Red face over fitted wardrobe shelves.

Go on I'm intrigued...

Reply to
Jim K...
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Er no. Read the thread...

Reply to
Jim K...

But did you refit the shelf on repositioned pins too?

Reply to
Jim K...

Trying to lower a fitted wardrobe shelf and to my embarrassment, can't get it to come loose.

The shelf has 3 chunky screws each side on the underside. I've turned these screws fully clockwise/anti-clockwise and half way between. The shelf remains rock solid, fixed in place.

Need brain cell injection, please.

Reply to
Mike Halmarack

metal cam locks and dowels? you should be able to pull the lock down and out once you have the arrow pointing to the outside edge ...

Reply to
Andy Burns

You still will not be able to shift the shelf if they are cam locks as the pins will still protrude into the shelf edge. If your lucky and can splay the wardrobe sides apart then you might get the shelf out. Otherwise without taking the wardrobe apart you will not take the shelf out or be able to reposition it the same way. A word of caution the fact the shelf is secured by cam locks suggests it is a structural feature as most shelves would only be supported by shelf bearers making them easy to reposition you may even find the wardrobe back is secured to the shelf.

A photo of the securing devices should confirm what are likely to be cam locks.

Richard

Reply to
Tricky Dicky

Either that or some kind of metal pin etc used for alignment during assembly.

You will probably need to remove one side, assuming you can, to allow you to pull the shelf clear. Plus drill new holes at the correct height.

You can get plastic covers to hide the old holes. Never perfect but better than nothing. EBay, B&Q etc.

Reply to
Brian Reay

Thanks Andy, I see the arrow! Is the outside edge considered to be the edge closest to those of us standing outside the wardrobe, rather than those inside?

Reply to
Mike Halmarack

Not much chance of splaying the walls in this construction.

Here's an image of the screw, looking innocent and co-operative.

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Reply to
Mike Halmarack

The outside edge will be the edge closest to the side panel joined on.

As this illustration shows I think you will not be able to pull the lock down and out until you have pulled the side away.

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Owain

Reply to
spuorgelgoog

That means your wardrobe was built before it was pushed into the alcove :-)

Owain

Reply to
spuorgelgoog

The alternative holes, higher up are already there. Just need to convince the shelf to give up it's old holes.

Reply to
Mike Halmarack

Proceed with caution Mike shelves secured with cam locks are done so for a purpose. Wardrobes and shelving units sold by the doyen of self assembly furniture IKEA, often have at least one fixed shelf the purpose of which is structural to prevent the tall sides from splaying out. It might not be apparent when the unit is empty but will certainly become evident when it is loaded!

Richard

Reply to
Tricky Dicky

That's exactly it.

Reply to
Mike Halmarack

Very convincing. Looks like I'll have to saw the old shelf out and find a new one to replace it in the preferred location.

Reply to
Mike Halmarack

because of the slot in the cam, you can pull it out when pointing the right way (after all, you do insert it after the dowel in the first place) but as Richard points out, the dowel will still be in place, if you can't spring the sides apart, judicious use of a multitool to cut through it will release the shelf, but then it'll need supporting on a batten or similar in its lower position.

Reply to
Andy Burns

Tricky, My wardrobe is turning out to be a minefield!

Reply to
Mike Halmarack

Without taking the wardrobe out of the alcove you are f*****d as even destroying the shelf to remove it will still leave you with the problem of the dowels reinserted in new holes not letting you secure the shelf. If you insist on doing it in situ then you will need to use an alternative method of securing the shelf such as battens screwed to the sides with the shelf resting and secured to the battens too for the reasons mentioned in my previous post.

Richard

Reply to
Tricky Dicky

That's definitely a cam lock.

The arrow/longer slot of the screw head points to the open position IIRC. Turn one with the arrow pointing to the side wall, and you should be able to prise it out pretty easily, exposing the metal pin it locks onto.

Then put it back and tighten all the others. That shelf is part of the structure of the wardrobe and cannot be moved.

Reply to
GB

Onerously destructive options. Looks like some bravery is required. Either that or I'm screwed.

Reply to
Mike Halmarack

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