Building the drawer

1

If following our plans, you’ll have probably cut your wood already. If not, keep two things in mind. First the max space available under the desk to mount this (don’t forget leg width) and what you want to put on it. We’re using a Launchpad and Apple keyboard.

2

Something you might want to look at is a recess or cut-away section in the middle that allows a little more leg room, as shown in this image. We decided not to cut one to start with and to live with it a few weeks before we make the call.

3

Next: the slides. These need suitable load capacity, plus some for your weight as you work. They’ll also need an option for top mounting, not just side mounting like a kitchen drawer. Wood risers work but purpose built are more elegant.

4

Your drawer may be deeper than the slides, so ensure that when you mount them they’re aligned to the rear edge of the shelf. This helps with weight and balance when in use and also looks nicer, with as much hardware hidden as possible.

5

The drawer must be cut square. Even a small deviation can cause misery later – even making it unusable. You can’t easily shim the slides either; they must be screwed tight to the material for optimum smoothness and stability.

6

Your slides probably shipped with fitting hardware. We don’t trust these, so we buy our own. Buy appropriately strong screws for the drawers’ purpose. Mark the positions with a bradawl before drilling pilots and screwing.