CABINET BUILDERS: need input with drawer slides

[punkabilly136]

I am building cabinets for our kitchen, and I am using 21" VITUS soft-closing bottom mount drawer slides. I was wondering, can I use 3/4" material to build my drawer boxes out of instead of the 5/8" or 1/2" they say to use? I want to use the wood that I have so it matches the inside of the cabinet carcasses. Thanks!

 

[shoot summ]

I am building cabinets for our kitchen, and I am using 21" VITUS soft-closing bottom mount drawer slides. I was wondering, can I use 3/4" material to build my drawer boxes out of instead of the 5/8" or 1/2" they say to use? I want to use the wood that I have so it matches the inside of the cabinet carcasses. Thanks!

You can use whatever you want just as long as you compensate for the dimensional differences in the box measurements.

You realize you are sacrificing storage space when you are using thicker materials though.

 

[sselander]

know anybody with a planer? see if you rent one or look on CL.

 

[punkabilly136]

well, the reason I ask is because I'm using 3/4" melamine for my boxes and shelves, and I would like to keep the consistency throughout the project. Using the melamine definitely rules out the use of a planer

 

[mattygee]

You may want to reconsider your choice of material for the drawer boxes... I could think of several reasons why, weight being only one of them. I'm not a professional cabinet maker by any means, but I've done my share of cabinet building and have found trying to reinvent the wheel just makes for more work and unforeseen difficulties. 1/2 or 5/8 plywood or solid wood for drawer boxes with either 1/4 or 1/2 bottoms is the norm.

 

[210Hardtop]

I am building cabinets for our kitchen, and I am using 21" VITUS soft-closing bottom mount drawer slides. I was wondering, can I use 3/4" material to build my drawer boxes out of instead of the 5/8" or 1/2" they say to use? I want to use the wood that I have so it matches the inside of the cabinet carcasses. Thanks!

I am a cabinetmaker, Don't know about the VITUS but with Blum Tandems we use the slides that are designed for 5/8" material.
I believe there are Blums for 3/4" material but have never seen them.
When using 3/4" melamine we rabbet the drawer slide along the inside bottom to reduce the thickness to 5/8"
We cut everything on a CNC router along with the rabbet.

 

[punkabilly136]

The vitus slides are built on the same concept as the Blum slides. You wouldn't happen to have a photo of how your slides fit into the rabbet, would you? Thanks!

 

[Vermaraj]

Not unless you plane the sides of the drawers. The reason is the slides mount to the side of the cabinet. The drawer then sits between the slides. The extra 1/4" (two sides) of material will rub against the mounts and especially the heads of the mounting screws.

Blum makes a slide specifically for 3/4 " material. Probably Vitus does as well. If you havent made the drawers yet, check out CCF Drawers in PA. Premade melamine drawers are cost about the same as sheet stock.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Question: Isn't most melamine coated over particle board and won't the usually short screws that come with the drawer slides chip the melamine and not penetrate to get purchase?

 

[Vermaraj]

Question: Isn't most melamine coated over particle board and won't the usually short screws that come with the drawer slides chip the melamine and not penetrate to get purchase?

yes, that is generally the case. The 5mm system screws (confirmat style threads) that most European style hinges use get a fairly good grip the first time. If you unscrew and then try to reuse the hole there is very little strength to the connection.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Vermaraj, do you think the Confirmat type screws, short as they are for hinges will work on melamine sheathed particle board? I don't.

 

[210Hardtop]

Not unless you plane the sides of the drawers. The reason is the slides mount to the side of the cabinet. The drawer then sits between the slides. The extra 1/4" (two sides) of material will rub against the mounts and especially the heads of the mounting screws.

Blum makes a slide specifically for 3/4 " material. Probably Vitus does as well. If you havent made the drawers yet, check out CCF Drawers in PA. Premade melamine drawers are cost about the same as sheet stock.

All I can say is I've made melamine drawers and have used this method on probably 4-500 drawers and they work perfectly.
Cut them on the CNC, dowel construction, assemble them, and slide them in the cabinet.

 

[210Hardtop]

Vermaraj, do you think the Confirmat type screws, short as they are for hinges will work on melamine sheathed particle board? I don't.

The 5mm Euro screws that are used on a 5mm predrilled holes work great.
We use them on hinges plates, drawer slides etc.

 

[210Hardtop]

The vitus slides are built on the same concept as the Blum slides. You wouldn't happen to have a photo of how your slides fit into the rabbet, would you? Thanks!

PM sent

 

[btamkel]

i use those glides in my shop they work just fine just adjust your drawer lenght to fit for the locks this is not a issue