Safety Speed Cut Thermwood Corporation ECabinet Systems

Cabinetmaking

You are not logged in. [ Login ] Why log in
(NOTE: Login is not required to post)

Tandems - Anyone else have this issue?

10/22/20       
Leo G Member

Been using Tandems for over a decade. Now using the soft close version, Blumotion.

I always have a problem with the drawer front tilting ever so slightly. Top is always tipped out a bit. Of course the bigger the drawer the more noticeable it is.

Making sure that my drawers aren't the problem, and they are square from top to bottom on the face of the drawer.

So I'm wondering if it's just me and it's something I'm doing or if anyone else has noticed this too.

Getting to the point I'm going to start putting them in sloped down from the front of the cabinet to the back to eliminate his issue.

I can't imagine that I'm making my drawers out of square, always the same way. The fronts never tip out at the bottom.

10/22/20       #2: Tandems - Anyone else have this iss ...
Hen Bob Member

Yes, I've noticed it. Seems to be hit or miss, defiantly interested in what the others have to say. I've thought about moving the mounting holes down in the back to compensate

10/22/20       #3: Tandems - Anyone else have this iss ...
Leo G Member

Well thank goodness it isn't just me. I'm putting a bunch of drawer fronts on right now and just put a .027" shim under the front of the slide and it seems to have corrected the issue. This is on a 9 3/8" tall drawer with an 11 5/8" tall drawer front. Looks dead parallel to me now.

Dead giveaway that my drawer parts aren't out of square is the fact that if it was the left and the right sides, one would lean out and the other would lean in because I'm using Baltic Birch and maintain the face as the inside of the drawers all the time. If that was the case the drawer would have a twist and they are dead flat, zero rocking on my tablesaw surface which is dead flat true.

Thanks for the confirmation.

10/22/20       #4: Tandems - Anyone else have this iss ...
Leo G Member

Just did a trash pullout which is a door under a separate drawer front. Looks like .030"-.035 would have been better. It's darn close to parallel but not perfect.

10/22/20       #5: Tandems - Anyone else have this iss ...
Tom Gardiner

Dont tandem slides have tilt adjustments at the back of the slide? A lever action to raise or lower the slide pin. I haven't used them in years.

10/22/20       #6: Tandems - Anyone else have this iss ...
Leo G Member

It only tilts up, which would make the problem worse.

If they had their stuff together the back would be in the middle so you could go up or down, but it only has the raise option.

10/23/20       #8: Tandems - Anyone else have this iss ...
Karl E Brogger  Member

Website: http://www.sogncabinets.com

I should've sworn you could go down a little.

I've seen this. The taller the drawer, and the shorter the slide, the more pronounced it is.

We've talked about setting the back edge of the drawer slide down a little bit, then adjusting every single one back up.

10/24/20       #9: Tandems - Anyone else have this iss ...
Jack Mazzuchelli  Member

same here I just inset the slide the full 1/8"and it doesn't really show. a few tho over the front thickness inset a tad deeper really isn't seen. I wood definitely grab your blum rep and have him show how to fix and notify Blum about problem

10/24/20       #10: Tandems - Anyone else have this iss ...
Leo G Member

I checked the rear up/down adjustment on about 36 slides I had installed. They were all over the place. Some of them were bottomed out at the lowest level. Not many but a few had been turned up one click. A bunch of them, maybe 10 had been turned up 3 clicks. I had one Movento slide and that was all the way down at no clicks.

A few of them in the island I did were three clicks up so I set them back at zero and it really didn't make that much of a difference. The .027" shim made a huge difference. The last 4 or 5 cabs I did a .030" shim and that worked well too.

There is definitely something not right going on with them. They don't ride parallel with the mounting bracket.

10/28/20       #11: Tandems - Anyone else have this iss ...
jonathan mahnken

Website: http://www.mahnkencabinets.com

unless you have an extra bad batch, this is kinda how they work. A little sloppy. the fully adjustable front clips should help out. bottom out the back and raise the front if necessary. I dont usually have a problem that cant be adjusted out.

11/8/20       #13: Tandems - Anyone else have this iss ...
Dan Sadler Member

I've noticed this as well.

I raise the fronts about an 1/8, using the height adjustment in the locking device, before the fronts are attached. Which also helps me in the event that I need to drop a front slightly. Before discovering this I used to attach fronts with the locking device height adjustment bottomed out, which meant I could only raise fronts.

11/8/20       #14: Tandems - Anyone else have this iss ...
Leo G Member

I talked with a Blum rep. He said without seeing what I'm doing he couldn't state for sure what's going on.

