I'm working on putting sliding doors on a work bench. I'll probably use
masonite (hardboard) for the doors, and just make a couple grooves in a top
and bottom rail for the doors to slide in. The doors will be a relatively
good size, 40" tall by about 48" wide.
It looks like it's just a matter of cutting grooves, cutting the masonite
to size, and drilling a few finger holes, right? Is there anything special
I should do?
Are the panels going to be too heavy to just let them slide?
Puckdropper
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Doug Houseman <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
>
> Wax - good old fashioned wax is your friend. Plastic, wood or metal
> track does not matter.
>
> good old fashioned wax blocks rubbed in the track and bottom of the
> drawer.
>
> Doug
Paste wax for lubrication was my plan the whole time. Should I be looking
for something else, though?
Puckdropper
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"Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
>
> "dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> Are you saying that *each* door is to be 40" x 48"? In that case,
>> yes, I think they would be too heavy to slide without MUCH effort.
>> Even in a plastic track. Too flimsy too.
>
> Sorry, I don't agree. I've used it frequently in the past in a plastic
> track. It's hardboard, usually in various thicknesses from 1/8" to
> 1/4". With the sizes he wants to use the weight is mostly negligible
> even in a plastic sliding track. Nevertheless, there's metal track out
> there that also works fine.
>
> The only problem I can see he might encounter is it bending or flexing
> due to sheer height and *that* may cause problems in any kind of
> track.
>
>
If need be, I could drop the height down to ~20" or so, and make two sets
of panels where there would only be one. 40" in height could be a bit
much considering the flexibility of the hardboard.
I'm not committed to the materials, other than wanting something fairly
smooth and paintable.
Puckdropper
--
On Usenet, no one can hear you laugh. That's a good thing, though, as
some writers are incorrigible.
To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm
"Puckdropper" <puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm working on putting sliding doors on a work bench. I'll probably use
> masonite (hardboard) for the doors, and just make a couple grooves in a
> top
> and bottom rail for the doors to slide in. The doors will be a relatively
> good size, 40" tall by about 48" wide.
>
> It looks like it's just a matter of cutting grooves, cutting the masonite
> to size, and drilling a few finger holes, right? Is there anything
> special
> I should do?
>
> Are the panels going to be too heavy to just let them slide?
>
You can do that. Maybe put grooves into something harder than plywood.
Or just buy some kind of track for it to run in. I know that it is quite
common for glass. Glass companies probably have this in stock. Or see what
is at a wood workers store.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2275&filter=sliding%20door%20tracks
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5237&filter=sliding%20door%20tracks
"Puckdropper" <puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote in message
> and bottom rail for the doors to slide in. The doors will be a relatively
> good size, 40" tall by about 48" wide.
> Are the panels going to be too heavy to just let them slide?
I've used sliding hardboard before. I suggest that they'd slide better if
you put them in plastic track.
Puckdropper wrote:
> I'm working on putting sliding doors on a work bench. I'll probably
> use masonite (hardboard) for the doors, and just make a couple
> grooves in a top and bottom rail for the doors to slide in. The
> doors will be a relatively good size, 40" tall by about 48" wide.
>
> It looks like it's just a matter of cutting grooves, cutting the
> masonite to size, and drilling a few finger holes, right? Is there
> anything special I should do?
>
> Are the panels going to be too heavy to just let them slide?
>
> Puckdropper
Are you saying that *each* door is to be 40" x 48"? In that case, yes, I
think they would be too heavy to slide without MUCH effort. Even in a
plastic track. Too flimsy too.
OTOH, if the 40x48 represents two doors, you might get away with it if you
wax the door edges and grooves/track. Put the finger holes or pulls low so
that you get "push" rather than "tip". If necessary, you could reduce
friction by slightly beveling the leading 1/3 of the bottom edge so it
doesn't contact the groove.
--
dadiOH
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"dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> Are you saying that *each* door is to be 40" x 48"? In that case, yes, I
> think they would be too heavy to slide without MUCH effort. Even in a
> plastic track. Too flimsy too.
Sorry, I don't agree. I've used it frequently in the past in a plastic
track. It's hardboard, usually in various thicknesses from 1/8" to 1/4".
With the sizes he wants to use the weight is mostly negligible even in a
plastic sliding track. Nevertheless, there's metal track out there that also
works fine.
The only problem I can see he might encounter is it bending or flexing due
to sheer height and *that* may cause problems in any kind of track.
In article <[email protected]>,
"Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Puckdropper" <puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote in message
> > and bottom rail for the doors to slide in. The doors will be a relatively
> > good size, 40" tall by about 48" wide.
>
> > Are the panels going to be too heavy to just let them slide?
>
> I've used sliding hardboard before. I suggest that they'd slide better if
> you put them in plastic track.
Wax - good old fashioned wax is your friend. Plastic, wood or metal
track does not matter.
good old fashioned wax blocks rubbed in the track and bottom of the
drawer.
Doug
> Wax - good old fashioned wax is your friend. Plastic, wood or metal
> track does not matter.
>
> good old fashioned wax blocks rubbed in the track and bottom of the
> drawer.
>
> Doug
Wax is great, except that it attracts and holds saw dust, which keeps
you from being able to blow-out the dust with an air nozzle.
I've found that a finely sanded/smooth surface is all you need to get
Masonite sliding against wood. If the Masonite isn't "fuzzy" on the
edges, and the grooves are sanded very smooth, it's like running in
plastic.
--
-MIKE-
"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
[email protected]
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply
On 09 Feb 2009 18:35:33 GMT, Puckdropper
<puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote:
>Doug Houseman <[email protected]> wrote in
>news:[email protected]:
>
>>
>> Wax - good old fashioned wax is your friend. Plastic, wood or metal
>> track does not matter.
>>
>> good old fashioned wax blocks rubbed in the track and bottom of the
>> drawer.
>>
>> Doug
>
>Paste wax for lubrication was my plan the whole time. Should I be looking
>for something else, though?
>
>Puckdropper
...somebody already mentioned to check glass hardware, I've done a few
glass door cabs and found a rail/wheel system that runs on tracks that
is the bomb and would work with 1/4 hardboard. Kind've pricey, but
trick. This is the outfit I deal with:
http://webservices.catalog-on-demand.com/webcatalogs/ebbrad/EBBradMaster/
(find sliding door hardware and go to aluminum track assembly). I
dunno, though...you'd have to keep the tracks clean. Considering the
size of the doors I see some binding if they bear completely on the
sliding surface, if not right away down the road as things gum-up.
Hey, you can always try the wax and then go to the tracks...I did some
cabs for a hotel out here and used the Fibre Track, I believe you need
1/2" or bigger doors for that, though, but it was sweet...
cg