Descending Ashtray

I have been working on a couple of cabinets to help organize my art supplies a little better.

The painting cart was made entirely out of scrap plywood and particle board. With the casters it is very functional. It is also a good place to hide paints and thinners from children.

This cabinet is still in the early stages of construction. When it is done, it will have five or six drawers to store paper, matboard and anything else large and flat. The drawer is 35″ X 45”. The reason I want to show it at this stage is because it has some interesting drawers slides.

I dadoed out side rails just big enough to fit a 3/8″ steel ball. There is also a groove on the bottom of each side of the drawer that corresponds with the balls and the slides. That way the drawer stays in line when you pull it in and out. There are six balls on each side.

But when the drawer is pulled out past the midpoint, a stopper keeps the balls in back from rolling any farther. Then it is only supported by the balls in front. Even though it is not a perfectly friction free system, the drawer moves in and out with surprising ease!