Michael Volow wrote:

My four stereo components (tuner, cassette deck, record player, cd player)
were contained in a two-door under-counter cabinet (similar to a kitchen
cabinet). For improved access I installed four full-extension sliding trays
so that the components could be rolled out for use (record player) or access
to their connections. The trayinstallation went fine.

However the wiring has been a problem. I wanted to have two-outlet power
strips on each drawer as well as the component wiring. The tuner is the most
complicated because wiring for power, antenna, 2 speakers, and three
component must all move in and out with the tray. Same for the other trays
(but fewer wires).

I mistakenly ordered trays that went clear to the back of the cabinets,
leaving no room for wiring behind the trays. So I currently have the wiring
running in the space between the tray and the shelf it's mounted to (about
3/4 inch). It comes up through holes in the tray to the components. In
addition I could not find any surface-mount short power strips (other than
surge protectors which have very stiff cords not flexible enough to move
easily with the tray movement).

Has anyone else attempted this type of installation? And if so, how have you
solved these problems. Still looking for surface mount outlets. I know they
used to exist. Thanks in advance.

How far out do the drawers pull in inches? Double that number and then
multiply that by the number of trays you have.
Go to your local lumberyard or home repair store and buy a piece of strapping
( cheap wood, about 1/2 inch thick by 1.5 inches wide. ) Get enough that is
straight and knot-free to give you the number of inches that you calculated
last paragraph, plus about 25%.
Buy some small cabinet hinges, some 1/8 inch nuts, bolts and washers,
and the right size wood screws too attach the hinges to your cabinet on the
inside. You will also need to locate some small blocks of wood, about 1.5
inches square. I used some old children's letter blocks.

For each shelf, cut two pieces of strapping. One will be about two inches
longer than the other, and the two pieces laid end to end will be about three
inches more than the pull out number from the first paragraph.
Using the nuts and bolts, attach the two pieces together with a hinge.
( The strapping is too thin to handle wood screws. ) Using more nuts, bolts
and washers, put a hinge on each end. The hinge on the longer one gets
screwed to the inside of the cabinet behind the shelf. The other end gets
screwed to the small block. Push the drawer all the way closed and glue
the block to the surface of the drawer so it is not stressing anything.
You may have to move the other attachment point to the side of the
cabinet to allow you your cable clearance.
Tie wrap the cables to the wooden strapping, make sure you leave a
big enough loop at the hinge so that the cable is not being stretched when
the drawer is all the way closed, and it is not attached to the strapping
closer than about two or three inches from each hinge, so when the drawer
is pulled out the cable at the hinge points are bent the other way.
Sand them smooth and varnish if you are feeling compulsive.
Or you can go to someone line Middle Atlantic products and buy these
things premade in steel. Look under Cable Management.

--Dale