Do you remember the other day when I talked about some of my recent project blunders and asked about yours? Well, I was ready to do a test fitting of my test drawer.
It turns out that the drawer is something like 1/4″ too wide. I was proud of how close to 16-5/8″ was able to get the front and back panels, which determine the critical inside width measurement. Apparently it was supposed to be around 16-11/32″. So I was off by 9/32″, or a little over 1/4″. Doh! But that’s not what this post is about.
Advertisement
Blum makes a template for drilling the holes needed to attach a drawer to their undermount slides. Each drawer must have two holes in the back panel, one on either side, and it’s best to pre-drill for the front locking clips.
But… Blum’s template is quite pricey, something like $42+. And that doesn’t include the price of bits or collars. Rockler’s JIT IT undermount drilling guide comes with a template, a 6mm brad point drill bit, 2x 2.5mm brad point drill bits, 2 screw collars, and a hex key, for $30.
Adjusting the collars onto the drill bits was easy. Keeping the collar on the 6mm bit was a huge headache. Do you see in the above photo how the collar is fixed on the drill bit towards the smooth round shaft? That’s not where it’s supposed to go – it needs to be placed over the flutes.
I could only get it to lock in crookedly, and it would never stay fixed. Okay, I made it work. In drilling 4 holes it required maybe 6 readjustments.
Okay, onto the angled front locking device screw holes!
Both bits broke, on holes number 2 and 4. But hey, the locking collar stayed put!
Advertisement
I usually have a light touch with smaller bits, so I don’t know what happened. I contacted Rockler (as a customer of course, since I purchased the jig), and they said they’ll send over some replacement bits.
I also ordered some bits from Lee Valley, after the free shipping deadline – doh! – and also some clamping collars from an industrial supplier.
I think I *might* be able to make due with 3/32″ drill bits instead of 2.5mm, or at least I’ll give it a try. 3/32″ is 0.09375″, or around 2.38 mm. The difference between 3/32″ and 2.5 mm is around 0.12 mm, or around 0.00468″ (4.7 mils). Since we’re talking about fractions, that’s a ~1.12/256 difference. So… 3/32″ *should* work.
Lee Valley also carries 2.5mm bits, but they’re out of stock at the moment. They’re also not the same as their special brad point bits, which start at 3mm in metric, but they do have 3/32″ bits.
The Rockler JIG IT itself was okay, but I’ll need a little more practice in positioning it and holding it.
If I had to do it again, I would just spring for the Blum drilling template. After having to buy replacement bits and collars myself – in case the Rockler replacements still give me problems – the difference in cost is just $12. The Blum also looks easier to use.
Oh, and I’ll also be ordering a pin vise, for better holding the smaller bits in my drill. Maybe the longer clearance will help me avoid snapping the smaller its so quickly. Blum offers a 2.5mm extension, but I’m thinking that the pin vise can be used with 2.5 mm or 3/32″ bits equally as well.
Lastly, I realized that 18″ is not a good width for my needs. I was going to have a bank of 24″ drawers, and one of 18″ drawers. Now, I’m separating the two into separate 24″ drawer units, and will use the space between for either my new Sortimo parts organizers, or something similar. Luckily that will work out to around 18″ or so, and so my 18″ 80/20 aluminum framing sections won’t go to waste.
I thought I had planned this drawer workbench quite well, but am finding that I’m either blundering everything up or dealing with unforeseen complications every which way.
I really hate this JIG IT drilling template, but I’m trying to give it another shot. I do have to hand it to Rockler – they stand by their products. This has my first experience with their customer service, and so far it’s been smooth. I have to contact them again soon, as one of my Bandy Clamps has fallen apart (a pin is too loose).
Buy Now(via Rockler)
Mike
$42 for a Blum product??? Must be a hex screw or something.
and Rockler,,,they seem too overcharge a bit quite often…but they DO have good service and they DO focus on useful new ideas(some duds, but that’s OK with me, nothing gained if nothing ventured or something like that).
I do like Rockler overall, and compared to companies like Stanley or Home Depot they’re basically a small business, and they do need to be paid.
Kreg also seems a touch too pricey, but they deliver quality and useful designs pretty consistently. I’m just “cheap”. By which I mean poor. I spent all my money on several dozens of Knipex pliers and a few Mafell saws.
My tools tell me my money was taking up too much of my life.
Nathan
why do you need a jig? why doesn’t the drawer slides come with a template – or am I missing something?
Stuart
I went with Blum 563H undermount slides. PDF Instructions.
This is what you’ll see in a lot of kitchen cabinets these days, and some office cabinets as well.
Rated to 100 lbs per pair, a little less for dynamic loads.
They are very depth and inside width sensitive. When using 15″ slides, a drawer MUST have 15″ sides. The bottom lip must be 1/2″. The inside width has to be very specific, depending on the opening of the cabinet and the width of your sides.
Drawers are attached to the slides in 2 places – the rear via small pins/pegs attached to the rear of the slides, and via undermounted locking mechanisms that attach the front of the drawers to the front of the slides.
Those front mounting mechanisms are installed via screws at an angle, and should be pre-drilled. The holes in the back need to be at very specific locations.
Oh, and the drawer back must be notched 1-3/8″ to allow the drawer bottom to rest on the slides.
You could drill those holes manually, but a template makes shorter and more accurate work of it.
You typically have to order the slides and front locking mechanisms separately. My order came with no packaging or labeling, and that seems to be the norm.
Joe
This jig is totally unnecessary… Rockler makes some cool jigs but 90% of them are pointless and weekend warriors waste their money on them. Coming from someone who worked in a production cabinet shop for 2 years and has done over 200 Blum drawer installations, here’s a little advice.
For the rear holes…Just mount the slides to the cabinet, attach the drawer, push the drawer shut and pull it out. The rear pointed tip of the slides will leave an indent that shows you where to drill the 2 holes for the back of the drawer box.
For the front mounting bracket holes, Just use a vix bit and hold the front mounts in place.
That’s how my boss showed me to do it and he’s got 20+ years in the business. Never had this technique fail me once.
Nick
The only thing I might add to your suggestion is in the case of the newer Blum guides. The rear pins have a height adjustment as well used for tilting the drawer box and are often set at random heights from the factory. If you are doing inset or flush mount drawer fronts that adjustment can prove very useful and having the hole in a more random spot can affect your range of adjustment.
Bob A.
The only time drill collars worked well for me is on the kreg jigs, for everything else I go with the low tech scotch tape collar. On smaller bits like these I would also use the smallest drill you own. My Bosch PS21 grips the smaller bits well and the light weight throws less lateral forces on the bit and doesn’t break them (as often).
Rick
The rockler slide holding jig doesn’t hold the slides at an 1/8 inch in on face frame cabnet. I set 8 drawers 16 slides and the slides were to close to the face frame drawers couldn’t close flush with the face frame. I cut a grove in the jig to place a piece of steel 1/8 inch thick 7/8 inch long and 1/4 inch wide now the slides are the correct depth. The drawers close flush with the face frame all is right with the world. Is anyone else having this problem I would love to know