The Blum brackets fit beautifully into the Rationell drawer backs - I then cut a back of material similar to the drawer bottoms (which I cut on the table saw, then needed to slightly raise the blade to cut a channel in one end - if you look at the bottom of the drawer, you will see that channels are on both sides, for the sides to slide into. Some people have cut the back of the brackets and attached them - I didn't like that look, so I purchased some back brackets (search for Blum M Back Bracket Tandembox) - this was for the old ikea Rationell drawers. We retrofitted our face-frame cabinets with Ikea Blum boxes - after using some clearance As-Is Adel drawer fronts (.60 cents each) for runners (we cut each into long thirds, then attached to the inside of our cabinets for the rails to be attached to - they were the perfect spacing). I saw this late, but wanted to chime in they are essentially the same, with only one small difference that I am capable of measuring (there may be slight other differences). If they really were custom for IKEA I think that Blum would have badged them as "Blum for IKEA" just like Whirlpool and Electrolux do for their appliances.Īnd if you try to assemble parts from Ikea and Blum parts from the cabinet supply store, they fit perfectly (glides, sides, backs, bottoms, orgaline accessoires, etc). The slides you buy at IKEA are engraved "Blum Tandembox" or "Blum Tandembox Plus Blumotion", depending on the model. Most cabinet manufacturers use Tandembox. There is low-end Blum (metabox), mid-range blum (tandembox/tandembox plus), high-end blum (intivo/antaro) too. Sure there is low end and high end Grohe, but a given model is the same wherever you purchase it. In Europe we have a similar urban legend which says "Grohe at the home improvement centers is not the same as Grohe from the plumbers supply stores." But when you call Grohe to purchase parts they do not ask you where you purchased your faucet. I honestly think that "Blum IKEA is manufactured at lower standards" is an urban legend set up by Blum trade agents to justify the huge pricing difference. Usually a special order.Ī complete Tandembox hardware kit costs roughly $60 wholesale and that doesn't include the 5/8" board needed. It is not readily available at home centers, hardware stores or lumberyards. The biggest challenge for you in making your own Tandembox drawers will be sourcing 5/8" melamine for the drawer bottoms and backs. A router could be helpful especially if you are making hundreds or thousands of drawers, but it's not strictly necessary. A circular saw (oreferably a tablesaw) and a drill with some metric sized bits are all that are required. You could always order the corresponding backer part from Blum's supply chain and modify the Ikea ones, but you'll earn the discount with your time.īarthelemy is incorrect about the need for a router to build a regular Tandembox from Blum. You will have some trouble customizing IKEA's drawers for width because of the fixed back panels that cannot be resized. That said, it is plenty durable and the price cannot be beat. What do you think, would this be MUCH more expensive than ikea? Other thoughts?īlum makes the hardware for IKEA to a specification on contract That spec is for a lower price point and hence and lower quality than Blum's Tandembox offered at your cabinet supply shop or even a Blum tandem drawer system from a European manufacturer. I am wondering if he shouldn't also just make the cabinet frames also out of bamboo plywood if I don't go the Ikea route. He has worked with Blum products before, but not Ikea. I wouldn't be doing the assembly myself, but would be hiring a handyman skilled in cabinetry, but he is not a professional cabinet maker. So, it's not standard for ikea cabinets, yet not that difficult to customize with a bit of hacking. In the 18" unit I'd like an interior drawer/ pullout in the middle drawer section. On the other side I want both the 18" and the 36" units to have the 3-drawer configuration, for pots in the two deep drawers and utensils in the top shallow drawer (full width). The 18" unit on this side will be a garbage pullout. One one side of the island I want on the 36" unit the 4-drawer configuration (shallow, shallow, deep, deep) for flatwear, utensils, and china, mainly. The drawer fronts would be custom, bamboo plywood. Yes I know the Ikea ones are based on Blum, but there still COULD be a substantial difference. I am wondering what the difference would be between Ikea and Blum tandembox would be with respect to: I have a small project of 9 linear feet of all drawers, 18" and 36" units on each side of an island.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |