DIY Storage Systems-Drawer Bearings

Yep, and posts like this are a great way to get people to buy your stuff. NOT!
Regards Andrew.

God bless steel Steve, Shame it's nearly three times the weight of aluminium!

Steve,
What are your draws to suit, and where are they in the trader section, I haven't seen them, also where are you in this fine country.

Cheers RosscoH

G'day Ianw, My plan was to "Sandwich" a runner between a series of bearings therefore eliminating the possibility of the drawer jumping up and down. This will save on space as my system is only wheel arch high.
Cheers,
Heefers

Steel runner? steel bearings. I reckon it will develop a rattle. Same system with wheels slightly more bulky but definately no rattles

Not steel Ian, 20x20 aluminium square tube with a 1.5mm thick strip of rubber along the runner surfaces, same effect as the solid plastic skateboard wheels, less size.

G'day Geocacher, These bearings are made to take the weight of a human whilst carrying out acts of, what seems to the normal person, stupidity. I'm pretty sure that they can take the weight of whatever I can fit in my drawer. On the subject of price, perhaps my local bearing shop was just prepping me for a fisting.

Cheers,
Heefers

Actually you are wrong.

There are 8 bearings to each left and right boot in a set of rollerblades.

Those bearings are made to take the weight of the average person divided by 16

Assume 80kg / 16 equals 5kg.

That's without allowing for the several g in forces you can exert off road with corrugations, potholes, erosion crossovers etc.

You can use them if you want to hammer flats on the surfaces and have notchy feeling bearing runners. I really don't care.

You might be pretty sure they can take the weight of what ever you can fit in your drawers, but I'm pretty sure you're wrong.

I'd hate to see you disappointed. It's a lot of work to reengineer it later to take bigger bearings.

Surface area is everything when it comes to load carrying ability for bearings. That's why roller bearings are used for really heavy stuff.

Dave

made timber frame and draws about 280 mm high and they go in as far as the rear seats for my 80 series about 5 years ago no rollers just slides on a laminex strip, both boxes are full and slide ok , just got back from cape york no problums .[no rollers to break] safe driveing mal b

Depends what you are after I guess. I built a set of drawers based on Dave's (Geocacher's) plans. I got serious roller bearings from a bearing specialist. Like Dave sais, they use a 10mm bolt, through 3mm steel supports. Used either 20 or 24 roller bearings @ a touch over $2 each.

The advantage is the drawers roll beautifully. They are 1500mm long and roll all the way out. Only about 150mm stays in the drawer unit when fully extended and they stay rock solid and self supporting, despite the big weight I put in them.

There are cheaper ways of doing it, but I am delighted with the strength of mine.

G'day Goecacher,
Many thanks for your concern, but I don't think that there will be a problem. Yes the weight of a person is distributed by eight bearings in a skate which is why I will be utilising eight bearing each side of each drawer. As for your G force argument about corrugations, skaters don't exactly treat their skates with care and they don't seem to have any problems.
I'll post a note to let you know how I go when all is done and tested.
Cheers,
Heffers

Hi Heffers,

No problem. Good luck.

Just a couple of points for consideration before you embark.

If your jig setup for drilling bearing mounts is not perfectly setup you'll end up running on less than the 8 a side. Be very carefull about this. You could end up running on 3 a side quite easily.

There will also be a very good reason why no commercial manufacturer uses the 22mm O/D bearings for load bearing rollers on any of their drawers. They use them for side guides only.

Your call. Be interested to hear how they are going after 50000km.

Dave