# Mepla Drawer Slide Mystery



## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

I've installed countless drawer slides…but these "Mepla Germany" slides have an interesting bit of hardware on them that I've never seen before.



















In the pics, shown is an assembled typical CR/DR, but with a bright metal clip that can flip 90 degrees. I'm guessing that the drawer front mounts to this, but why? The little mechanism looks like it allows the drawer front to flip down 90 degrees, and flip up back to vertical, where it locks itself in to a full vertical position. Oddly, they don't look like they'd support much weight, ruling out a possibility of a built-in flip-down work surface..
These are obviously some special application. They're otherwise just typical run-of-the-mill kitchen drawer slides. Heck, I got 'em at a Habitat Re-store, about 20 sets, for $2 a set. Should I just drill out the little rivet and toss 'em, or is this feature worth retaining? *Who has worked with these, and knows what those clips are for?* Thx for your responses!


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## Sylvain (Jul 23, 2011)

Look here page 10

http://www.grass.at/fileadmin/downloads/DEU/Produktbroschueren/Roller_slides_DEU_screen.pdf


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

*Sylvain:* That is a possibility! It looks like when the hardware is mounted to a drawer, the bright metal clip would be up against the front surface of the drawer. So that a false front could be mounted to it and be flipped down. (But.. again, why?) These appear to have been manufactured this way, not some user modification. I have not been able to find instructions for this online. The thought of preventing simultaneous upening of all drawers, or a lock, is an interesting idea that I'd have to reverse-engineer to see it could do that.


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

I initially thought they might be for rear mount application (fastening at the back of the cabinet), but doesn't look like it.

I have installed many of this style as well, never seen this model. Good luck!


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## renners (Apr 9, 2010)

Judging by the elongated hole at the front I would say they allow some height adjustment when it comes to fitting.


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

This Mepla guide is similar to the Blum 230 guide that has been around for decades.

One issue that this type of guide has, is that there is no positive stop in the hardware. If someone were to slam a drawer shut, the drawer front would take the brunt of the closing force. In budget cabinetry with particle board drawer boxes this will surely break the drawer. (It usually splits the PB sub-front)

This looks, to me, to be an attempt to fix this issue. By attaching this bracket to the back of the solid wood drawer front, the force of a slammed drawer transfers to the guide and away from the particle board box to avoid damage.

I've never actually seen this bracket before, but, to me, that is what appears to be its function.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Okay, I should have done this before, here's a pic of the front of the drawer carcass, with the clip in the 'up' and 'down' positions. Does it get any more confusing?



















Note how the clip in the lower photo, drops in to the slide and locks. It has to be lifted a bit, 1/8" to disengage and drop down.
Thanks again for all comments.


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## Sylvain (Jul 23, 2011)

I have edited the answer above.


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

Ah… A flip down drawer front. That could be…
I HAVE seen that before! For computer keyboard pullouts. The drawer front flips down to give access to a keyboard. Instead of a drawer it is just a shelf on guides.

There would need to be a latching mechanism that would hold it in the up position. Does it look to work that way?


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

WE HAVE A WINNER!


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## Viktor (Jan 15, 2009)

These are for keyboard drawers in computer desks. The front flips open for full access and flips up to conceal the keyboard when the drawer is shut. But I like DS251 line of thinking in post #5 - solution I would expect from Germans.

Edit: DS251 beat me to this.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

*DS251: * Yes, it's a pretty secure tab that drops in to the drawer side. So, evidently, a 4-sided hard box is not the intent with these slides. Just a flat platform, like for a keyboard? The front face of my drawer boxes is just not pretty enough to make me want to flip down the false front and show them off, LOL!
*Sylvain:* Once again, you've supplied the missing info to a question I've posted! * YES *that is it on page 10 of that technical manual! Oddly I had no problem understand the text, even though it was in German! Now I'm wondering if maybe I should retain these slides for a different project, where drop-down fronts would be appropriate and of greater value than to this project, where I'm using full box drawers. I'm ever grateful!


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## Sylvain (Jul 23, 2011)

For people who have a very small kitchen, they can have a small table where they can sit with room for the knees while seeping a cup of coffee.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

I sure could have used these a couple of years ago when I modified a drawer in a lawyers office for the receptionist. These would have been a better solution than the piano hinge I used.


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

... and if the drawer front were taller, the result would be more of slight work space available for writing, book rest, etc.

I would also think that the drawer front could be tilted down even while closed… providing quick access as if it were an open shelf…

Clever feature… I think…

Now, you can take it or leave it… depends on your preferences… LOL

They do not look strong enough to support heavy tools like in a massive tool chest… (IMHO)


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