Edit for 2014: this article is now nearly 4 years old, and nowadays there are soft-close kits by Blumotion and others that make this process much simpler and cheaper!In this instructable I will teach you how to retrofit the Blumotion soft-close drawer system (from their TandemBox line) to almost any drawer! Most people prefer to retain a consistent appearance in their kitchen, so replacing the drawers entirely is out of the question (not to mention very expensive.) The Blumotion system is one of the best, however it only works with the corresponding drawer system from the same company. Purchasing the Blumotion drawer damper can be very expensive, if you can find it at all. Download i am sam korean drama subtitle indonesia.
However they mass-produce a custom version of their drawer damper mechanism for IKEA which is sold under the RATIONELL sub-brand. Thus the cheapest way of obtaining the mechanisms is to purchase the IKEA RATIONELL 40 x 35cm damped drawer kit, which at the time of writing costs AU$45. Each kit contains 2 damper mechanisms, which is enough for 2 drawers, so essentially you're damping each drawer for AU$22.50 and you still have a perfectly usable drawer left over! (Another way to look at it, given that the non-damped drawer kit sells for AU$40, is that each pair of dampers costs $5 and thus $2.50 per drawer.) WARNING #1: IKEA also sell an AU$10 RATIONELL damper add-on kit. This will NOT work as it contains only the damper and not the spring-latch mechanism which is so crucial to the system. WARNING #2: Don't buy the bigger drawers as they use a different damping mechanism which is much harder to modify.
Obtaining this kit from IKEA is relatively straightforward. If you need a salesperson's assistance when ordering the kit(s), you will probably be asked if you have the correct RATIONELL cupboard in which to install the drawer - a lot of people have obviously tried to screw their existing drawers onto the RATIONELL rails with little success. Once you have purchased the kit, take out the 2 rails and set the rest aside. As you can see in the picture, there is a spring mechanism running parallel to the damper mechanism. There is quite a lot of force in this spring, so wear eye protection if you are not confident. The spring is the key to the Blumotion system. It provides a closing force just stronger than the damper, resulting in a consistent closing motion every time, nearly regardless of the drawer load.
First, extend the slider (and keep it extended until the mechanisms are removed.) Using a small screwdriver, pry up the metal tab holding the small end of the spring mechanism down. You don't need to bring it up all the way, just loosen it up as far as the screwdriver will naturally go. Once this is done, use a finger to hold the mechanism where it meets the spring (see note in pic.) Keeping your finger there, turn the rail over and use the screwdriver to disengage the plastic tab.
Release the small end of the spring mechanism by pushing down with your finger (i.e. Towards the end of the rail) and you can then lift it off the metal tab.
Gently let it come to rest against the large end of the spring mechanism. Now we disengage the large end of the spring mechanism in a similar fashion. There are 2 tabs to disengage, after which you once again place your finger at the end of the mechanism (see pic) and press down whilst pushing in the tab on the underside of the rail. Give it a shake and the whole spring mechanism will fall out. IMPORTANT: do NOT let the slide close when the large end is loose, or you will likely jam the whole thing up.
Fixing that is not hard, but beyond the scope of this instructable:). Unfortunately this step is not as elegant as extracting the spring mechanism - you need to bring out the hacksaw. However the plastic succumbs quite easily so even a cheap $15 saw like mine will be more than enough. First, we need to trip off a protruding tab on the damper housing (NOT the one on the damper itself, we need that!) If we don't trim off the tab then the damper will not sit flush against the side of the cabinet later on. It is MUCH easier to trim this off while the damper is still attached to the rail, so do this first!
Blum Tandem Blumotion Drawer Slides
Then saw off the whole damper mechanism, taking care not to damage the tab on the damper itself. If you cut just next to the ribbed section (see pic) it will be over very quickly. TIP: don't hold the rail where I'm holding it, as the saw will go straight to your hand after cutting through the damper! Before drilling a hole in the drawer, you need to know exactly where to drill not only here but also in the cabinet, which is where we'll be mounting the Blumotion springs and dampers.
The easiest way to do this is to remove a rail from the cabinet, fit it to the drawer and mark your mounting points on the drawer (use masking tape) and measure your offsets from the cabinet front and bottom edge of the rail. Note that if your existing drawer system closes itself under gravity for the last 5cm (2') of travel, then your Blumotion system will need to be installed at the same angle. In my case, this angle was 2.5mm (0.1') down for the last 5cm (2') of travel, or a gradient of 1/20.
The pictures in the next step will make this clear. Once you know where to drill, installing the bolt is quite simple. I recommend using a split ring washer or a lock nut to ensure the bolt does not come loose over time. As for the length of the bolt, the aim is to miss the cabinet wall by about 2mm (0.08').
Choose a longer bolt and cut/file away as necessary. I prefer to keep the bolts as hidden as possible, so I've installed mine on the far side of the kitchen. Note that the second and third pictures in this step are of drawers on opposite sides of my kitchen. Using the measurements obtained in the previous step, measure off from the drawer rail and front of the cabinet and mark, drill and install your Blumotion spring mechanisms with the spring 'guts' facing the cabinet. I used screws where there were tabs on the original rail, and recommend you do the same. Note that the spring mechanisms are tilted down at a gradient of 1/20 to match the downward action of the drawer as it closes.
