Widen opening in face frames

[bkharman]

Hey all,

I am adding some new drawers with Blum Blumotion undermount slides in a kitchen and a few of the openings are about 3mm too small.  I am going to remove some material but had a few questions:

• Since it is only 3mm, should i try and take 1.5 from each side or just have the drawer front off center a bit?
• I have a rasp and my RO90, should i mess with the 90 for this?  I was thinking of just sanding to final finish after some rasp work.
• For this small amount, should I trim the whole side(s) or just enough for the slide to fit?

I think for the last question, i am going to trim all the way up for a "finished look", but looking to see if anyone has had experience here.

Cheers.  Bryan.

 

[tjbnwi]

Take the 3 off one side, you can aways shift the face if necessary for alignment.

I would clamp a straight edge to the face frame for a guide and use the Vecturo to make the cut.

Tom

 

[sae]

Wouldn't it save a lot of headaches if you used a track saw?

 

[bkharman]

Wouldn't it save a lot of headaches if you used a track saw?

It is for drawers and on the sides so it is about 120mm. Not enough room to plunge. These are installed cabinets.

No Vecturo for me Tom. Although I did start looking at them again!!  ;^)

Cheers. Bryan.

 

[Scott in San Diego]

I have run drawer boxes on edge through my jointer to cleanup the sides.  If it is the just the attached drawer front, you might be able to make a sled to support the drawer box.

 

[sae]

Ah doh. BluMotion always makes me think hinges, not sliders.

Tom's suggestion is the easiest solution it seems, you can use any OMT, even the Harbor Freight one (gasp!).

 

[thedude306]

is there enough room behind the face frame to attache a piece of wood?  There should be.  You could then use a pattern bit and a router.  Finish the corners by hand. 

Should look a lot cleaner then an OMT??

 

[tjbnwi]

Wouldn't it save a lot of headaches if you used a track saw?

It is for drawers and on the sides so it is about 120mm. Not enough room to plunge. These are installed cabinets.

No Vecturo for me Tom. Although I did start looking at them again!!  ;^)

Cheers. Bryan.

No oscillating cutter at all....you have to get one, they're a life saver at times.

Even if it's not the Vecturo get a good one.

I really like my Vecturo.

Tom

 

[tjbnwi]

is there enough room behind the face frame to attache a piece of wood?  There should be.  You could then use a pattern bit and a router.  Finish the corners by hand. 

Should look a lot cleaner then an OMT??

With a guide you can get a really nice cut with an OMT.

Your idea is a good one also, he'll still need to clean up the corners and be cautious not to nip the rails with the router bit.

Tom

 

[chrisrosenb]

I have done this. I used a jig saw & then cleaned up the edges with a sander.
Your Carvex & RO90  will do the job.

 

[tjbnwi]

[member=21412]bkharman[/member], make new drawers?

Tom

 

[bkharman]

[member=21412]bkharman[/member], make new drawers?

Tom

I was thinking that might be the best option. I can trim 3mm off on one side front and back and redo the dovetails. Might need a spot of work but my Incra fence can make short work of it. I will let you guys know how I fare...

I think I picked up a cold or flu or something today during my Zar finishing on the boxes. Feel like crap!

Thanks again to everyone who threw in their .02.

Cheers. Bryan.

 

[otis04]

Why couldn't you take the 3 mm off the inside edge of the drawers?  With the Blumotion (if they are the style I have used), the drawer box basically sits on the slide supported by the holes in the back of the box and the clips in the front.

 

[jimbouk]

Yup what you need to alter is the thickness of the sides of the drawers where they sit on the runners. That will solve it and much less stress than doing a whole drawer or remaking them. Also the bit you trimming won't be seen. I would set up a jig for the router and do 1.5 both sides.

 

[bkharman]

Too funny.  As I started looking at this again this morning, i had the same thought, and came upstairs to post!

I need to check to make sure that the drawer bottom will still be happy but a quick pass on my router table will clean down the 6mm height.

Thanks again for the ideas gents!

Cheers.  Bryan.

 

[bkharman]

Well that was a fast switcheroo. I did the math and with my panels, I am potentially at 1mm on either side if the panel slides to the side. I am going to slap some 80grit on my ro90 and clean it up. I think I will use my pull saw to trim the corners out to the right depth and I will be fine.

Cheers. Bryan.

 

[fshanno]

Reviving this old thread.  I've got about 1/8 clearance now with 1/2" thick drawer sides.  The slides are under mount but they are some kind of no name brand.

Widening would be strictly an eyeballing thing with an oscillating tool because in most cases there would be no place to set the plunge thing for the Vectro.  Eyeballing would be a nightmare. I do have the room to take 3/16 off on each side.

A better option would be to find a good quality soft close slide that doesn't need the 5/16".  Anybody seen anything like that or know a brand name.  I've come up with nothing.  Frankly cost is not an object.  If they are $35 a pair so be it.

 

[semenza]

How about attaching a temporary piece to support the Vecturo in the opening space. FF thickness piece attached to another piece a couple inches longer. Screw that to the inside of the cabinet so that the FF thick piece is flush with the FF. That would give the Vecturo base something to rest on.

Are you going to widen the entire FF or just the space for the slides to run through?

Are there a lot of them? If not, maybe hand tools?

Seth