Drawer front hardware installation curiosity

[John Ziebron]

Over the years my method for preparing and attaching drawer fronts to the boxes has changed several times. And for quite a few years now I have used a method whereby I pre-drill the drawer fronts on my drill press using fence positioning and stops to ensure that all holes are precisely positioned for each one. Using the drill press also ensures perpendicular holes.

If the drawer fronts are overlays on a face frame I put cabinet or chest on it's back. If the drawer fronts are inset I leave the cabinet on it's bottom. In either case, scrap pieces of wood are used to get the correct spacing. Then I use the pre-drilled holes as a guide to drill through the box front using a hand drill. After the handles are installed additional screws can be added from the inside if needed.

I know one can make or buy jigs to get accurate positioning of handle and knob holes, typically after the fronts have been installed, but I was wondering if there is a preferred way of performing this task.

[Ron Citerone]

Whenever possible I use the drill press with fence stop blocks.

Professional installers may chime in with their take. Would be interesting to know.

[Tom Bender]

Cabinet door handles - slightly off topic

We had new kitchen cabinets installed. When it came time to instal the door handles the installer said he preferred to measure, mark and drill each hole vs any kind of template. I made sure he was not distracted and it went well. That's not the approach I would have taken.

[Jonathan Jung]

I've tried them all, measuring, templates, and finally bought a True Position Tools jig, the Max model, and it saved me a 1 or 2 hours just on the first kitchen I did. Money well spent.

[Alan Lightstone]

I have used the True Position Tools Jig also many times. Works very consistently.

One related question, as I'm having my painters finish new cabinet faces for my bathrooms next week. I'll be installing the hardware. Should I install the hardware first, or let them finish all the drawer and cabinet faces first, and drill for the hardware afterwards? Does it matter? In cabinets I've made for my shop in the past I've always finished them first.

[Jared Sankovich]

I just make a jig, and use spacer blocks (or centers) to position it based on the desired hardware location.

Thus one is for a cup pull jig, .260" bit for the cup stanchion, and a vix to center the through hole
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[Cameron Wood]

I'd be concerned that laying a cabinet on it's back, the drawers might not be in their working positions.

For kitchen cabinets, pre-drilling is risky because of all the subtleties of alignment, pull choices, client desires, drawer & door sizes, etc.


My pet peeve is when a clearance hole is not used, and the pull screw is threaded through the door or drawer box.


Re, hardware first or paint first, I say paint first- easier for the painter, and again, position the pulls last when everything is in place to avoid errors. For example the planned pull position could catch on an adjacent towel bar when open, so all pull positions would be adjusted to avoid the issue.

[Michael Rutman]

I've tried them all, measuring, templates, and finally bought a True Position Tools jig, the Max model, and it saved me a 1 or 2 hours just on the first kitchen I did. Money well spent.

Thank you thank you thank you. Just fixed the drawer front with the True Position Tools jig. I had never heard of it before but went out and ordered it that day.