saw.

Most Mica stores offer a cutting service so it can save you a lot of time and trouble if you get your cutting – particularly the drawer base – done there. However, there is one caveat. Once it is cut, you own it – so make VERY certain of your measurements and only then have the base cut. The front, back and sides of the drawer are much easier so you can do those cuts yourself without any hassle if you wish.

There is just the one drawer in this case, and it has been designed to take quite heavy loads and with that in mind, the sliders are 500mm long, but this time rated to bear a load of 45kg.

It is also much deeper than the trays featured in the earlier project as it is intended to hold bottles – and no one wants them falling out and smashing.

Note also that this project is ideal for a linen cupboard or in fact for just about any other deep cupboard or cabinet, whatever its purpose.

We have not gone into very great depth regarding some aspects of the construction, such as the cutting etc of the aluminium supports, as this would simply repeat the same information. You can always refer to the kitchen cabinet trays feature if in doubt.

I have not gone into great depth regarding the sizes of the trays, because your cupboards’ dimensions may differ. There are two measurements that are crucial, however:

• The sliders used in this project, plus the aluminium supports and 16mm chipboard sides have a total width of 31mm. in this case it means the drawer is 706mm wide – the cupboard itself inner width is 770mm, giving 1mm play on each side (770-706=64mm… 64÷2=32mm). It is essential that the slider runners are able to move smoothly in their channels.
• The cupboard in 555mm deep, so the base was cut to 520mm – with gives sufficient room for the drawer to be fully seated and the cupboard doors closed in front of the drawer handle.

Materials:

• BisonBord^®
  • One 16x555mm wide – one length 706mm long and trimmed to 520mm deep
  • Two slider base mounts – 16x75x500mm
• SA pine:
  • 22xx706mm – drawer front
  • 22x96x706mm – drawer back
  • 12x96x480mm – drawer sides (cut to fit between drawer front and back)
  • 22x22x96mm – corner fillet – four lengths (to reinforce drawer corners)
• Handle – one brushed satin
• Ball bearing slides (zinc finish) – four 500mm sets. Maximum weight bearing should not exceed 45kg
• Four 16mm pan head or CSK screws to temporarily attach the slider bases to slider mounts
• 40mm drywall screws – 28 to attach back and sides to drawer base (14 each, front and back)
• Ten 8x30mm chipboard screws to attach outer (left-hand) slider mount to cupboard side
• Ten 8x40mm chipboard screws to attach inner (right-hand) slider mount to cupboard side
• Ten 6x40mm chipboard screws to attach the slider sliding sections to the drawers – five screws per side
• Aluminium 19x19x1.5mm extrusion – two lengths of 500mm
• Wood glue
• Finish of your choice – I used high-gloss white enamel for the drawer front

Method:

Load More Loading More… You’ve reached the end of the list

1. The cupboard before the addition of the drawer… used for storing mixers, some giggle water, and larger items more easily retrieved from the depth of the cupboard than would be smaller items.
2. This shows the difference between the 25kg capacity slider (left) and the 45kg capacity version (right). Both are the same depth, but the 45kg version has a much deeper profile, as you can see (35mm as opposed to 45mm). Given that this drawer would be used for storing mixers and other heavier bottles etc, the larger, greater load-bearing slider was the way to go.
3. I clamped a length of 22x44mm offcut to the edge of the slider base mount, held a slider firmly against it and used a piece of scrap wood 12mm thick to mark my slider base mount attachment screws line.
4. I used a countersink pilot drill bit to drill five attachment screw holes in the slider base mount. Three biased towards the rear of the base mount and two towards what would be the front.
5. The holes are countersunk just enough to allow the screw heads to sit flush with the surrounding surface.
6. I repeated the process on the other slider base mount. This shows the two, and how three of the attachment screws are biased towards what will be the rear of the mount.
7. Now for tidying up the cut edges of the slider base mounts that would be visible. One can use self-adhesive tape – applied with a clothes iron (or edging tape to which you apply contact adhesive) – or, as in this case, filler. Naturally, you will do this only for the surfaces that will be visible.
8. Here both top edges have been filled.
9. Once the filler is completely dry, lightly sand it flat.
10. Then I painted all the exposed surfaces.
11. I confirmed the slider base mount would fit in snugly behind the cupboard door hinge, when fully against the back of the cupboard; trim the rear end of the mount if necessary, but ensure that both are exactly the same length when the job it done. This is to ensure that the sliders themselves are in perfect alignment.
12. I checked, yet again, with the slider base mount and slider held against it, that the sliding section would clear the hinge without any issues.
13. Then I attached the slider base to its slider base mount. First I aligned the rear end of the slider base with the very end of the slider base mount.
14. And lightly attached it using two 16mm screws – one at the front, the other at the rear. These 16mm screws are simply there to lock the slider base in position, prior to driving in the final 30mm attachment screws.
15. I drove in a second 16mm screw towards the front of the slider base, and then drilled 2mm pilot holes in the centres of the attachment holes I would be using for screws to finally attach the slider in position.
16. It is important that there be no debris from the drilling operation getting into the slider’s ‘works’ so I used a blower to expel even the tiniest particles.
17. To make things easier, I lightly drove each attachment screw into its pilot hole in the slider base mount.
18. This shows the inner (right-hand) slider attached to cupboard side. I positioned it against the cupboard side, and drove in the five 8x40mm chipboard attachment screws. I followed that up by driving in first of the slider 40mm attachment screws – front and back to lock the slider base in place, then removed the two 16mm temporary screws, and replaced them with their final 40mm screws. CAUTIONARY NOTE: This slider mount attachment is to the inner, right-hand cupboard side, which is a double side, directly against the side of the broom cupboard on the further right – so 40mm screws can be used here without any problem. BUT NOT ON THE LEFT-HAND side, as this is a single cupboard side and the tips of 40mm would protrude on the outside of the cupboard – unsightly and also liable to cause injury. So 30mm screws are used on that side. The long screws pass through the slider supports and slider base and into the cupboard sides themselves for greater strength as the turning moment when drawer is loaded and fully extended needs strong support. In short, the slider base is attached not only to the slider mount, but also to the cupboard side.
19. Now for the drawer. I used 28 40mm screws to attach the drawer front and back to the base, taking great care to ensure that the edges are all flush and the screws are driving in down the centreline of the 22mm SA pine timber. I used so many screws (outer ones 30mm in from the ends and the rest spaced at approximately 50mm intervals) to ensure that the base is fully supported and unable to flex at all under the weight of the drawer’s contents.
20. I positioned the handle at the centre of the drawer, and 22mm down from the top. This ensures that it is easily reached with minimum bending of some very croaky – and creaky – oldsters.
21. Then I cut and fitted the drawer sides, using a square to ensure that they were perpendicular.
22. And reinforced the glued joins with glued-in 22x22x96mm corner fillets.
23. The completed drawer, ready for the slider attachment.
24. In passing, I reinforced the corner joints further by driving in 40mm panel pins, three per join, countersinking them with a punch and then filling the holes and sanding flat once the filler was dry.
25. As with the drawer trays featured in the earlier project, I cut two lengths of 19x19x1.5mm aluminium angle 500mm long to support the drawer on the slider runners.
26. I used 6x40mm chipboard screws to attach the slider runners to the drawers – five screws per side.
27. First, I used a block to ensure the rear of the slider runners was flush with the back of the cupboard.
28. This means that there is an overhang at the front of the cupboard.
29. I drove in the screws, as shown here, two at the back, two at the midpoint – shown here – and the fifth single one at the front. This ensures the slider runners are very firmly attached to the drawer. Visible on the left is the stop/release lever that stops the drawer being pulled right out, but when flexed upwards one’s finger, allows the slider runner to be fully withdrawn for fitting.
30. As the edges of the front of the drawer would be visible, I filled them, first using masking tape to ensure sharp edges.
31. I filled the exposed end of the chipboard base.
32. Once the filler had dried, I carefully sanded it smooth – taking care not to damage the edge of the masking tape and then applied three coats of paint, before removing the masking tape. And this is the result… rather neat, even if I say so myself.
33. The drawer before loading. Of course one loses some of the full depth and breadth of the original cupboard base, but you gain a great deal in convenience and access, since whatever is in the depths of the cupboard is now brought forward for easy access.
34. Stepped out for easy access.
35. And here it is, partially loaded with mixers, giggle water, and even some tinned dog food for good luck – or possibly a subtle reminder from The Boss that if I over-imbibe, I would be in the dog box.

Panel:

These materials are available at Selected Mica Stores. To find your closest Mica and whether or not they stock the items required, please go to www.mica.co.za, find your store and call them. If your local Mica does not stock exactly what you need they will be able to order it for you or suggest an alternative product or a reputable source.

Project guide

TIME: 3 working days

COST: R200-R300 (this is for a single drawer, as featured here; obviously if you install more, then your costs will go up)

Skill: 3 (all the cuts are at 90° or 45°, but it is vital that the width of the trays is precise – to the millimetre so that they move freely on their sliders without any binding)

Tools required:

Circular cut-off saw, hacksaw, cordless drill/driver, sander.