Shelf pin jig

[ed vitanovec]

What are you all using as a jig to drill shelf pin holes, do you like your jig?
Thanks!
Ed

[Van Huskey]

I use a hardboard shop made jig, works fine but I don't need it often. I have a friend with the Festool router based system, very pricy but works well especially if you already have a Festool router. Another friend uses the Lee Valley jig which I have used it and it is excellent but also not cheap. I know there are a lot of cheaper versions but I think it is so easy to make a jig and even add metal inserts if you use it a lot that I don't see the value in the cheap versions.

[Dennis Puskar]

1/4" peg board.

[Dan Rude]

I have the Rockler, like it a lot. I've been using it to convert 2 shelf college dorm book cases (They were solid wood and cost only $5) to multiple shelf ones and it works great.

[Jerome Hanby]

Mine is MDF drilled with a line of holes on 1" centers, sized to accept one of my router templates. I set the depth, clamp on the guide, and plunge my holes. Move to the other side and repeat. I have a piece of dowel sized to fit in the holes to extend the length if I need a longer line of holes. I use a 1/4" bit for just pins or a 9/32" bit is I'm using sleeves (usually). One of these days I'll build another one like this one but with an adjustable "fences" to catch the top/bottom and side for alignment. The 'fences" would be thick enough to work with either side of the template so I could just flip it over to do the second row of holes...

[Phil Thien]

I started with the Rockler. I didn't like the limited length and the slippery plastic.

Now I have made a bunch of my own. 1/4" thick hardboard, 3/8" holes drilled 1-1/4" on center, 1-1/4" from the front edge of the board.

The Rockler bit that came with their jig was not sharp. It tears the veneer out something awful. I found a cheap ($5 on sale, I think) Woodcraft-brand bit that leaves beautiful holes.

[David Hawxhurst]

i made one of these http://www.woodworking.org/WC/GArchive99/4_23holejig.html
mines only half as long.

[scott vroom]

Ed, I use the Lee Valley jig; it's under $200 and fairly easy to set up. Still, as with other jigs, you have to bore one hole at a time, a tedious task on large jobs. I've been looking at one of the line boring machines like the General pictured below to improve shop productivity (around $1,500 to $1,700).

[Jeff Monson]

I built the same one David did. Only took me an hour or so to make, works very well. I get much better results with a router than the drill press.

[Don Wacker]

I just use one of these mounted in a little piece of angle aluminum clamped to my drill press fence. Drill hole, lift handle slide wood over spring loaded pin drops in hole, drill hole, lift handle............................................ ...

http://www.jwwinco.com/products/section10/gn612/gn612p.gif

[Don Wacker]

For alot of drilling in long panels not yet assembled. Just drill a 1/4" counter sunk threaded hole in your router plate on the router side and a second one as and edge guide. Install a 1/4 screw in each hole. So basically two holes one at 12 o'clock and one at 3 o'clock or there about to get the right edge spacing. Drill first hole, drop 12 o'clock pin in hole and twist 3 o'clock pin against panel edge and plunge.

Don

[Jerome Hanby]

i made one of these http://www.woodworking.org/WC/GArchive99/4_23holejig.html
mines only half as long.

That's basically like mine except I left the hole intact. Mine makes sure I'm lined up correctly, but those half hole would never see the collar get stuck!

[glenn bradley]

I have the Rockler and dislike it. It is too thin and the plastic melts using their bit once you get to hole 8 or so. The bolts that hold the fence on do not sit flush so you have to deal with that for any but, outside referenced placement. I plan to use it as a template and make a hardboard one. In general I would recommend a thicker one of phenolic or some such.

[Craig Michael]

Make yourself a homemade version of one of these, http://megproducts.com/shelfpinholes.html You can make it out of 1/2 finish plywood, aluminum or some type of Plexiglas type material. Uses a plunge router to make super clean holes, all holes are the exact same height and it is very quick to use. I skipped the de sta co clamps and just use quick clamps.

[Larry Frank]

As David and Jeff said, I used the same WWA jig that they mention. Note that it uses a router to "drill" the holes. I used one to do all the shelf holes in 14 feet of upper and lower cabinets. It was fast and accurate plus the router bit left very clean holes in my prefinished cabinet sides.

It took me a little while to make the jig but it was well worth it.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I made my own version of the MEG jig. First one I made using a Bridgeport mill with DRO, Then I discovered a simpler method of making jig. My jig allows for both 5 mm and 1/4 pins. I made both 32 mm OC and 1" OC jigs.

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

I've had a MEG for about 15 years. It makes very clean, precise, and accurate holes. It's also slow. I bought it primarily to use on thermofused Melamine, and I get tight, chip free holes with it.

[Jim Becker]

I built the NYW version of the shelf pin jig that is similar in function to the aluminum MEG jig that Norm Abram used on the show. It uses a router as a cutter and for that reason, it makes very clean holes, something that I've never been able to duplicate with a drill of any kind.

[Matt Meiser]

I built the NYW version of the MEG and its worked well for me too. My Dewalt plunge router even does a good jub of getting the debris from the holes. I use a solid carbide up cut spiral bit.

[Scott Wadland]

Just read about the Kreg jig (http://www.kregtool.com/Shelf-Pin-Jig-Prodview.html) but looking at it online it looks like you can only drill 6 holes at a time (5 if you're using the indexing pin). The others (Rockler, etc.) have twice as many holes. I'm about to start on some custom closet setups, so I'm thinking that the Kreg jig might be very time consuming to use.

