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Unit: Adjusting cabinets on-site

Supporting: LMFKB3004A Conduct on-site adjustments to cabinets

Section 1: Making adjustments


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The drawers will probably have already been fitted before the cabinets were delivered to the jobsite.

However, drawer fronts generally need a final adjustment on-site to match the gaps with adjacent cabinet doors or other panels.

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There may also be times when a drawer runner needs to be re-adjusted because it wasn't lined up properly in the workshop.

Below are the procedures used to adjust drawer fronts on the two most common types of drawers.

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Standard flat panel drawer

The standard drawer consists of 4 sides and a bottom, all made from 16mm melamine board. The drawer front is generally attached to the drawer in the workshop with 2 screws, fixed from the back. It can then be adjusted on-site by removing one of the screws and tapping the drawer front with a hammer and block of wood.

Once its position is correct, the front is secured with 3 more screws, making 4 screws in total.

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Steel sided drawer

Steel sided drawers are manufactured in a range of patented designs. In most cases, the drawer front is attached separately.

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The diagram at right shows a typical example of the bracket that connects the drawer front to the metal side. The functions of the screws are as follows:

A: adjusts the drawer front from side to side.

B: attaches the drawer front to the metal sides

C: adjusts the drawer front up or down.

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Adjusting drawer runners

There are various types of drawer runners available, ranging from simple runners to 'servo-drive' (electrically driven) drawer slides. Below is the procedure for re-aligning a standard drawer runner:

  1. Unscrew all of the runner screws, except for the rear screw so that the runner can pivot at the back.

  2. Put a level on the runner (assuming the cabinet is already level) and mark the new holes for the screws. You can either do this with a bradawl, or use a pencil and then drill pilot holes with a cordless drill.

  3. Screw the runner back in place using the new holes.
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Learning activity

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Your own company is likely to use a range of proprietary products made by a particular manufacturer, such as Blum, Hettich, Hafele or Lincoln Sentry. The options will cover various budgets and customer requirements, ranging from low-cost conventional fittings to high-end designer products.

What types of drawer runners and drawer front fittings do you use? Name the manufacturer and product title of each fitting. What advantages (if any) do they have when it comes to making final adjustments on-site? What tools are needed to make the adjustments?

Share your answers with your trainer and other learners in your group. You may wish to take digital photos to include with your descriptions.

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