# Carpenters: Kitchen Drawer "Jumps" Track **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 1, 2023, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpenters-kitchen-drawer-jumps-track/981997 "2023-04-01T18:43:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2023, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpenters-kitchen-drawer-jumps-track/981997/1 "2023-04-01T18:43:25Z")
Maybe some Dopers are into woodworking or cabinet making and might have an idea: One of our kitchen drawers will not glide smoothly on its track. When you pull out the drawer, after a few inches, it starts angling upwards and jams (because there is no clearance, of course). The track is in good condition and tight - both on the left and right sides AND both in the cabinet and along the length of the drawer. So, everything seems fine. All screws are tight. There are brads at the bottom of the drawer (on the backside), but these are tight, too. Nothing is obviously out of whack! NOTE: There are pots and pans in the cabinet immediately below the drawer in question, but they are not piled so high as to interfere with the drawer. And, I should mention that no other kitchen drawer is doing this. Still what is going on here? Any suggestions of things to check or tweak? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2023, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpenters-kitchen-drawer-jumps-track/981997/2 "2023-04-01T21:50:16Z")
It sounds like all 4 rails (2 on the drawer, 2 on the walls) are not parallel with each other. Some measurements should clear that up. Might need spacers on one corner. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2023, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpenters-kitchen-drawer-jumps-track/981997/3 "2023-04-01T21:54:17Z")
Could be a foreign object has fallen in the track on one side, up which the wheel is attempting to roll, causing said jammage. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2023, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpenters-kitchen-drawer-jumps-track/981997/4 "2023-04-01T21:57:09Z")
… and I hope you like jammage, too! 🎶 ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2023, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpenters-kitchen-drawer-jumps-track/981997/5 "2023-04-01T23:44:06Z")
I ain’t a cabinet maker, but you’d be surprised at what movers are asked to do in the course of the job. What sort of glides do you have? Is it this [style?](https://www.homedepot.com/b/Hardware-Cabinet-Hardware-Drawer-Slides/Bottom-Mount/N-5yc1vZc2bqZ1z17a07) (links to a home depot page ) There are many different styles of glides used for kitchen and bath drawers and a good answer will depend on the hardware installed. ETA … in part, a good answer will depend in part on the hardware ---
**Author:** ![thatguyjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6de8d8/32.png) [@thatguyjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thatguyjeff)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpenters-kitchen-drawer-jumps-track/981997/6 "2023-04-03T15:28:11Z")
Is this something that started recently, or was this drawer bad from go? Can you remove the drawer entirely and inspect the rails/guides for any obstructions or foreign objects, debris, paint drips, anything like that? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpenters-kitchen-drawer-jumps-track/981997/7 "2023-04-03T15:30:09Z")
If we could see a picture of drawer rails it would help a lot. I have no idea what kind of rails you have, but as stated previously, they are clearly not aligned properly or tightly secured. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpenters-kitchen-drawer-jumps-track/981997/8 "2023-04-03T23:55:03Z")
Similar to my thought before I read the thread. Guessed that the rails in the cabinet are not spaced the same distance apart; that will cause a roller on one side or the other to try jump out. OP is this a new issue, or has it always done that? ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2023, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpenters-kitchen-drawer-jumps-track/981997/9 "2023-04-26T17:49:36Z")
Thanks, all for your ideas… At first, the bottom was falling out making the drawer hard to open and close. Then, I found a plastic wheel was missing to aid in gliding along the track. ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpenters-kitchen-drawer-jumps-track/981997/10 "2023-05-06T05:58:01Z")
Plastic wheel sounds like they are on what we generically call ‘kitchen slides’. These are a simple older 2 piece design with two tracks each with a wheel that the other rides on. Easy to find at your local Home Depot. If you can get the drawer most of the way out, you tip it up and you should be able to just lift it out. The slides just scew on to the drawer box and cabinet carcass. Maybe four screws on each piece. [https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/hardware/slides/undermount/46591-standard-kitchen-slides](https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/hardware/slides/undermount/46591-standard-kitchen-slides)