Any feedback on the Kreg from folks who have used it?

[Steve Griffin]

1/4" melamine with stop on one end and on side. Stops are on both sides of the template so it is reversible.

The very best reason to make your own is to customize hole spacing. Mine are 2" on center, which is close enough for cabinets in my opinion, looks better and saves a little time.

I have two sizes--one for normal uppers, and one for tall closets/bookshelves.

[Craig Michael]

Just read about the Kreg jig (http://www.kregtool.com/Shelf-Pin-Jig-Prodview.html) but looking at it online it looks like you can only drill 6 holes at a time (5 if you're using the indexing pin). The others (Rockler, etc.) have twice as many holes. I'm about to start on some custom closet setups, so I'm thinking that the Kreg jig might be very time consuming to use.

Any feedback on the Kreg from folks who have used it?

I have not used the kreg, but your initial thoughts on the size is something I would agree with right away. Check out the meg, the router method is very fast, makes great clean holes and all the holes are exactly the same depth. As steve said, you can customize to what you want.

Why buy a jig when you can make your own, better one for nothing.

[Cary Falk]

I have gotten great results with the rockler jig. It is small enough that I can put in the holse after the cabinet is assembled.

[Loren Woirhaye]

I have a Hoffman doweling machine that drills 2 holes on 32mm centers. It's cool for joinery too. I got it used with these notched rails that allow it to drill any length up to 8' on 32mm centers. Takes a bit of effort to make the plunge. I've used different jigs and come to the conclusion that the only thing that is real fast is a dedicated line boring machine. I don't do enough cabinet work with shelf pins to merit the expense of a boring machine though.

[frank shic]

J+R drill jig. it's not very well advertised but it's the best one i've seen thus far. it allows you to drill BOTH lines of holes on panels 30" long and is adjustable for cabinets 12"-24" wide.

here's a link:

http://jandrdrilljig.com/

[Jim Summers]

I have the rocker jig. As others mentioned it is slick, but I fixed that with some sandpaper and two-sided tape. I also agree the bit that comes with it is not so good. I haven't messed with it, but I hope I can just swap out the bit for a better one.

[Thomas Hotchkin]

Ed
I built my own version of the shelf pin jig that is similar to the jig that Norm Abram used, out of 1/4" plywood. I use my plunge router with a cut down 7/16" bushing and a round nose 3/16" high speed steel bit. It makes a very clean hole, something that I've could not duplicate with my drill press or electric hand drill. I cut almost 300 holes in a built-in book case set, in under 30 minutes, that about a hole every 6 seconds with this set up. Tom

[Tony Zaffuto]

Ed, I use the Lee Valley jig; it's under $200 and fairly easy to set up. Still, as with other jigs, you have to bore one hole at a time, a tedious task on large jobs. I've been looking at one of the line boring machines like the General pictured below to improve shop productivity (around $1,500 to $1,700).

I also have the Lee Valley jig, though a bit more expensive than other "one hole at a time" drilling jigs, the LV sets up very repeatably and accurately. I built a series of open shelves in our "sitting room" early last year, and used the LV jig. With three open units, 7' high, the holes were all spot on.

[Rick Moyer]

I built the NYW version of the shelf pin jig that is similar in function to the aluminum MEG jig that Norm Abram used on the show. It uses a router as a cutter and for that reason, it makes very clean holes, something that I've never been able to duplicate with a drill of any kind.


I built the NYW version of the MEG and its worked well for me too. My Dewalt plunge router even does a good jub of getting the debris from the holes. I use a solid carbide up cut spiral bit.

Same here. Works great, but I only ever used it for one build.

[Gary Redden]

I use the Rockler jig and I would estimate that I have drilled no less than about 500 holes with it. I have not had a single problem with the bit nor the jig. I used to use a jig I made and a plunge router and I like the Rockler jig allot better.

Gary

[Homer Faucett]

+1. For $25.00, I've gotten a lot of mileage out of my Rockler jig. It's easy enough to use that when I built our kitchen cabinets, my wife drilled the shelf pin holes.

If you want a longer run of holes, you just put a shelf pin in the indexer, move it up to the end of the holes you've already drilled, and keep in drillin'.


I use the Rockler jig and I would estimate that I have drilled no less than about 500 holes with it. I have not had a single problem with the bit nor the jig. I used to use a jig I made and a plunge router and I like the Rockler jig allot better.

Gary

[Greg Portland]

I wrote an article about shelf pin jigs, you might find the comparisons interesting:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/content.php?137-Shelf-Pin-Jigs-and-Methods

A quick summary (article assumes that line borers are too $$$):

- If you're only doing a small bathroom cabinet then pretty much anything works
- The WWA jig + plungebar is the fastest system for shelf pins (not having to lift the router or drill saves -significant- time)
- The Kurka jig is the fastest jig dedicated for LR32 layout (shelf pins + drawer slides & wing plates). Personally I use the WWA and then have a separate template for the drawer slides.

[ed vitanovec]

Thanks for all the feedback and suggestions, I bought the Rockler Jig Pin Guide. I did use it on a corner Curio cabinet I'm making, drilled 312 holes. It did take some time and I am glad I had this Jig to use. I would have liked the commercial Jig but the cost for what I needed it for did not justify the cost. I guess once the Curio cabinet is done I'll see how the glass shelves sit on the 1/4" pins. I have seen some pins that Rockler sells that are offset and you rotate them to take up any slack in the hole alignment.

Regards!
Ed