opinions on side-hung doors. re:FWW tools and shops bench cabinet

[EricU]

There is an article in the most recent tools and shops issue from FWW that shows a cabinet for under a work bench. It uses side-hung drawers.  I am planning on putting a cabinet under my bench.  The main thing holding be back is making sure that the bench will not rack along its length. Ok, the fact that I would have to break my workbench to do this also is holding me back. However, the right cabinet will help with the racking.  My previous experience with side hung drawers was in a machinist tool ches I built, and I'm not particularly happy with how they work.  OTOH, I now realize part of that was using red oak for the runners. 

FWW had an article about a Shaker work bench with a cabinet underneath.  I was thinking about making that, but it seems like a lot more work than the more recent cabinet.  

I suppose I should just go with full-extension ball bearing slides and be done with it.

[jteneyck]

I think he used side hung drawers because it looks nice with the shaker style cabinet front and dovetailed drawers he made.  They work fine if you get the tolerances right, and just awful if you don't.  Modern slides are much easier to install, to be sure.  But I made all of my shop cabinets with side hung drawers and they side very smoothly.  That decision was driven by the low cost - essentially zero, not aesthetics.  I used maple for the runners. 

If you want to use modern slides no one here will think less of you. 

John

[paarker]

I used ball bearing slides on my cabinet. I never had a problem with them or my bench racking but then I don't do much hand planing on my bench either.

[frigator]

I have used them several times, but use a third runner on the bottom. That keeps the drawer tracking straight and not binding. I copied the drawer design from some Stickley furniture and thats how they built them.

[AHill]

I have a Sjobergs Elite 2500 workbench.  It's almost 8 feet long.  I built a custom cabinet for it with two sets of drawers.  The cabinet sits atop the stretchers, which prevents sagging.  The carcase is BB ply.  The drawers are 1/2" ply faced with 3/4" curly maple.  I too, used ball bearing slides.  No issues at all with racking.  I have a center divider that provides the mounting points for inside drawer slides.  I'm not terribly concerned with the cabinet not being all solid wood.  I wanted a functional cabinet.  Each drawer was sized height-wise to hold certain tools.

[EricU]

thanks for the opinions.  My concern about racking is that the braces that stop  the bench from racking are wide and centered vertically on the legs.  So I really need to move at least one of them or the whole cabinet idea is pointless.

[EricU]

IMAG0832 by unterhausen, on Flickr

It's a mess right now because it's in a construction zone.  I'll probably hang clamps on the outside of the left end of the bench, and I'm thinking about making a roll-around cart that fits under the right end.