Drawer slides for a CPU - metal or wooden?

[radhak]

For the computer desk I'm building, I want to keep the CPU on a slide-out drawer-like tray. My sketchup drawing below.

The CPU is around 19" high, and 8" wide (and 20" deep). I'm planning the tray to be a 10x20 ply with a little edging of 2" high, maybe. I'm hoping this can slide out to at least 75% of the CPU body.

Which type of slide do you recommend for this? A regular 3/4 ext in metal, a full ext metal, or wooden (perhaps dovetail)slides? I'm thinking the wood ones would allow me that extra 1/2" space on the sides that I'd give up for the metal ones, right? But are there any strength, solidity issues for either type?

[tfischer]

You'll want easy access to the back of the PC so I'd go full extension. I also think a metal slide would be a lot smoother which would be desirable in this case.

[mpc]

I also vote for full extension metal slides. Some of the slides sold for rackmount equipment (lab stuff, computer/server room racks, etc) actually extend slightly beyond 100% for cable access. Such slides aren't inexpensive however. Many are rated for pretty high loads.

What about adding a fixed platform below your CPU shelf and mounting the slides to that - i.e. flat? Then you don't loose the half inch on either side of the CPU shelf. A small lip hanging down from your CPU shelf will hide everything too. That's basically what I have for my computer: a platform screwed to the bottom of an old microwave cart, extending past one side about 10 inches (cantilevered), and heavy duty drawer slides mounted horizontally to support another board forming the actual shelf.

Just make sure whatever setup you go with is strong; when the shelf is extended that's a lot of twisting force applied to whatever the drawer slides attach to. Many metal drawer slides can be mounted into a groove/dado slot in the cabinet itself (not the shelf though) to help handle that big torque load. And give the computer enough airflow!

edit: another thing I've seen in computer desks: the CPU compartment is a box with no floor. The computer sits on a wheeled platform that rolls in/out, not physically attached to the desk at all. A toe kick that doesn't quite reach from the platform to the floor hides the wheels.

mpc

[gerti]

If you are worried about losing width, maybe some under-mount slides.

Or better yet get an iMac and you can skip the drawer altogether! ;-)

[LCHIEN]

if you really worry about servicing accessibility for your CPU, put it on full extension metal telescoping slides so you can get the back of the CPU clear of the front of the desk.
Of course this requires having enough slack int he cables behind.

So an alternate is having the side of your desk be an access panel you can remove and gain access to the side of the computer and remove its side panel.... Might be a lot easier and cheaper. Most Pcs these days don't have so many periperhals inside - just video cards, most of the peripherals are on UBS ports.

[Daryl]

Forget the slides and put castors on the bottom of the shelf. Put some alignment bumpers in the frame and you can pull it out, swivel it around, and push it back in the same spot.

[radhak]

Great ideas already!
A second base below just to hold the slides is novel and very do-able.

And the idea of putting casters under the box to wheel it out completely is really appealing.

Pity that the work I've already done places the lower stretchers 5 inches above ground. Now I either need castors that tall (!), or allow the CPU 'box' to show from the sides below the stretchers. Gotta think that thru - if I can make it appear elegant enough.

What the earlier picture did not show is that the table's side has 1" slats, so the CPU was supposed to be somewhat hidden from sight.


(that 4 1/4" at the bottom is now actually 5 3/8")

If I want to put casters, maybe they gotta be like these if they could a bit better looking, or like these if I can find them cheaper ( £75 for 4!)

And Gerti, the iMac is not an option just because I already have the CPU !

[radhak]

I'm getting into this now; found these at that UK site -


link

exactly 5" tall. Pretty expensive at $80 (£48). Maybe I should buy cheaper legs at Rockler and attach small casters below? Or better, make my own legs and put them on casters ...

This is turning out to be a project in itself!

[LCHIEN]

Forget the slides and put castors on the bottom of the shelf. Put some alignment bumpers in the frame and you can pull it out, swivel it around, and push it back in the same spot.

Good idea!

[cwsmith]

I don't know how I'd do it, but I think given your initial sketch, I'd figure our a way to hinge the front right, upper and lower corners so that the tower CPU could be swung out into the leg space area, rather than having a shelf-slide.

That way you would have very easy access to the back, which I always feel is significantly important. I don't think any more cable length would be required to do this, than having the slides. And it would give you direct access to the back.

HOWEVER, on my old Dell (not sure what other makers might do), the access to the internals are from the right side, which opens up like a suitcase. In such a case, having the pedestal (storage area) on the right would be more serviceable than having it on on the left.

Just a thought,

CWS