After installing the spring mechanism, pull the clear plastic piece forward until it locks into place - this primes it ready for the pin and the drawer. For the damper, the angle does not matter so much, as long as the tab is facing outward so as to catch the drawer when it closes. Note that the distance from the front of the drawer must be sufficient otherwise it may stop the drawer from closing prematurely. There will be more than enough plastic 'ribbing' on the damper housing for 2 screws which will hold the damper in place nice and securely. If your measurements were correct it should work first time. As you can see, we maintain the original appearance of the drawer fronts whilst reaping the benefits of the Blumotion soft-closing system! The great thing about this method is that you will now have a number of perfectly fine drawers left over, and you can install these wherever you like as per the IKEA instructions. They just won't soft-close/auto-close anymore:) (Although if you only take one Blumotion mechanism out of each drawer, they will) A final note: please remember not to slam your friends' drawers - not everyone has soft-close!
My husband and I are in the process of 'remodeling' (really just painting and updating) our spare bathroom. I had in mind installing these soft close drawer slides on our existing vanity drawers and kept seeing mixed reviews regarding those kits out there now.
My mind kept leading me to Ikea's Rationell system that I always play with when visiting the stores. I know they work and I love them! After a quick Google search, I found your Instructable! I am absolutely using your tutorial, however I am a very hands on and a visual learner so I am sure if I had the pieces in my hands, I probably wouldn't have these questions but want to be clear anyhow1- what is the purpose of tiny bolt you see in the very first picture?2- you mention angling the slides so gravity works with them to close. My current drawers' tracks are mounted from the bottom (not the sides like yours show). Is it then necessary or possible to mount the slides with a downward angle if the track it rolls on sits under and level (I better go grab the tiny level and see if they are indeed level!)?I think that is all for now.
Thank you for reading my mind and coming up with this idea 4 years ago! Hi chylid great job in laying out the instructions. I'm looking to possibly do this in the new year and was looking at IKEA's online website for Canada and they offer a different size drawer see the following link: it is listed as being 41 cm in width by 30.5 in length. Do you think this type of drawer will work for me to use the soft close out of to retrofit my drawers. I would appreciate your opinion on this. There are other width sizes but all are 12 inches (30.5 cm) in depth.
Thanks again for the great information. I did do the cabinet doors, although it was a much cleaner retrofit. I simply purchased a pack of quality dampers from You can install these closer to or further from the hinge to lower or raise the damping effect. Installation is as simple as drilling a hole and slipping the damper in. I tried to use these as drawer dampers, but unfortunately they don't work since it lacks a spring+latch mechanism, which is required to pull the drawer shut. With doors, there is enough force in the hinge and the load is always the same (i.e. A door always weighs the same, but a drawer will vary in weight depending on its contents).
Blum Drawer Slides Installation
Great Instructable! For anyone who doesn't want to buy and dismantle all that.at least in the UK, IKEA also sells (sold) packs of standalone soft close dampers like: I bought a bunch and installed them in our bedroom cupboard doors and they did a good job of absorbing/quieting down the last half inch. They were much cheaper, though for the 'soft-close' effect on a drawer they may not be as impressive as your approach.
OverviewPlease note: This product page is for the drawer slides only. Locking devices and rear mounting brackets are also required for installation. If you need everything, please see our bundled page under related products below. Blum's Standard Duty Tandem Plus Blumotion full extension concealed drawer slides. These drawer runners combine the smooth running action of Blum's Tandem drawer slides with the silent close of Blumotion. Rar password finder keygen software. The Blumotion mechanism takes control of the drawer and brings it to a soft, quiet close every time.
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Features four dimensional adjustment, elongated holes for depth adjustment. Top of the line concealed drawer runner mounts discreetly beneath the drawer. Perfect for high-end cabinetry. For drawers up to 5/8' material thickness. Made in the USAScrews.
Screws are not included, but are available for purchase separately. For face frame installation, you need 4 each #7 x 5/8' Flat Head Screws per runner pair. For frameless cabinet installation, you need 10 each #7 x 5/8' Flat Head Screws per runner pairBlum Part Numbers.
For faster, more flexible adjustment of your drawer fronts, these Blum Locking Devices are indispensable. They replace the standard locking devices that come with the Blum Tandem Plus Blumotion Drawer Slides (#43841, sold separately), and offer easy tool-free adjustments up and down, and side to side. Just rotate the knob to move the drawer laterally, and press the adjustment tab to move it up and down. The locking devices also make it easy to install and remove your drawers.Features:.
Stamped steel or zinc die-cast base with synthetic, spring-loaded release levers. Captive right device, self-aligning left device-both included. Length/Depth can be adjusted using a different screw hole on the slide of the runner (if necessary). Tool-free height adjustment-raises drawer front up to 1/8'. Tool-free front side-to-side adjustment-moves drawer front a maximum of 1/16' to the left or right.
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