But he did say that the hole pattern in the slides makes the slides tip lower in the rear than the front by .009", which is the opposite of my problem.

He also complained that I was using a 1/4" drill instead of a 6mm drill for the rear hole. Said that the rear side to side function would be effected, which it's not for me.

He also said that the slot on the rear needs to be flush with the bottom of the drawer or you might get top tip out. I use a flush cut bit to make my slots so they are flush or darn near close to it.

Squareness of drawer boxes and cabinets, especially the deck since I reference my slides from the deck.

Of course he said they sell 100,000s of these and there are only a few complaints, so it must be something we are doing.

I'm not convinced yet.

11/8/20       #15: Tandems - Anyone else have this iss ...
Leo G Member

Another thing I noticed, and it was only in the current kitchen I was working on was the rear up/down adjusters were not all the way down on all the slides. I know I didn't adjust them so they came from the factory that way. He said they should always be full down.

Just something else for you guys to check.

2/5/21       #16: Tandems - Anyone else have this iss ...
Jeff S Member

I use these with rear mounting brackets and always install my rear brackets about a small 1/8" lower than the faceframe. When the guide slips into the rear bracket it is elevated due to the thickness of the metal.
If you installed the bottom of the bracket at the same height as your fraceframe, the drawer would be going downhill, so your drawer front would not be touching at the top.
If you are having this problem and you don't use rear brackets, then I would get in the habit of installing the back a little low. Always easy to adjust them up with the dial.


Post a Response
  • Notify me of responses to this thread
  • Subscribe to email updates on this Forum
  • To receive email notification of additions to this forum thread,
    enter your name and email address, and then click the
    "Keep Me Posted" button below.

    Please Note: If you have posted a message or response,
    do not submit this request ... you are already signed up
    to receive notification!

    Your Name:
    E-Mail Address:
    Enter the correct numbers into the field below:
     

    Date of your Birth:



    Return to top of page

    Buy & Sell Exchanges | Forums | Galleries | Site Map

    FORUM GUIDELINES: Please review the guidelines below before posting at WOODWEB's Interactive Message Boards (return to top)

  • WOODWEB is a professional industrial woodworking site. Hobbyist and homeowner woodworking questions are inappropriate.
  • Messages should be kept reasonably short and on topic, relating to the focus of the forum. Responses should relate to the original question.
  • A valid email return address must be included with each message.
  • Advertising is inappropriate. The only exceptions are the Classified Ads Exchange, Machinery Exchange, Lumber Exchange, and Job Opportunities and Services Exchange. When posting listings in these areas, review the posting instructions carefully.
  • Subject lines may be edited for length and clarity.
  • "Cross posting" is not permitted. Choose the best forum for your question, and post your question at one forum only.
  • Messages requesting private responses will be removed - Forums are designed to provide information and assistance for all of our visitors. Private response requests are appropriate at WOODWEB's Exchanges and Job Opportunities and Services.
  • Messages that accuse businesses or individuals of alleged negative actions or behavior are inappropriate since WOODWEB is unable to verify or substantiate the claims.
  • Posts with the intent of soliciting answers to surveys are not appropriate. Contact WOODWEB for more information on initiating a survey.
  • Excessive forum participation by an individual upsets the balance of a healthy forum atmosphere. Individuals who excessively post responses containing marginal content will be considered repeat forum abusers.
  • Responses that initiate or support inappropriate and off-topic discussion of general politics detract from the professional woodworking focus of WOODWEB, and will be removed.
  • Participants are encouraged to use their real name when posting. Intentionally using another persons name is prohibited, and posts of this nature will be removed at WOODWEB's discretion.
  • Comments, questions, or criticisms regarding Forum policies should be directed to WOODWEB's Systems Administrator
    (return to top).

    Carefully review your message before clicking on the "Send Message" button - you will not be able to revise the message once it has been sent.

    You will be notified of responses to the message(s) you posted via email. Be sure to enter your email address correctly.

    WOODWEB's forums are a highly regarded resource for professional woodworkers. Messages and responses that are crafted in a professional and civil manner strengthen this resource. Messages that do not reflect a professional tone reduce the value of our forums.

    Messages are inappropriate when their content: is deemed libelous in nature or is based on rumor, fails to meet basic standards of decorum, contains blatant advertising or inappropriate emphasis on self promotion (return to top).

