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I'm trying to repair an old but nice computer desk that I was given. It was made by Danish furniture company B8 Mobler about 35 years ago, with a wooden sliding keyboard tray attached to the metal frame by 4 clips. Unfortunately careless movers broke all the clips:

Clip disassembled

The broken-off part (above left) is supposed to go around the frame:

Frame and clips

Assembled, the clip would have a C profile and be about 40 x 25 x 10mm, with a slot about 15mm deep by 5mm wide down one long side. (The bottom plate is separate, but fits into the "upper" corner clip which is snapped in half).

I have contacted B8 Mobler but I doubt they are interested or still have any stock of the original clips. I'm looking for a replacement, but I don't know what they are called. There are no useful markings that I can find on the clips themselves. They don't need to be identical, just to screw onto the wooden tray and slide over the frame. The slot can't be too wide because it needs to press against the frame when a screw is tightened, holding the tray firm.

Something like T Clips for decking might work, but they look too thick, and come in large packs which is wasteful? Beam clips might work, but they all seem to be metal and would scratch the metal frame. A flange clamp would probably work, but they're also metal and seem to fix with a bolt, not a screw.

So I can probably find a way to bodge it, but what would be the nicest/cleanest way to fix it? Can you tell me what these clips are called, or something similar/compatible?

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    Seems like it would be relatively easy to fabricate yourself from a block of plastic. Drill two holes, file or saw the rabbet. Some permutation of "drawer slide blocks" would be a likely search term, albeit there will be many results that won't work for you returned to sort through. Careless movers are all too common and make me distrust the entire profession.
    – Ecnerwal
    Mar 9, 2021 at 16:01
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    A hunk of cheap cutting board with spacers between would probably do. Could also fasten some wooden rails inside the metal frame and use standard drawer slides.
    – isherwood
    Mar 9, 2021 at 16:11
  • Can you just glue the wooden board to the metal tray? Its not like you need to remove it for any reason.
    – Willk
    Mar 9, 2021 at 22:39
  • @Willk The keyboard drawer should slide in and out (along the frame), which is what the original clips allow it to do (restricted by a screw through the frame).
    – qris
    Mar 9, 2021 at 23:05
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    Getting the part 3d printed might be a good option
    – Nate S.
    Mar 10, 2021 at 19:13

1 Answer 1

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Make a new piece out of epoxy putty

You can get some of the two part epoxy putty and sculpt a new piece that matches the old one. Cut it with a razor and put the screw holes in when it is soft. Epoxy putty is really hard when it sets. It should be able to do the job that your old piece did.

There are lots of things on the web about making things from epoxy putty - flying ladies, chess pieces etc. Your needs are a lot more straightforward than that.

Maybe make a spare while you have the putty in anticipation of the other plastic piece breaking someday.

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