Building some kitchen cabinets and about to start the drawers. I picked up a set of blum slides from a cabinet show closing a few months back. It's the H563 series. Trying to get a handle on the dimensions I need. Below is a link of the installation guide. I think I got the jist but still a little unsure of a couple of things. Can someone walk me through this. For example I have one opening that is 22-7/8" from back of cabinet to back of face frame, 17-1/2" wide and 5" tall. The fronts aren't milled yet so I can make them any thickness. The face frame are exactly 3/4" thick.
They say that inside drawer width = opening width minus 42. But doesn't the drawer thickness have to be part of the equation?
What should the depth be. The full model of the slide is h563h533-02b. Does that mean it should be exactly 21"
Also is it a good idea to buy the blum jigs to install the clips if I only have 8 drawers? Does the angle of the of the pilot hole have to be dead on?
Thanks for any help.
http://go.rockler.com/tech/Tandem-Plus-5...ctions.pdf
you need 1/16" minimum but no more than 3/32" clearance on each side to the outside of the box for width
So with 5/8" sides you need 11/16" per side with 3/4" you need 13/16 ( shown in the top left pic under Drawer specifications) I just make the box width - 1/8" of the face frame width (outside) and call it good
Depth is to the front of the face frame in your case (21-15/16") minimum I generally go 22 1/2 and call it good
do you need the jigs?
No make your own
Joe
You make the drawer box the same length as the slide; so for a 21" slide the drawer box is 21". This is outside dimension of the drawer box only, and does not include the separate false front. For 5 piece drawers the dimension from the back of the front to the back would be 20-1/2".
The 563H series is designed for drawer stock from 1/2" to 5/8", that's why the directions are written the way they are. So for a 17-1/2" opening your drawer width would be 17.5 x 25.4 - 42 = 402.5 mm (15.85") between the two sides, regardless of what thickness your stock is. If you are using 1/2" drawer stock the outside width would be 16.85".
I've installed several dozen of these slides and have never used the drilling jigs. I just hold the locking device on the bottom of the drawer and align my Wixey bit perpendicular to the plastic where you drill the hole. Seems to work fine. If you err, it's better to do so at a slightly shallower angle. That way the screw will pull the locking device tight to the drawer bottom rather than try to pull it up off it it.
John
Thank you both for the explanation. What type of joinery do you guys use to attack the back piece of the drawer to the sides. Blind rabbet, dado, dominos (I have the machine)? The front will be dovetailed but I'm thinking that's overkill for the backs.
I keep the joinery the same front and back. That way I can cut all common parts to the same length. So if it's DT's at the front it's DT's at the back. If I cut DT's by hand I might use something easier to cut at the back, but I use a jig so it's no big deal to cut them in all the parts.
John
Thanks john. Lastly, what clearance you give for the drawer box (just the box not the front) and opening?
Maybe I didn't understand your question correctly; if I did we need to take a step back. The drawer width is determined by the face frame opening width, following the Blum instructions. The bottom and top clearance are also outlined in Blum's instructions. The bottom clearance is absolute; the top clearance is 1/4" minimum (IIRC), but can be more. I often increase the top clearance when it makes a more pleasing layout of my finger joints or dovetails. For rabbeted drawers I would just stick with Blum's guidelines.
If I missed the real question please try again.
John
You didn't misunderstand John, I mistyped. I meant to say the top clearance. I was thinking between 1/4-1/2". I think I'll follow your tip of using a number that makes the dovetails look purty.