    Libel:   Posts which defame an individual or organization, or employ a tone which can be viewed as malicious in nature. Words, pictures, or cartoons which expose a person or organization to public hatred, shame, disgrace, or ridicule, or induce an ill opinion of a person or organization, are libelous.

    Improper Decorum:   Posts which are profane, inciting, disrespectful or uncivil in tone, or maliciously worded. This also includes the venting of unsubstantiated opinions. Such messages do little to illuminate a given topic, and often have the opposite effect. Constructive criticism is acceptable (return to top).

    Advertising:   The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not an advertising venue. Companies participating in a Forum discussion should provide specific answers to posted questions. WOODWEB suggests that businesses include an appropriately crafted signature in order to identify their company. A well meaning post that seems to be on-topic but contains a product reference may do your business more harm than good in the Forum environment. Forum users may perceive your references to specific products as unsolicited advertising (spam) and consciously avoid your web site or services. A well-crafted signature is an appropriate way to advertise your services that will not offend potential customers. Signatures should be limited to 4-6 lines, and may contain information that identifies the type of business you're in, your URL and email address (return to top).

    Repeated Forum Abuse: Forum participants who repeatedly fail to follow WOODWEB's Forum Guidelines may encounter difficulty when attempting to post messages.

    There are often situations when the original message asks for opinions: "What is the best widget for my type of shop?". To a certain extent, the person posting the message is responsible for including specific questions within the message. An open ended question (like the one above) invites responses that may read as sales pitches. WOODWEB suggests that companies responding to such a question provide detailed and substantive replies rather than responses that read as a one-sided product promotion. It has been WOODWEB's experience that substantive responses are held in higher regard by our readers (return to top).

    The staff of WOODWEB assume no responsibility for the accuracy, content, or outcome of any posting transmitted at WOODWEB's Message Boards. Participants should undertake the use of machinery, materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB's Message Boards after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages it deems inappropriate. (return to top)


  • Forum Posting Help
    Your Name The name you enter in this field will be the name that appears with your post or response (return to form).
    Your Website Personal or business website links must point to the author's website. Inappropriate links will be removed without notice, and at WOODWEB's sole discretion. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    E-Mail Address Your e-mail address will not be publicly viewable. Forum participants will be able to contact you using a contact link (included with your post) that is substituted for your actual address. You must include a valid email address in this field. (return to form)
    Subject Subject may be edited for length and clarity. Subject lines should provide an indication of the content of your post. (return to form)
    Thread Related Link and Image Guidelines Thread Related Links posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should point to locations that provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related Link that directs visitors to an area with inappropriate content will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Thread Related File Uploads Thread Related Files posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. Video Files: acceptable video formats are: .MOV .AVI .WMV .MPEG .MPG .MP4 (Image Upload Tips)   If you encounter any difficulty when uploading video files, E-mail WOODWEB for assistance. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related File that contains inappropriate content will be removed, and uploaded files that are not directly related to the message thread will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links, files, or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Limtech Industries, Inc. Lamello
    Today's Sponsors
    • Cab Parts
      Pre-manufactured Components for Easy-to-Assemble Cabinet Boxes
    • Limtech Industries, Inc.
      CNC Routers, Machinery for Woodworking, Plastic and Other Non-ferrous Metal Machining Applications
    • Felder USA
      High Quality Woodworking Machines and Tools
    • J&P Machines
      Design and Production of Custom Equipment for the Manufacturing Industry
    • Template Services
      Professional Moulding Design and Template Making Service
    • Better Vacuum Cups, Inc.
      Vacuum Cups for All CNC Routers As Well As Many After Market Parts for Your CNC
    • NEMI
      Products For CNC Machines - Digitizers, Tool Setters, Vacuum Pods, Vacuum Cups, Vacuum Tables, Vacuum Chucks and Software
    • Anver Corporation
      Vacuum System Components - Suction Cups, Vacuum Pumps, Vacuum Lifters & Lifting Systems, and More
    • Laguna Tools
      CNC Routers, CNC Lasers, Bandsaws, Woodworking Machines
    • Rangate
      Woodworking Machinery, Supplies and Knowledge
    • Western Dovetail
      Custom Made Dovetail Drawers
    • Machine Bid
      Online auction site for buying and selling high-quality machinery. We offer a secure, online bidding platform, featuring CNC routers, Edgebanders, Sanders, and much more; new equipment added daily
    • Cabinetshop Maestro
      Web-Based Project Management Software for Custom Cabinet Shops - Manage Jobs from Prospect to Punchlist Through Scheduling, Task Management, Time Tracking and Communication

    Become a Sponsor today!