Question on drawer slides

[Zythophile]

I've got an idea for something that drawer slides would be ideal for. But I'm not sure if drawer slides can be sourced that would suit this use.

Basically what I need are drawer slides that are lockable, but at two points. I know slides exist that when fully collapsed (what's the proper term here? Like if you have them on a cabinet drawer and the drawer is shut), they'll lock in place, and you can flip the small tabs on the ends to unlock them.

But for this design, I'd like to be able to lock them in place when pulled out to a particular distance.

Basic spitballin' measurements: the structure sitting atop the slides would be around 50 to 55", so I'd like the slides to be close to that long for the support; but I really only need that structure to pull out about 17, 18" and then lock in place. I'd be well under the weight limit for slides of that length.

By "lock when extended" I suppose it wouldn't necessarily need to be a super-firm lock; something that keeps the platform above from sliding back and forth against minor pressure/force would probably do fine, and then require a decent push to start the slide back to the put-away position.

If I can't end up sourcing slides that handle this, it's not the end of the world, there's other less elegant/more clunky ways to accomplish the goal, but I'd prefer to do it "right".

Do drawer slides like this exist? Any ideas where to source them? Thanks!

 

[tx2sturgis]

Maybe a 'lock-open' drawer slide like this would work:

https://www.mcmaster.com/drawer-slides/lock-open-drawer-slides-8/

Or a 'hold-open' variety:

https://www.mcmaster.com/drawer-slides/hold-open-drawer-slides/

Or a whole page of slides:

https://www.mcmaster.com/drawer-slides

 

[Zythophile]

Nice, thank you for those links!

I'll have to look into those. The trick that I see with those, potentially, has to do with something I neglected to mention in my above post, and didn't think about until just now; the basic plan is to lay the slides flat, so the top sliding portion is only as high above the base as the thickness of the drawer slide between. I don't know if either of those slide types would do the trick - at first glance those rails' locking features required reaching in to unlatch, which wouldn't be possible with the design I'm toying with.

But, that's got me thinking more on this; I wonder if there's a slide where you can position a piece to a chosen spot, where it has a rounded nub, and the sliding rail has a properly-positioned round cutout that would nearly fit that nub, so the rail would semi-lock in place when they met; and a good push would get the rail back over said nub and allow it to side back to a closed lockable position... Maybe the base of the slide could be cut out and small plate with such a nub be mounted on the base platform separate? And a suitable sized hole drilled in the sliding rail to match? Hmmm....

 

[tx2sturgis]

Look over the 'base mount' drawer slides...might be something there that would work.

 

[Zythophile]

I never knew there was such a variety in drawer slide designs!

 

[maki2]

There is a much easier and less expensive as well as lighter in weight solution. I use these to secure the slide out drawer for my fridge and my slide out for my toilet. The fridge has two holes, one is to lock it for travel, the second to hold the drawer slides open for easy acess when loading and unloading it. The second position. comes in handy when parked on a slight slope that makes the drawer slide want to close.

Keywords "stainless steel detent pin"

 

[Zythophile]

I had considered that sort of solution, but I don't see it working with the design I have in my head.

That said, after chatting with a friend on the topic, I think I've come upon an easy solution - plan is to use a simple slide latch, sort of like on bathroom stall doors. Just mount it pointing up instead of sideways at the top of the base platform, and put a slotted metal piece in the platform above. Pull the whole thing out, slide the latch into the slot, boom, secure! And use locking drawer slides to secure the platform when it's pushed back.