Beauty Queen metal kitchen cabinet drawer wheel

Question

My kitchen has a set of metal Beauty Queen kitchen cabinets/drawers/double sink from, I believe, the 1950's. Evidently a number of the rollers for the drawers had broken before I lived there...there are a few 'replacement' wheels that have a metal body attached to them which impedes the drawers from sliding, as they force a scratching and squealing-dragging. Not good. And there are quite a number missing altogether.

The original roller wheels are vinyl, I think, with two pieces: one piece inserts into the wheel, and pops into a hole in the guide for stability while the drawer slides. Your part #32-039 is the closest I've been able to find, but the originals are about a 16th"greater diameter.

Would you be able to tell me if they are similar enough to function in the Beauty Queen? And might you have anything that would serve for the springs in the doors of the cabinets which serve to close them?

Tom · Accepted Answer

Hello! I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the Beauty Queen brand of cabinet, but I know enough about drawers that I think I can still help. First off, I agree that the 32-039 is a good place to start, though the diameter is an issue. 1/16" isn't necessarily going to make or break things, but if you're already dealing with a tight fit then it may not be worth the gamble.

This may seem like a bit out of left field, but you could potentially consider a shower door wheel. Believe it or not, these work well in cabinet and drawer applications where the wheels are somewhat smaller than usual. We use them all the time.

Since your wheel is flat, I would look at our 10-100, 10-109, 10-141, and 10-142 to start. These would theoretically screw in. The only detail that makes me hesitate is the thickness of the wheel; the ones I mentioned are all 1/4" thick but I worry yours may be skinnier.

Either way, look them over and let me know what you think.