# Building a Pull Out Shelf



## bishopthomas (Mar 7, 2013)

I'm sure there's a better place for this, but I figured I'd post it here since it does involve relocating a lighting console.

So, I'm terrible at building things but I want to install a sliding shelf for the lighting console, under the countertop that holds the mixer. I'm not exactly sure how to make that happen, having never worked too much with the installation of drawer slides. How would I need to go about building out something like this?


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## techieman33 (Mar 7, 2013)

You should be able to buy a kit at your local big box store then just screw one half of it to the shelf, and the other half to the desk.


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## TheaterEd (Mar 7, 2013)

Add a sliding shelf to any desk!


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## derekleffew (Mar 7, 2013)

bishopthomas said:


> I'm sure there's a better place for this, but I figured I'd post it here since it does involve relocating a lighting console.
> 
> So, I'm terrible at building things but I want to install a sliding shelf for the lighting console, under the countertop that holds the mixer. I'm not exactly sure how to make that happen, having never worked too much with the installation of drawer slides. How would I need to go about building out something like this?


Thread moved to Scenery/Carpentry.

How tall is the lighting console in question? How much knee room is required/available? What is the construction of the existing table/desk/countertop? I can't remember where I got these drawer slides, probably Outwater Plastics Industries (despite the name, they have great prices on cabinet hardware (metal). Outwater M12 Page 282 . You want *full-extension*, *locking* (in "out" position) drawer slides. The shelf is just a piece of 1/2" (12mm) baltic birch plywood.



I built four of them for the office, and at least ten pull-outs in my kitchen cabinets.


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## bishopthomas (Mar 7, 2013)

Thanks, guys. The top mount version is exactly the term I was looking for. The countertop is probably 4' wide so I don't need to mount the slides to the walls, the drawer would be too wide and probably flimsy. I'm not exactly sure how wide I want to make it, whether I want to only hold the lighting board (Zero 88 Jester ML 24) or have enough room for some extras. Either way, the top mount is exactly what I need. I've never seen that option while looking at drawer slides in Home Depot, etc, so I'll dig into where to get them. Derek, there's enough material on that 1/2" plywood to attach the slides?


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## derekleffew (Mar 7, 2013)

bishopthomas said:


> ... Derek, there's enough material on that 1/2" plywood to attach the slides?


The slides I bought have small angle brackets built in that go under the shelf (link below calls them "shelf tabs"). They also have angle brackets to hang the slides from under the counter.* My shelves allow up to 3" of clearance between top of shelf and bottom of counter. Jester ML24 is 90mm (3.5") high, 278mm (11") deep by 710mm (28") wide, weighs 14 pounds. You'd probably want to either lengthen the hanging brackets, or put two layers of 2"x12" 3/4ply strips above each slide. Going 28+" wide, I'd probably use 3/4" ply for the shelf. I wouldn't make it much more if any wider than that, but might make it deeper than 11". At least room for a pencil or Sharpie to sit in front of the desk. 

A 1/2" thick, 1.5"w x 28" long piece of nice hardwood (oak, maple, walnut, bubinga, your choice) with edges eased, along the front would:
1) hide the ugly edge of the plywood, 
2) stop a pencil from rolling off, 
3) act as a finger grip/pull on the underside of the shelf. (On mine, I used a plunge router to make a finger groove on the bottom.)

*Like these http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21492&site=ROCKLER , but I know I'm too frugal to have ever paid that much.

Or, It would be easy enough to use standard side-mount drawer slides, have 1.5" high sides on your shelf/drawer, and attach 5" high sides under the counter with angle brackets. 

Either way I'd still worry about knee space though. I'd call you bad names every time I tore my pants or bruised my thighs because the shelf was too low.

EDIT: Don't forget these:

from the same page as above.


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