Blum undermount drawer slides

[charlie kapper]

I am installing Blum drawer slides for the first time. Currently building the drawers. The Blum slides call for a 1 3/8 inch by 1/2 inch notch in the drawer back. Is the notch really necessary or can I just cut off the bottom of the drawer lip below the drawer bottom grove. The Blum undermount slides have a pin that attaches to a hole drilled in the drawer back so I believe that will register the drawer. If the notch is necessary is there an easy method of cutting it after the drawer is built? charlie

[George Bokros]

The notch is not necessary. I end my drawer back at the top of the drawer bottom and tack the drawer bottom to the drawer back. In other words my drawer bottom is only in dado's on the front and sides of the drawers.

[Jeff Monson]

I do what George said, or I have also used a dado blade, to cut the notch in the rear of the drawer, for the runner

[Erik Christensen]

I overbuild drawers so I always cut the notch rather than have the back not fully support the drawer bottom - yah i know you can nail the bottom to the back and it sure makes drawer assembly easier but that is not I have built mine. I cut the notch after drawers are fully assembled with a dado blade on the TS - a dozen drawers takes maybe 10 minutes tops.

[Dave Bonde]

I do mine the same way Erik does - cut the notch on the table saw after assembly.

[Peter Quinn]

I cut it out with a BS. Its all blind, so I'm not looking for laser precision. I don't try to make it messier than it has to be, but I don't bother trying to make it look like a finished face either. I started doing that when I forgot to cut them out prior to assembly once, liked it, done it since. if the drawers are really wide I've done it with a pull saw and a coping saw too. Takes a few seconds longer that way. I like having some material back there because I hot melt the plywood bottoms to the drawer sides, keeps them from rattling and makes them much stronger. Got that from a sub who's drawers we buy at work, little bead of hot melt around the edges works wonders, especially on large drawers.

[Shawn Pixley]

I made some 48" wide drawers and used the undermounts. I cut the notch due to the width and the load I would put in it. If it was a small drawer, I might leave the back short. Then again, my wife acuses me of over-doing things. The notch took all of 10 minutes (hand tools).