13 November, 2008

Nifty New (to Me) Dresser -- Dumpster Diving Treasure

While strolling down our alley last week, I spotted this dresser waiting to be picked up by the garbage collectors. I ended up making half a dozen trips up and down the alley to carry all the pieces back. I found it at the same bungalow where, earlier this spring, we found the swinging kitchen door. That treasure is still in our garage, waiting for a new purpose. (If you're in the Chicago area and need a door for your bungalow restoration, let me know by posting in the comments. You may have to patch a bit of the corner with Bondo or something, but it's an overall good door that we don't think we need, and are willing to give away.)

Anyway, the exterior of the dresser is in excellent condition. There are a few scuffs, but nothing serious, and most can be buffed out. I'll replace the round wooden knobs that scream "hello, I'm from the eighties" with something modern and bronze. Half of the knobs are missing, anyway. But I'm not sure how to go about fixing the sliders. It's probably the reason the neighbors were tossing this dresser out.

Each drawer has a simple groove that fits onto the slider:

Here is what the sliders look like:

Each slider is about 13 inches long, and is just a simple plastic piece that screws in place. Half of them on the dresser are either broken or missing. I checked Menards, Home Depot, and Lowes without luck. It's kind of an old style piece. I Googled around, looking for replacements, but I'm not sure I'm even calling it by its proper name, because I can't find anything like it.

So, my question to y'all is this: do you a) know if this is actually called a slider or not and b) where can I find a replacement? Short of that, what else might I try as a replacement, without making this project into too much of a production.

You see, until I actually fix and use this dresser, both Ted and Mom will continue to mock me, as they often do, for my dumpster diving and alley prowling, because I tend to bring home things that are of genuine value, but don't take (or find) the time to fix them, so they collect in the garage. I just can't stand seeing perfectly good items getting tossed out.

10 comments:

Karen Anne said...

In my old house, in the built in whatchacallums, the sliders were wood. So if you get desperate, you could make some wood ones, wax them up well, and there you go.

I did find that plastic slides exist elsewhere in the universe, but no source given here:
http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/rtabcab.shtml

A discussion of drawer slides:
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Polyethylene_Versus_Wood_for_Drawer_Runners.html

Could you use the apparently common metal sliders on just the drawers that have broken sliders?

Do it yourself plastic glides, short on directions:
http://www.bobvila.com/wwwboard/messages/125818.html

Karen Anne said...

p.s. That is a really nice dresser.

Anonymous said...

Try Rockler or www.rockler.com, they have wood slides and also Van Dykes Restorers is another great source for the oddball item. I agree that you could use wood and wax them, since that is what they used to do before plastic.

Jean Martha said...

I'd use similar sized molding and then rub the wood with a bar of soap, it'll slide back & forth with no problem.

Lady Quilter said...

Joanne's "Dumpster Diving Gene" came from her maternal grandmother. Penny was know for dragging things home. In fact we still have one of her "treasures" found back in the mid 60's, in the alley behind their house. A sewing box, on legs. Joanne's grandfather antiqued it deep red, to match several other pieces in the house, including an old Victrola.
Momlady

Anonymous said...

What a great find! The dresser looks nice. I was thinking the same as the others.... use some wood as an easy replacement.

Joanne said...

Wow! Thanks everyone for some great ideas and leads! I'll post pics when the project is done.

And Mom, if you remember, that Victrola was a dumpster diving find as well! Your dad rebuilt the hand-crank motor using parts from an old fridge--or so he told me.

Joanne said...

I just took a look at a few of those sites. Seriously, I am the worst Googler ever; why couldn't I find these? LOL!

Thanks again, peeps!

Lady Quilter said...

Wow! Another reason for us to treasure that old Victrola. I had completely forgotten that. My favorite memories are you and your brother, sitting in front of the Victrola, oh so young, at least 5 and 3, with your grandfather playing records for you. Those old tunes, nothing you heard on the radio, had you guys mesmerized. I'm so glad we still have his records.
Momlady

Jocelyn said...

Woodworkers Supply is a good one too!