Blum Undermount Soft Close - Tips/tricks/videos/anything to help...

Blum slides is all we ever used in the cabinet shop …..now to answer your ? ...I am not exactly sure what it is ..also need to know if inset drawers or flush mount

-- Tony---- Reinholds,Pa.------ REMEMBER TO ALWAYS HAVE FUN :<))

For sizing the drawer box, 18” slides need a box 18” deep.

If you are using 5/8” drawer sides, subtract 13/32” from the cabinet opening to determine drawer box width. This varies if your drawer sides are a different thickness.

The instructions lay it all out for you, but they include a vast array of metric and imperial numbers on the same diagram. This makes it very hard to follow. I consider Blum’s directions one of the worst in the industry.
Fortunately the product is pretty good, and the actual work of installing is much easier than the directions lead you to believe.

-- Willie, Washington "If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made a Choice" - Rush

I build my drawers 1/16 smaller in depth, this helps the locking clips engage. Too long and it will stop the clips from catching.
Use a Forstner bit to drill the small holes in the back.
Cut pieces of scrap wood to set the drawer guide on to keep it level when screwing it on.
Start with the top drawer then cut the scrap down for the next drawer.
If you have problems with the tabs on the back of the drawer hitting the small holes, I take a slotted screw driver and make a T indention across the holes. This will help the tab find the hole easier.
I like to buy the 5 way adjustable clips, easier adjustments to dial in your drawer fronts.
When I use drawer bumpers on the drawer fronts I don’t set my drawer guides into the cabinet quit as much as recommended. I go about a 1/16 less so that the clips will lock in without the drawer bumpers stopping them.

Thanks for the promt answers. Those are the little things I was looking for. As for the type of drawers, I’m going with flush mount with typical face frame construction. I think that’s what you’re needing.

Thanks again, guys.

I’m glad you posted this request. I’m also in the process of building a project (a mobile tool cart) and I intend to use the BLUM Tandem drawer slides with Blumotion. I have found the Blum documentation to be extremely detailed—so you should check that out.

I’m planning on installing them in a frame less cabinet—using 1/2 to 5/8 thick drawer material (probably 15mm baltic birch)—I want an inset drawer with a false front. I’ve found that it is important to understand the specs for the drawer slides before you design/build the cabinet. For example, the drawer slides require at least 1/2” space below the drawer bottom for the locking/adjustment mechanism. There is an available jig and metric drill bits (6mm and 2.5mm) with extender in order to drill and install the under-mount locking mechanism—not sure if all those items are really needed or will make a big installation quality difference.

Do you have any tips on a good online store to purchase the slides and locking mechanisms? Do you know if the screws are included with the slides and locking mechanisms?

I’ll share more as I learn.

Thanks,
Bill

Fiddy, Blum sells a jig (big bucks) for aligning screw holes, etc. that isn’t necessary, if that was what you meant when you asked about jigs.

-- Art

Try the Rockler jig, it works well and is less expensive CAbinetparts.com has good pricing be sure to read the instructions because the drawer size is critical.

-- The optimist says "the glass is half full". The pessimist says "the glass is half empty". The engineer says "the glass is twice as big as it needs to be"

I build my drawers 1/16 smaller in depth, this helps the locking clips engage. Too long and it will stop the clips from catching.
Use a Forstner bit to drill the small holes in the back.
Cut pieces of scrap wood to set the drawer guide on to keep it level when screwing it on.
Start with the top drawer then cut the scrap down for the next drawer.
If you have problems with the tabs on the back of the drawer hitting the small holes, I take a slotted screw driver and make a T indention across the holes. This will help the tab find the hole easier.
I like to buy the 5 way adjustable clips, easier adjustments to dial in your drawer fronts.
When I use drawer bumpers on the drawer fronts I don t set my drawer guides into the cabinet quit as much as recommended. I go about a 1/16 less so that the clips will lock in without the drawer bumpers stopping them.

- jbay

Can you tell me what 5 way clips you are referring to?

I’ve worked with these twice and it is still confusing to me how exactly to size the drawer, and how to calculate setback for inset drawers. Their instructions just aren’t as clear as they could be. Once installed they are awesome though.

One other gripe.. it seems like sometimes even though the drawer is square, the case us square, and the setbacks are the same on each side, one side will not close quite as far. It’ll spring back forward an eighth or sixteenth. No idea how to solve that one. This causes the drawer front to not sit evenly across the face of the cabinet by that amount.

Brian

-- Part of engineering is to know when to put your calculator down and pick up your tools.

Can you tell me what 5 way clips you are referring to?

- tdwilli1

Maybe 5 way is not the proper terminology. (That’s just what I call them)
There the ones that have all the different possible adjustments.

Can you tell me what 5 way clips you are referring to?

- tdwilli1

Maybe 5 way is not the proper terminology. (That s just what I call them)
There the ones that have all the different possible adjustments.

- jbay

OK, thanks!

The Rockler jig was what I’ve been looking at mostly. Still not cheap for both parts (slides and clips for underside) but it does seem to take some of the installation guesswork out. Only thing I see if building the drawer to correct dimensions to then operate correctly.

Any one have experience with Rockler jigs and able to provide some feedback?

Thanks!

hope THIS helps you out…......... ITS better then me trying to explain it :<))

-- Tony---- Reinholds,Pa.------ REMEMBER TO ALWAYS HAVE FUN :<))

Sorry- my earlier response was from my phone and was only semi-coherent.

What I was trying to say is that I have the Rockler jig and use it to install these Blum slides. It works perfectly for hobby use as it allows you to achieve accurate hole placement so the slides are aligned properly

My other point is that the size of the drawer box is critical to make these slides work properly, as others have pointed out. Be sure you download the instruction sheets from the Blum website, study them carefully (they are somewhat confusing) BEFORE you cut any material. the drawer boxes and clearance under the drawer bottom are critical dimensions.

Overall these are excellent drawer slides, but they do take a bit of planning and tooling to make them work properly for a hobbyist. accurate holes and carefully sized parts are the key to making them work smoothly.

-- The optimist says "the glass is half full". The pessimist says "the glass is half empty". The engineer says "the glass is twice as big as it needs to be"

Thanks Tungoil – appreciate the feedback. Think I’m going to get the Rockler jigs and get going on this. I’ll try to circle back on this post to update. Maybe even just do a review for anyone attempting to use for first time.