Cabinet Building

[maki2]

Pull out base for a toilet.  When I was making a decision about how to move my toilet in and out of a cabinet I did think of using metal slides. However the cost of a full extension slide that could handle the weight was very pricey. The second issue with those slides is they are very heavy because they do need to be substantial in size and materials. So I let go of that concept.

But I still wanted something easy to move in and out of a cabinet. I need to put small diameter wheels under it. I am not a tall woman and the size of portable toilet I had is not a short one. Plus at some point in time I may switch to a compost system and even a 5 gallon bucket is fairly tall as are most of the commercial composting toilets. So small diameter wheels were essential. Then there is still the need for substantial load bearing ability from the wheels. I also had one more criteria in mind, I wanted it to roll in and out in a straight line with no deviation to make it easy to guide back into the same location it came out of.  Drawer glides have a real advantage there over a wheeled base. Searching for those criteria I did not immediately see anything online so I delved into the in-my-head catalog of types of rolling wheels I had used and seen over the years. Fortunately that worked out. The answer to super strong, in-line wheels that are low in height was the ones made to put under refrigerators so they can be moved away from the wall to clean under and behind them. My local hardware store did have a set of them which was great because they are not a common item now that most fridges come with wheels built into them.


I did need to trim down the length of the adjustable brackets with a metal cutting saw. I had to drill holes for the bolts to secure the fridge wheel set to pieces of aluminum angle so that I could mount them to a plywood base. On the top side I have installed the quick release hold down brackets that came with my portable marine toilet. The black square in the middle is a thin piece of closed cell EVA foam, they sell it at craft stores. The hold down brackets were just a little sloppy so I used that thin foam as a compressible, cushioning spacer to take up the slack and get rid of the rattle.

 

[VanTalk00]

Seems like this is turning into a "working with aluminum" thread.

Along this line, maki2, what is your experience with aluminum bar, channel, or angle pieces expanding in the sun?  I'm looking closely at my aluminum rack and how it will fit around my pv panel.  Since I want to be able to slide the panel in and out, I want some clearance, but I also don't want it rattling around in there too much.  

I've heard of some silicon-type tape you can put in the channel to facilitate something sliding over it.  Do you know what it is?

Once again, thanks.

Jim

 

[VanTalk00]

Along this line, maki2, what is your experience with aluminum bar, channel, or angle pieces expanding in the sun?  I'm looking closely at my aluminum rack and how it will fit around my pv panel.  Since I want to be able to slide the panel in and out, I want some clearance, but I also don't want it rattling around in there too much.  

Did some research on this.  Over 50 degrees C my 67 inch 6063 rail will expand about 1/16 of an inch.  So from 32 degrees F to  122 degrees F, it will expand 1/16 inch.  Doesn't seem like much.  At least now I know not to add too much slop for thermal expansion.

 

[maki2]

Could be the tape you are thinking of is the stuff they put in cabinets to make the drawers slide easier. It is just called drawer tape, you buy rolls of it from online or stores such as Rockler or Woodcraft. It is UHMW, the same stuff they use to put on the face on tablesaw fences to make them more slippery.

There are several lubricating plastics, two that I use are Delrin which is a brand name of Acetal and UHMW. We work with black colored Delrin quite often because it is strong, machines nicely, is UV resistant and mostly because it can be cut with the laser. However gluing them in place is tricky as they have non stick properties. So you either have to use a special primer or the easier way is just to buy it in stick on tape form. In your roof top situation you need to pay attention to temperature ratings for the adhesive they use on the tape. The plastics are not an issue, they will hold up to the heat. But it is not always necessary to line the whole track with the plastic, you can just put some at the front, middle and back so that you have the inside piece guided but not fully engaged. That would mean giving the leading edges of those guides a slight radius so the piece you are sliding does not get hung up on a sharp corner.

I have some big slabs of black UHMW lying outside by the shop door. The washed up on the beach. They got knocked off the walls of the Locks by a ship during some type of an incident. The lock keepers did not want them back so we kept them. If you were nearby I would give you one of those slabs, I will never need all of it. Image of the neighborhood I am doing the build in. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balla...ip_canal,_Hiram_M._Chittenden_Locks,_1995.jpg

But in the long run try to remember that aluminum is somewhat a self lubricating metal. It could be that just adding some wax to the surface a few times a year will be sufficiently slippery.

 

[B and C]

Bar soap has been the go to for drawer slides in the past. If you are going to use wax, I suggest a stick of paraffin wax.

https://www.amazon.com/Paraffin-Household-Gulf-Wax-Pack/dp/B00D8N3NT6

Now everything is roller slides it seems.

 

[maki2]

He wants to lubricate a roof top rack that has sliding parts. Bar soap would just wash away in the rain.

 

[B and C]

Doh. Forgot this slide was outside. This ol brain ain't what it used to be. Still a good use of an old bar of soap on inside stuff though.