Expert: Jamie Yocono - 8/16/2009

Question
Hi,
I realize this question may be  bit off the area of "wood" working but here goes.  I am an experienced amateur woodworker finding myself in a pickle.  In putting together an IKEA cabinet with drawers in it. The drawers are neatly designed to snap together. The drawers are different in size. I mistakenly joined a set of sides to the wrong back.  I then attached a front of the wrong size.  The hardware fittings on the front of the front draw panel screw on to the panel. The fittings have slots that, when pushed into the draw side engage a detente, a small pin that engages the fitting. If I can get these fittings disengaged I can correct my mistake. There are openings in the metal sides giving access to innards and I see a spring in there that I believe sets the detente pin as the draw front is pushed in.  Would you have any idea how to release the pin?  I am hoping you studied something about modern furniture fittings in your studies. If I cannot remove the hardware I will have to save the draw front.  I can knock it off the hardware screws to save it. The front is made of modern fiber board. What  can I fill the holes with that might add enough strength so I can re-use the draw front?  I realize you are not an engineer, but if you cannot answer these questions, could you give me some leads as to how I might proceed?
Thank you--  Bill

Answer
Bill,

Not sure I can help, but some of those fittings are KD (knock-down) fittings, so they're usually removable. I haven't seen one with a spring in it, though.

Once you pushed the pin into the fitting, did you have to rotate anything to get it to lock together? Or did they just "click" into each other? Do you have any more of the hardware that isn't installed yet, so that you can look at it more closely?

My best advice - call the Ikea store and see if they have a help hotline, or a customer service person to speak with. I'm sure they've dealt with something like this before, and trust me, they want to keep their customers happy. They may even send you some new parts, if you can't get the drawer apart.

As far as filling the holes for more strength - I'm not sure I would do that. Their fittings are designed to press into the fiberboard. If you drill out the holes and fill the hole with solid wood (for added strength), you may not be able to re-install the fittings. The fiber board is more coarse, and will accept the fittings better than solid wood, even though it's weaker. That's why they use coarse threaded screws in fiberboard, not fine ones. It's all well engineered, believe it or not. That's why you can't get those darn fittings apart!

Sorry I couldn't help more, good luck with this,

Jamie in Vegas
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Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com
My woodworking blog: www.wooditis.blogspot.com