A question about soft closers for drawers

Re: A question about soft closers for drawers

Are you sure you can't retrofit Blum slides somehow?

Show me what you are thinking of, Ellis.

Re: A question about soft closers for drawers

I see three possibilities....

If the space between the drawer side and cabinet is 1/2" or more you could use side mount runners.  Might have to install a wooden spacer if the space is over half and inch.  The screws might be a problem but not insurmountable.

With enough cyphering you might be able to install Blum under mount runners.  Getting them to work and line up with the existing fronts seems challenging.  

And last but not least, you could rebuild the drawers and make them out of some fine hardwood the way they are supposed to be.  Use undermount runners and reattach the existing fronts.

Re: A question about soft closers for drawers

I agree with Barry

Re: Tape a cotton ball to the back of each drawer

My thought was a screen door spring and a sponge, but I am not an EE.

Re: Show me what you are thinking of, Ellis.

Hi Derek,

I'm thinking that you could retrofit each drawer with some kind of wooden base, or runners, that would properly engage Blum Tandem soft-close slides, provided there's enough headroom under each drawer. Based on your photos, I'm not sure that will work out for you, but it would be worth investigating. In my current kitchen, there is 1 1/8" between the underside of the drawer bottom and the face frame below. You need only about 3/16" side clearance on each side of the drawer to the case sides. The slides I've used have a case member and a drawer member for each side of the drawer. I can't engineer this for you, but it wouldn't hurt to buy yourself a pair of slides and see what you need to do to retrofit them to your metal drawers. Or, as others suggest, just make some simple wooden drawer boxes and use the slides normally.

Here's what the drawer gadget looks like.

... and the back of the drawer looks like this. The kerf is to engage pins in the left and right slide mechanisms that hold the drawer down at the back.

My thought was that if you had enough clearance under the drawer bottom (again, needs to be verified in your case), you'd only need some way to attach this piece to the underside front of the drawer, and drill two holes in the back of the drawer.

I'm a firm believer in lemonade, but nice wooden drawers don't seem too much of a stretch if the job is worth the extra effort.

Ellis

One more thing

Derek, there is a whole drawer industry out there that makes box drawers to Blum specs for about fifty bucks (US) per drawer (last time I looked, probably more by now). For utility drawers like these, it might be worth it to just order in some new boxes ready to go.

Cheers,

Ellis

Re: One more thing

Hi Ellis

I do not wish to make new drawers. The drawers are actually great, and just need a soft closing mechanism. My first choice would be to replace the existing slide, but if I cannot, then I will just add these to the existing slides ...

These fittings are quite inexpensive in comparison with new sliders. They are designed to be used with the drawers I have.

Any thoughts?

Regards from Perth

Derek

Go for it

That sure looks like what the doctor ordered, Derek. I've never used anything like that, but it sure looks like the way to go.

Cheers,

Ellis

Re: Go for it

I agree with Ellis.  I have not seen one of them before but it looks like the ticket.  OTOH I looked them up on Amazon and they were listed but unavailable.  No price listed.  Maybe a local thing, but double check.  You might want to buy a spare.

Done!

Re: One more thing

Derek, I would rather replace those cheap epoxy coated slides with full length Accuride soft close than to add on those closers. These are what I used to go with before switching to the Blum bottom mount, which are a nicer system. These will fit into the same 1/2" space that you have. 

https://www.cabinetparts.com/p/accuride-drawer-slides-side-mount-drawer-slides-AC383222EC-p184?mtm_campaign=780273989&mtm_group=46437471008&mtm_source=google_ad&mtm_medium=cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9u6005uB_gIVu8mUCR1MTAxpEAYYASABEgLDb_D_BwE

Re: Done!

Peter, thanks for trying. The ones you link to - for wooden sides - will not work with metal-sided drawers. Happily, I live in Australia, and the slides I want are freely available there. I have purchased them already.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: One more thing

Thanks Keith. I looked at your link. Those slides are for wooden-sided drawers. I have found converters for my metal-sided drawers. They should do the job. If they do not, I am not out of pocket much, and then I will look at replacing the slides altogether. Somehow .... replacing the slides was my first choice, but I could not find slides for metal sided drawers.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: One more thing

Derek, I’m not sure there would be any difference for wood or metal other than the screws would need machine threads. And since those epoxy slides are also euro type, the holes would be on the standard 32mm system, and very likely to match the holes as those in my link. 

If the cost is an issue, I think KV and others do a knockoff of this slide at a much lower price, 

Re: One more thing

Thanks again Keith. The add-on soft closers for the metal drawers do attach differently to usual slides. The metal is only at the sides, and the underside is wood. The add-ons attach underneath the drawer, so there is no need to drill the metal sides. 

The cost is not the issue, although I appreciate that the add-on kit is only $12 per drawer. If they. do not work smoothly, then I shall redo the drawers. Our aim is to update the drawers in advance of selling the house in a couple of years. No doubt future owners will have there own ideas on what they like in a kitchen. I like what I built, in curly hard maple. I retained the shells, and added new doors and drawer fronts. Built those stools as well …

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: One more thing

Thats a nice cleanly designed kitchen Derek. I like the way you handled the lighting, and it's got a good tight work triangle. Plus you worked in something I wouldn't expect to see in a kitchen this small, the wine rack. If I ever got over to Perth, I'd like to sit on one of those stools while we cracked open a bottle (although I've given up alcohol except on special occasions) while you cooked up something exotic for us like Platypus eggs. ;-)

Re: One more thing

Keith, it would my pleasure! However, it is more likely to be a cold beer and butterflied lamb on the barbie.

Regards from Perth

Derek 

Better Be The Barbie

'Cause there doesn't seem to be a stove or cook-top in that kitchen