Blum locking device question

[Michael Weber]

have a question about the T51.1901.PS locking device. I have zero experience with this item and Blum slides in general. This device is for adjusting an inset drawer in and out. It has an extra adjustment that hangs about 1/2 inch below where a standard locking device depth is. Will I have to allow another 1/2inch below the drawer bottom? In other words will I need to provide an inch below the drawer bottom instead of the standard 1/2 inch?

[Martin Wasner]

Nope. The drawer bottom needs to be ½" up from the bottom of the drawer. You can set the slides all the way to the bottom of your opening.

[Ken Krawford]

I just used these for the first time on a project. Personally I wouldn't buy them again. Just put a couple of your mounting screws in the slots and use them for in/out adjustment. I found the adjustment range for this device was fairly minimal. Just my opinion - others may differ.

[Justin Ludwig]

They are great when building inset cabinets. That minimal adjustment turns out to be more than enough when you use a 3/32" inset margin. If my customers want to pay for them, I happily install them.

[Jeff Duncan]

I'm with Martin on this one, you don't need extra height and you don't need those clips. When doing inset I always do one full drawer box setup first. I use the elongated slot in the slide to make any adjustments forward/back to get my front exactly where I want it. Then I set all the rest of the slides to that same dimension. Now the built-in height adjustment does come in handy on occasion, not necessary either, but handy;)

good luck,
JeffD

[Michael Weber]

Thanks everyone.

[Martin Wasner]

I'm with Martin on this one, you don't need extra height and you don't need those clips. When doing inset I always do one full drawer box setup first. I use the elongated slot in the slide to make any adjustments forward/back to get my front exactly where I want it. Then I set all the rest of the slides to that same dimension. Now the built-in height adjustment does come in handy on occasion, not necessary either, but handy;)

good luck,
JeffD



I didn't say don't use them. I think they are a godsend. I drill the first hole with a jig to set the drawer fronts so they are back a freckle, then adjust everything forwards. My last job had 72 drawers in it, the one prior to that had 98 drawers, and it is typical for the cabinets to be installed prior to the drawers being completed. (Small shop, we do it to get cabinet boxes on site quickly so we aren't holding up other trades). Adjusting the slide itself would be very expensive for me. We also mount our drawer fronts on site usually to account for some of the twisting that can take place when the cabinet boxes are being installed. That helps to insure that we're getting the max available adjustment out of everything should things be a little wonky with anything. There's also some cheating that can be had putting them on onsite. If the back of the drawer is high for whatever reason, you can set the front low in the opening, then adjust up to get them to plane better. The conditions in the shop aren't always the same as onsite.

If the slide is bottomed out in the opening, the drawer bottom will end up about an inch above the opening, but nothing special needs to be done to account for clearance on the fully adjustable locking devices. You do need the bottom face of the drawer bottom to be a half inch off of the drawer box bottom edge though. If it is more, it will cause that plastic piece to twist and it can hit the face frame. Which is an unnecessary hassle. If it is less than 1/2", I don't think there is any issues, but it doesn't take much over that and it will go sideways.

[Jeff Duncan]

I didn't say don't use them. I think they are a godsend. I drill the first hole with a jig to set the drawer fronts so they are back a freckle, then adjust everything forwards.

I don't get it…if you mount all your slides exactly where there supposed to be, you don't have to spend any time adjusting them forward? Unless I'm missing something it sounds like your making more work for yourself? There's nothing that can happen at installation that will change where the drawer face sits…..unless they're using sledge hammers to install:eek: I usually run smaller projects, I just set 9 drawers last week. Tinkered with the first one to get the slide distance right and then just set the rest to the same….done. But maybe Im not getting what your doing???

good luck,
jeffD

[Peter Quinn]

I like the inset clips. In a perfect world everything is square, everything goes in plumb and level, you figure out the exact setback of the slides to flush your drawer faces which have all been sanded perfectly to the same thickness, and it goes well. But I've rarely seen a perfect job, still has to look good, the inset clips get me there quick and easy.