Expert: Jamie Yocono - 6/1/2009

Question
QUESTION: Jamie,

I just purchased a 7-drawer dresser from the Stanley Young America Summerhaven collection.  One drawer seems to be off its track; after I pull it out about halfway, it then tips forward.  I'm having difficulty removing the drawer due to the drawer stops.  Just called Stanley and they said to pull the drawer out as far as it goes, and then give it a good tug and it will release.  I'm not home right now to try it, but does this sound like the right advice?  Do you know if this collection has a specific way to release the drawer?  The drawers are not on rollers.

Thanks,
Mark

ANSWER: Mark,

Although I am unfamiliar with the specific Stanley Young America Summerhaven collection, it really doesn't sound right that you would just yank on the drawer to remove it. Since you mentioned it's not a roller drawer slide, I am assuming it's a ball bearing one, right? Almost every ball bearing slide I've work with has some sort of clip or button that you activate to remove the slide.

A few questions - if the slide is zinc (silver colored), many times the button or clip is black plastic. Not always, but it's common. I would look at the slide closely, looking for any little black button or odd shaped lever or button that can be pressed or raised. It really depends on the make of the glide. Activate the button (or raise the clip up) and it separates the drawer from the slide itself.

If you don't see anything, notice how the drawer part of the slide attached to the box part of the slide. Do they lay on top of each other? Slip into each other at the rear? How they lock together will determine how they come apart. What is the extension of the drawer itself? Full extension? Three-quarters? Over travel? Once again, how much the drawer travels from the dresser box might help you figure this out.

Last thing - if all else fails, take a picture and send it to me through this site. You probably want to shoot the back part of the slide, maybe the last 5" or so closest to the box, which is probably (but not always!) where the button or tab will be located. If there are any manufacturer stamps or markings on the slide, that would help a lot, too. You could also look at a few manufacturer's websites, to see if your slide looks like something they have there. I'm just guessing, but I would look at Knape/Vogt's site (http://www.knapeandvogt.com/Drawer_Slides.html?page=products.1) or Accuride's site (http://www.accuride.com/Woodworking/Slide/Default.asp) for some pictures.

Good luck, write back if you don't figure it out and I'll be glad to help by looking at that picture you send. It's probably something very simple that you're just not "seeing", but it's there.


Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com
My woodworking blog: www.wooditis.blogspot.com




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for these tips Jamie.  Here's a link I pulled from the Young America website; I believe the Rite-Trak Standard Model is the one in my furniture.  Are you familiar with it?  (http://www.handykenlin.com/kenlin/k_drawer.html)    I'm able to pull the drawer just about all the way out, but then it tips forward slightly as if it's come off the track.  I had a similar problem with a drawer in a Thomasville piece about a decade ago, and I ordered and replaced the hardware myself.  But I just can't seem to get this drawer to come out.  I agree with you that there's probably a button or trick to releasing the drawer from the guide.

Thanks again,
Mark

Answer
Mark,

I took a look at that website you supplied. It looks like there is some part of the drawer slide attached to the bottom on your drawer. Sometimes you can climb under the drawer and unscrew that part, thus separating the drawer from the dresser. Sometimes, doing that will let you see a little more clearly how the drawer member of the slide connects into the cabinet member.

The link showed a center mounted slide, and often, when a drawer is pulled all the way out, there is some mechanism that interlocks the two parts together. From their picture, it looks like there might be something like that, and what you've written about the drawer tipping slightly forward backs up that thought. You mentioned no roller wheel, but is there a clip or toggle on the underside of the slide, under the drawer?

I'm about out of suggestions, and without a picture of your actual slide, I probably can't help much more. Honestly, once you discover it, you're going to slap your head and say "doh!"

Keep looking, I'm sure you'll figure it out.

Good luck,

Jamie in Vegas