# Drawer too big?



## dvto2 (Nov 12, 2012)

I am building kitchen drawers. I have 24 inch cabinet bases and bought 21 inch blum Blumotion soft close slides. I built the sides and backs of the drawers out of 1/2 inch Baltic birch. I used a Whiteside drawer bit to join the pieces. I made the sides 21 inches, which I thought were within the parameters of these slides, but the sides seem about 1/2 inch too short to lock in to my locking devices. Any thoughts? Did I make the drawers 1/2 inch to long?


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## DonkeyHody (Jan 22, 2015)

dvto2 said:


> I am building kitchen drawers. I have 24 inch cabinet bases and bought 21 inch blum Blumotion soft close slides. I built the sides and backs of the drawers out of 1/2 inch Baltic birch. I used a Whiteside drawer bit to join the pieces. I made the sides 21 inches, which I thought were within the parameters of these slides, but the sides seem about 1/2 inch too short to lock in to my locking devices. Any thoughts? Did I make the drawers 1/2 inch to long?


I'm building cabinets and using the same drawer slides. Overall length of the drawer box (not including separate drawer front) needs to be 21 inches. You'll need to drill a hole in the drawer back to accept the metal prong that holds the rear of the drawer in place. Post a picture of your problem if you can.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

I agree with Andy see no reason post picture you must of installed something wrong should work.
utube


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## fire65 (Oct 29, 2008)

I do not have my chart with me. BUT yes, when using Blum guides the drawers have to be exact length so the mounting holes in the back of the drawer accept the guide. I have a book, but there should have been a chart for length.


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## dvto2 (Nov 12, 2012)

I called cs hardware and we figured out that even though my sides were 21", the inside of the drawer box is 20.5 inches, and should be 20 for the slides to fit. The discrepancy has something to do with my joinery. I will attend to this with future drawers and glued a shim in to fix this one. Thanks much for your replies.


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## CM1 (Mar 3, 2016)

Mistakes happen. I have in a rush on several occasions forgotten to include the joint spacing into my measurements especially when I go 6 months between making drawers. If the lock miter takes a half inch you end up losing that that half inch. My wife tells me to keep a log of cuts and measurements for when I am rushed and tired at the same time. She values my time too. I just break out the log and use the references there in because almost all cabinets are 24 inches deep. I even have built drawers for under the cabinets in the kick boards. That was interesting drawer to build, home owner saw it in a home improvement magazine and asked me to do it.


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