Pass through storage drawer with mods

[vcrt]

After seeing ScottK's pass through drawer idea, I got to work on a design that used his basic idea, but I wanted something a little different. I could see myself closing the doors before travelling and forgetting to engage one or both locks which would leave the drawer free to shift in transit and possible break through the compartment door. I didn’t want to be on the road and have that happen, so I constructed a system that locks the drawer in either direction automatically as soon as it's centered in the compartment. It can be released from either side because it's made with two spring loaded levers that engage both sides at once since they are mounted on a common bar.
Here's the bar with the lock levers:


Here's a close-up:


Here it is installed with the drawer moved back to show under drawer storage (about 2" height)
Notice that the ball rollers I had installed from the earlier photos are missing (more on that later):


Also, I instead of grooved two by fours to keep the drawer from tipping when extended, I set up center mounted wooden rollers that are really only needed when the drawer is extended more than about a third of the way.

Here's a view from the inside:


Finally, I wanted stops to prevent the drawer from extending too far.
BTW, The reason the upper ball rollers are not used in the finished project is that the stops interfered with them and once I took them off, I realized they weren't needed since I have two smaller rollers mounted on the compartment openings each side which keep the drawer centered.
Here you can see one of the two black steel stops that prevents the drawer from extending past halfway in either direction:


Here it is in use, plenty of room in the drawer, under it and in front and back of it, just like Scott said!


Rich

[vcrt]

Here's a photo I left out that should help explain how the drawer locks in place.


The hole in the outboard rear corner is where the ball roller housing fits when the drawer passes over it. The roller is spring loaded so it jumps up into the hole at that point.

Rich

[JohnB]

Nice work Rich!

I admit, I need to create "something" in my front cargo hole. Between Scott's and yours, you have created some "think'in" on how my odds shaped "stuff" might work on the draw concept.

Thanks for sharing.

John

I bet making the shelf was therapeutic.

[vcrt]

Thanks John, you know, (I know you know) we really enjoy customizing things to work the way we would like them to, but the smallest details can hold up progress, like finding just the right spring or bolts, or having to make a trip to a few stores to find a place that has the oddball item that will enable you to finish a phase of the job. The reality is, oftentimes the whole project ends up taking much more time than was first planned. But when it's done, it's something to be appreciated every time you use it.
Thanks,
Rich