Thread: Drawer Runners

Sandman,

About 10 years ago when I was faced with the same problem of building and installing 24 drawers in our kitchen renovation I bought from Wilson & Bradley of Bell Street Preston a gadget to install them.

It is a ( red) plastic holder in which you clamp the side runner and hold it against the cabinet side at the height you want and mark out the drill holes. It can hold any lenght of runners, works for both sides. I think it was made by Blum but it fits all types of those style of runners.

From memory it was about $ 8. I still have it and it still works great.


Peter.

Have a look at the website below, i think this is what the jig master was talking about...

http://www.blum.com/australia/en/03/...oageM0Cqtw-:-1

Paul,

It is different from that. More in the shape of a pistol and you push the part of the drawer runner that screw into the side of the cabinet into it and it is held by the built in clamp.

I'll take some pics and try to post it over the weekend.


Peter.

try again...

http://www.blum.com/australia/en/03/...bOGYmp3ZLA2:-1

Before you spend your readies, make sure that the brand of "pistol" jig you buy is the same as the runner. I have 2, a red Blum and a blue Hettich and they're not compatible. Also generally you need to allow min. 15mm between each drawer and between the top drawer and top rail. If you can't find a jig you can always use a rafter square to rule a reference line on the gable. Note that the reference line lines up with the screw holes and not the bottom of the runner. The screw holes are level whereas the bottom of the runner runs downhill towards the back.

Mick

PS these jigs will only work on standard (not full extension) runners.

Thanks for the input guys. I'm about to head off to local Blum agent to collect/ order one.
Regards, Sandman.

FWIW, I've installed literally thousands of sets of blum slides. I've used the jigs and find them to be more of a pain in the butt than anything else. Here are the two more common methods that I use:

1- Draw a line with a framing square. Put screws in holes along the line, holding the drawer slide back only just a hair from the front of the cabinet, assuming you are doing a full overlay.

2- If you are doing a whole bunch of drawer slides that all go on the same planes, simply cut yourself a couple of blocks for resting the slides on, making sure that it touches only the straight part of the slide, i.e. not the front or back. Start at the top of the cabinets and work your way down. Again, holding the slides back just a hair from the front of the cabinet.

This probably hasn't been really helpful for you, but IMO the jigs are a waste of money.

I have to agree with bat, When i was on the tools, i had marks on my tapemeasure for use on standard gable heights, then used a builders square to draw my setout lines. Set back from the front edge of the gable 1mm and the screw off the runners while the gable is flat on the bench, then assemble the box after you have fitted the runners. This meathod is how most cabinetmakers fit off runners. The boys at work have it easy now, the CNC does the setout for them.