Drawer Runners (again !?)

[Mr Mike]

Good morning learned gents (and gentesses),

I've to make and fit some built in wardrobes in the next couple of weeks for a customer, with large draws at the bottom (on show, ie. not behind the doors), they'll be flush draws set inside or should I say flush within a beaded face frame.

They be about 900mm wide, between 500-600mm deep and 200-300mm tall.

If the budget were there then I'd use tandem blumotion runners. I wanted to know what you guys would use if tandem blumotion weren't an option ? I definitely want to use commercial hardware and not hardwood slides and grooves.

I have accounts with Woodfit and Hafele, and have been trying to hone down the massive selection of Accuride full extension runners available to find what would best suit my needs, but the information given is very grey at best on Hafele's site for their drawer runners and uses.

Can anyone recommend what they've used before with good results ? As I can't make the figures work to use blum tandem blumotion runners.

I want to use good quality hardware, ie. not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either !?

Many thanks in advance for the help....

Mike.

 

[Charlotte]

The ones Mailee recommended to me from Ironmongery Direct are very similar to those on my roll cab/top box combination - they are really high quality.

 

[Mr Mike]

Hi Charlotte,

Thanks for the speedy reply. I've found your thread, and they look to be very good. Very similar to the accuride ones I had been looking at.

I forgot about ironmongery direct, I get a 10% discount with them so they are a strong contender. A recommendation from people who have used them is what counts. Thankyou.

I haven't got to order them for a week or so, so any other opinions would be welcomed.

Mike.

 

[Oryxdesign]

Depends what you want, soft closers, high weight capacity or what ever, give me a better idea of your requirements.

Simon

 

[Mr Mike]

They don't have to be soft closers.....nice touch but not essential. I specified the overall size and explained they're for a bedroom wardrobe so weight wise they don't need to be of a high weight capacity.

The draws will finish flush with a beaded face frame surround.

I fully understand it's annoying when posters are too lazy to do their own research, but in this case I have and as I say, Hafele's website with regards to drawer runners isn't that helpful.

What would you use that are a reasonable price and of good quality Simon ?

 

[CNC Paul]

Mike,

When you priced the job how much did you allow for the runners ?

As they say horses for courses, we don't know if this i a £500 job or a £5000.

 

[BradNaylor]

Adfix in Hull (01482 222100) has Chinese copies of Blumotion soft close runners at around £10.00 per set. I've used them on bedrooms and found them excellent - far better than alternative solutions. I tend to stick to Blum for kitchens, though.

No website I'm afraid, but Paul the boss is very helpful.

Cheers
Brad

 

[jasonB]

If you can't stretch to tandem then its either full extension ball bearing runners fixed to the side of the draw. Or you could even get away with bottom mount roller runners such as Blum 230M, the small loss of extension is not really an issue for wardrobes, they just shut a bit more firmly than the ball bearing ones.

Jason

 

[Mr Mike]

Paul - Somewhere in the middle of that :wink:

Brad - Thanks for that info. That will be useful for future ref. Good that the boss is on hand to answer questions. I can't imagine his delivery charges are any higher than woodfits :lol:

Jason - I think I'm leaning more towards the full extension ball bearing runners as suggested by Charlotte. When you say about the blum bottom mount runners shutting 'more firmly' than the ball bearing runners, do you mean 'more firmly' in a good way or a bad way ? I know that's a bit of an abstract question :lol: but you know what I mean. Do they feel cheaper in use ??? :?

 

[dicktimber]

Private message sent

 

[jasonB]

The BB runners has a fractionally stiffer action and a rubber buffer at teh end that they "snap" onto. The bottom mounts close by teh runner tilting down at the end so the draw has a slight "klunk" as it comes to rest. Its not much of a difference and the bottom fix can be easier to pull open.

Jason

 

[Oryxdesign]

I would still try to steer you towards the self close or soft close bottom mount runners. I think side mounts can make an otherwise nice piece feel cheap.

 

[Mr Mike]

The drawers and carcasses will be best grade birch ply, the drawer fronts will be sprayed mdf. The wardrobe carcasses are to be birch ply, wardrobe doors and top box doors will be 22mm or 25mm mdf frame and panel with an ogee panel mould applied.

Jason, re: the bottom mount 230Ms, my only reservations about them are if there'll be any noticeable play in the final 'klunk' resting position, that this will affect my gap all round within the face frame ? And whether this gap would end up being variable ? I guess you'd get away with that on overlaid drawer fronts....but with flush drawer fronts ? What d'you reckon ?

Mike.

 

[JWF]

Mr Mike

Try this link. I have bought the concealed runners and found them good for the price. I intend to use them on a cabinet I am making that has 16 drawers that will hold vinyl records. The runners will support 30kg.
Hope this helps

John

 

[jasonB]

Give me a couple of days Mr Mike I've got some 230Ms going in early next week, been a while since ive used them with face frames so will report back.

Jason

 

[Mr Mike]

Hi John,

I think you've missed the link out ?

Jason,

That would be great if you could.

Much appreciated to everyone's who's posted.

Thanks......

Mike.

 

[JWF]

http://www.acsissling.com/acatalog/invi ... lides.html

Opps sorry.

 

[jasonB]

Pics for Mr Mike, Sorry I couildn't get more square on but I'd moved the bunk beds about enough bt Friday afternoon. At the price of JWF's ones I'd be tempted to go with them

Jason

 

[Mr Mike]

Thanks for this Jason. The pics are very useful.

Looks like the blums will do the job.

JWF's look great for the price, but I think the blums will be easier to fit in the long run, and are discreet enough for this particular customer. I need to order hinges and other fittings so can combine them with the drawer runners in one woodfit order.

Thanks again to everyone.

 

[lemonjeff]

Jason,
Out of curiosity what is the slot & 3 pieces of MDF on the side of the unit for?

Jeff.