What kind of metal is best for telescopic drawer channels?
Just as our home needs a different setting to make us comfortable, so does our furniture. What appears as a simple mechanism at first involve a complex set of skills along with some specific materials. Take your cupboard and desk, for example; it’s telescopic channels for wooden fittings come in different material with different properties.
Let’s discuss some material for the same to understand this diversity you will be faced with. Since you are neither an expert nor knowledgeable enough on your own, let this be an attempt to gain basic knowledge in the same.
Stainless steel
Objectively speaking, this is the best match for your furniture, mainly for the reason that it has high corrosion resistance along with cryogenic toughness. Also, the cost of maintenance is almost nil, and you can work more flexibility with it. It is also strong, so it can take a little abuse you are sure to inflict on it.
Another plus of this material is the flexibility it provides to be used in various temperature ranges. You need not worry about outside being too cold or hot to utilize it. It’s also light, so you can easily transport it from one place to another without additional help.
Although we talk about stainless steel here, some variety of steel is naturally better suited for such type of work than the others. An example is discussed below for you.
Type 302 steel
Although its a type of stainless steel, it differs from its predecessors because of the type of composition it has. Objectively speaking, it has the best set of properties you should be looking for in this type of work and is generally a user favorite for this type of work.
Also known as soft annealed steel, its soft and ductile, a perfect combination with your wood furniture. Its softness provides it with the flexibility you need in your drawer. It is also rust resistance, so provides longevity.
Iron
Generally, we don’t use the iron for this type of work due to its property of rust, but if you galvanize it or add a little impurity to it, you can use the iron for this type of work too. Most efficient of its feature is the ability to be able to catsit and the flexibility-strength combo it provides for this type of work. Also, you can work in a huge range of temperature.
A big drawback is the weight increase, but if you can look beyond it, iron makes for excellent material to try out as a telescopic channel for drawers. Also, since its mostly non-reactive to air and water along with high tensile stress, it’s perfect for heavy-duty use and regular opening and closing of drawers.
Plastic telescopic channels.
Plastic is another material which is highly resistance to forces and can bear weight depending on the type. The main reason for its use here is its flexibility which allows you to work with your cabinet/drawer in various ways.
Also, plastic is entirely nonreactive with air, water, and natural wastes. It does not rust, nor lose its strength over time. Objectively speaking, the only time one needs to replace plastic is when it takes heavy damage, which is a rare occurrence in such cases. The parts for fixing are also available in separate batches which makes buying and categorizing it easier.
Although there are more materials for telescopic channels for wooden fittings, they are either inferior to the above mentioned or require some preparation and working, like zinc. Hope you find the perfect match for your wood type and furniture from this list.