Blum Drawer Front Adjusters

tomsalwasser · Post by **tomsalwasser** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 9:48 am

I use false drawer fronts quite a bit and it's always tricky getting them perfectly positioned. I finally tried this system from Blum. It works slick.

Drill (2) 20mm holes to the prescribed depth in the drawer front. Be smart about where you drill them. The 20mm holes are then filled with the marking gauges. Press the drawer front onto the drawer box as accurately as you can, leaving a dimple in the drawer box. Drill the drawer box at the dimple, making sure to protect against tear out. Remove the marking gauges and pound the plastic adjusters into place. Each plastic adjuster costs a few pennies (if you look around) and gives you 3/16 adjustment. Attach the drawer face to the box with 8/32 machine screws, firm but not too tight. They are meant to temporarily hold the drawer front while you dial in the position. You then must fasten permanently with screws from inside drawer box.

benush26 · Post by **benush26** » Thu Jan 03, 2013 4:49 am

By chance have you used the Blum slide installation tool (similar to the Kreg)?

A relative on the left coast is planning a large kitchen remodel and I have him convinced to use the Kreg, but he is using Blum slides and the store there says that the Blum guide is easier to use.

Just curious.

Thanks,

Ben

tomsalwasser · Post by **tomsalwasser** » Thu Jan 03, 2013 6:19 am

Hey Ben, I'm using the Kreg slide installation tool, thanks for asking. I bought it years ago at one of the Woodworking Shows and finally used it for the first time yesterday. It was a miracle I could even find it. I did not know Blum had one, I wonder what the difference is? I did notice that using the Kreg tool sets the slide back 1/8 inch from the face frame and the instructions for the Liberty slides I got from HD say to mount them flush. I have yet to make my new drawer boxes so we shall see how it all works out. I am currently making custom spacers or shims to give me something to mount the slides to on the outer sides. The inner sides will be trickier. I am going to HD as soon as they open to see if the Liberty bracket they sell will work out.

Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:33 am

To align overlay drawer fronts, I just clamp a straight piece of lumber where the bottom of the front will lay, and make a center mark at the top of the edge of the front to line up with another center mark on the face frame.
For inset drawers, I use 1/16 steel shims at the bottom and sides.
This tool is invaluable for measuring the inside dimensions.
[ATTACH]19795[/ATTACH]

The Kreg tool works fine on every brand of slide I've tried, including Blum. Not sure if it's been tried with Liberty, though. I do recall buying slides at HD. Just never looked at the brand.

tomsalwasser · Post by **tomsalwasser** » Thu Jan 03, 2013 5:18 pm

Gene, I really need that tool you made to measure inside dimensions. Nicely done! Woodpeckers has "one time sales" where they make a limited run of specialty tools. A few months back it was a fancy inside measuring tool similar to yours at a fancy price. Looked really nice though.

tomsalwasser · Post by **tomsalwasser** » Thu Jan 03, 2013 6:07 pm

benush26 wrote:By chance have you used the Blum slide installation tool (similar to the Kreg)?

A relative on the left coast is planning a large kitchen remodel and I have him convinced to use the Kreg, but he is using Blum slides and the store there says that the Blum guide is easier to use.

Just curious.

Thanks,

Ben

Ben, I just discovered a problem with my Kreg slide installation tool. It is not square. I have to manually correct the placement of the slide or it won't be level. I still find it very handy for holding the slide while I attach the screws.

benush26 · Post by **benush26** » Thu Jan 03, 2013 10:44 pm

tomsalwasser wrote:Ben, I just discovered a problem with my Kreg slide installation tool. It is not square. I have to manually correct the placement of the slide or it won't be level. I still find it very handy for holding the slide while I attach the screws.

Hi Tom,
It might be worth giving Kreg CS a call.

I did use a torpedo level just once to check and it was dead on and everything slides nice. I bought my jigs about 18 months ago through Amazon but I believe they came from Kreg.

Unless the casting was bad when yours was made I have no clue why it would be off.

Is it more than 90 or less than 90 degrees?

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:36 pm

benush26 wrote:Hi Tom,
It might be worth giving Kreg CS a call.

I did use a torpedo level just once to check and it was dead on and everything slides nice. I bought my jigs about 18 months ago through Amazon but I believe they came from Kreg.

Unless the casting was bad when yours was made I have no clue why it would be off.

Is it more than 90 or less than 90 degrees?

Perhaps it tilts inside down to prevent drawer from opening on its own.

Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Fri Jan 04, 2013 9:56 am

I just checked my Kreg drawer jig. It's square.

tomsalwasser · Post by **tomsalwasser** » Mon Jan 07, 2013 7:57 am

benush26 wrote:It might be worth giving Kreg CS a call. I did use a torpedo level just once to check and it was dead on and everything slides nice. I bought my jigs about 18 months ago through Amazon but I believe they came from Kreg. Unless the casting was bad when yours was made I have no clue why it would be off. Is it more than 90 or less than 90 degrees?

Thanks Ben for the idea. I just left Kreg Tech Support a message via their web site. The lack of square causes my drawer slide to droop downward front to back 1/4" over 22 inches. Maybe they will send me a new one. I have no receipt. I bought it several years ago at one of the Woodworking Shows that rolls into town and never used it until last week. I bought it directly from the Kreg demostrator. He's the same guy you see on youtube videos if you look it up.

My jig looks exactly like the ones you see on Amazon now. Kreg seems to be a a pretty good outfit and I really expect they will step up here and help me out.