Mounting drawer slides to cabinet... help

[Conrad Strack]

Anyone have experience adding the blum blumotion drawer slides on sale at Rockler? (with the metal sides).   I'm getting there but any helpful ideas, suggestions (given a face fame design) will be appreciated!

[justin waldron]

The best way to do them is to make sure that the slides sit flush with the faceframe from the inside and flush to the drawer opening, they can even set inside the opening some.  What I have done in the cabinets that I have built is to mount the slides to a piece of 3/4 ply and then mount them to my case.  To make sure they are the same distance etc from the bottom or the top of the case I use a piece of square scrap to butt my plywood/slide up to on both sides.  Hope this helps.

[Conrad Strack]

Justin, 

Thanks!  Nice face frame!  question, what is easier, add the slide to the drawer first, pull it out, level it and then screw the slide to the cabinet (or the ply to bring it flush to face frame) or screw the slide in first and then click in the drawer? 

 

Thanks!!  conrad

[justin waldron]

Conrad, thanks for the compliment, I'm working on these Maple cabinets for a guy right now and I am using the soft close slides.  What I do is add the slide to the cabinet first, then make my drawer and install, etc.  If you see the piece of plywood that the slide is attached to, I use a scrap piece of wood as a gauge from the top of the carcass to attach the ply/slide assembly to ensure that it's square front to back from the top, then I flip the cabinet over and do the same for the other side.  I will take another picture of what I'm talking about if this doesn't make sense or feel free to call me  571-289-4659 and I can explain a little better for you.

[justin waldron]

Here's a pic of what I was talking about with a scrap gauge block.  I normally use a piece of ply that is about 5 inches wide and square, this is just to give you the idea.

[Conrad Strack]

Hi Justin, 

Thanks!  I think I got it, I just played with the slides some, realized the metal drawer basically snaps in.  Soo plan is to build cabinet first carefully measure inside (face frame width) build drawer according to blum site (ie subract 2-15/16 cut bottom and back piece, put together)  and then they should just snap in (fingers crossed).  Hope to do a semi practice cabinet in a week or two, will try to let you know how it goes!  I'm deaf so the phone is awkward, have to use a relay operator, but thanks for the offer for more help!  

One more question, the front face on the drawer is only held on with 4 small screws that attach the gadget that snaps into the drawer sides.  Any idea if that will hold up for years of use? 

Thanks, conrad

[justin waldron]

Conrad,

No problem at all!!  I have found that it's easier to intall the slides inside the cabinet and then measure the outside of one slide to the outside of the other.  Say this measurement is 14 inches, I would add 1 inch to the drawer front since I am using 1/2 inch material, that would make the interior dimension of my box 14 inches.  The 4 screws that hold the release onto the drawer I find no issue with since the holes in the back of the box accept the clip from the glide too.  Let me know if I can do anything else for you!!

 

Justin