Many Ericson models share the same drawer hardware, a budget system called Delta Glide 100. It is simple in design, but when it goes wrong a nagging problem to owners. Drawers pull out, but teeter and wobble. Or they go in and out crooked. Or they won't pull out at all, except when the boat heels over, when they spew their silverware noisily across the cabin sole in imitation of the sound of collision with a bell buoy.
The system has subtleties. Subtlety #1 is that Delta Industries is out of business. Parts can be obtained, but the search is confusing. The large part, the "delta," is available from Home Depot among other sources, identified as "Prime-Line Drawer Track Delta Guide, White Plastic," about $11 each. So are the steel rails. The end caps, not so much.
Why do 35-year-old Delta Glide drawer systems wobble vertically, and the guide become detached from the rail?
Because the nubs (arrows) have worn away. It's the nubs that keep the drawer level on the steel guide rail, and the wear is not always readily apparent.
Deltas old and new
The new Delta part fit directly on my drawers, screw holes even matching. The Delta guide fits over a steel rail fastened to the cabinet carcass.
...
The far end of the steel rail is held in place with a two-part end stop. One part of the stop fixes to the interior wall with screws. The other part of the end stop attaches to the rail itself. In this photo, the rail is positioned (incorrectly) above the steel rail. It's supposed to be as in the adjacent photo.
...
The rail butt stop, the part inserted in the rail, is designed to be inserted into the wall component from the side. I deduce the intention of this design to be to tolerate misalignment of drawer, guide and rail. The rail can move a bit to either side as the drawer is operated. That prevents binding.
...
...
However, this particular end-stop is often broken, as mine were, and seems no longer available anywhere. A replacement was recommended by the forum, and I'll update this if it fits. Meantime, the butt-piece can be secured to the wall with screws, which gives up the self-aligning feature but seems to work.
The drawer is kept closed by a plastic tab near the opening end which sits in a hole in the steel rail. To open the drawer, lift it up a half inch or less, which frees the tab and allows the drawer to open.
If such tabs are problematic, they can be removed if the drawer cabinet is installed fore and aft. Such drawers don't open accidentally when the boat heels over. Drawers installed athwartships, of course, do. My solution to that is child locks, available from hardware stores. They're one of the most irritating features of new parenthood. I intend to introduce legislation that requires children, when they grow up, to return home and remove the child locks installed on their behalf. But first I have to get them to return my calls.
Several forum members have replaced Delta Series 100 drawer plastic with other widely available drawer hardware, almost all of which is higher quality, works better, and operates more smoothly. My hat is off to them. Installing drawers or doors of any kind is a persnickety task seldom appreciated by anybody and which takes three times as long as it should. This is the easy way out.
And it keeps an Ericson authentic, right down to the bottom of its drawers.
Diagrams of the original Delta system:
Part Numbers, courtesy of Randy Conner, "Antares":
Indexed as Thelonious Blog entry here.
The system has subtleties. Subtlety #1 is that Delta Industries is out of business. Parts can be obtained, but the search is confusing. The large part, the "delta," is available from Home Depot among other sources, identified as "Prime-Line Drawer Track Delta Guide, White Plastic," about $11 each. So are the steel rails. The end caps, not so much.
Why do 35-year-old Delta Glide drawer systems wobble vertically, and the guide become detached from the rail?
Because the nubs (arrows) have worn away. It's the nubs that keep the drawer level on the steel guide rail, and the wear is not always readily apparent.
Deltas old and new
The new Delta part fit directly on my drawers, screw holes even matching. The Delta guide fits over a steel rail fastened to the cabinet carcass.
...The far end of the steel rail is held in place with a two-part end stop. One part of the stop fixes to the interior wall with screws. The other part of the end stop attaches to the rail itself. In this photo, the rail is positioned (incorrectly) above the steel rail. It's supposed to be as in the adjacent photo.
...The rail butt stop, the part inserted in the rail, is designed to be inserted into the wall component from the side. I deduce the intention of this design to be to tolerate misalignment of drawer, guide and rail. The rail can move a bit to either side as the drawer is operated. That prevents binding.
...
...However, this particular end-stop is often broken, as mine were, and seems no longer available anywhere. A replacement was recommended by the forum, and I'll update this if it fits. Meantime, the butt-piece can be secured to the wall with screws, which gives up the self-aligning feature but seems to work.
The drawer is kept closed by a plastic tab near the opening end which sits in a hole in the steel rail. To open the drawer, lift it up a half inch or less, which frees the tab and allows the drawer to open.
If such tabs are problematic, they can be removed if the drawer cabinet is installed fore and aft. Such drawers don't open accidentally when the boat heels over. Drawers installed athwartships, of course, do. My solution to that is child locks, available from hardware stores. They're one of the most irritating features of new parenthood. I intend to introduce legislation that requires children, when they grow up, to return home and remove the child locks installed on their behalf. But first I have to get them to return my calls.
Several forum members have replaced Delta Series 100 drawer plastic with other widely available drawer hardware, almost all of which is higher quality, works better, and operates more smoothly. My hat is off to them. Installing drawers or doors of any kind is a persnickety task seldom appreciated by anybody and which takes three times as long as it should. This is the easy way out.
And it keeps an Ericson authentic, right down to the bottom of its drawers.
Diagrams of the original Delta system:
Part Numbers, courtesy of Randy Conner, "Antares":
| Drawer Track Delta Guide | R7260 | Prime Line Products | Amazon |
| Drawer Lock (2/pack) | H309 | RV Designer | Amazon |
| Adjustable Bracket (unavailable 2022) | 70775 | JR Products | Amazon |
| Roller Drawer Guide | 70785 | JR Products | Amazon |
Indexed as Thelonious Blog entry here.