Shelf hole drilling jig

[Scott Sallyards]

Does anyone have plans they can share for a shelf hole drilling jig?

Thanks

Scott

[Quinn McCarthy]

Scott

I made a simple one out of 2" x 1/4" steel bar. I made it 2 feet long for drilling holes in kitchen cabinets. I bought a brad point drill bit that had a retractable stepped centering sleeve on it. I drilled holes half way through the bar the diameter of the inside of the step on the drill sleeve. Then I drilled the rest of the way through the bar with a 1/4" drill. Each hole is stepped. Level one of the hole centers the bit as you drill through. THe reason I didn't drill all the way through with the first bit was so that there was no slop between the drill and the jig. the absence of a pocket on the material side makes for very clean holes in melamine and plywood.

Hope that helps.

Quinn

[Bruce Wrenn]

Scott, What are you drilling, 32MM, or 1" OC. Are you using 5MM pins, or the 1/4" ones? How tall and deep is your cabinet? What kind of loading will it have? Also, where are you located. This morning I sent off a package to one of the WW magazines on how I build my shelf pin jigs. Because it is being considered for publication, I can't elaborate on how I build my jigs.

[Joe Chritz]

I use a piece of 1/2 Baltic birch with 1/2 inch holes spaced 2 inches apart.

Mine are 1.5 from the front edge and 4 from the back.

I use a plunge router with a downspiral 1/4" bit.

I may make a set of custom jigs for upper and lower cabs but haven't ever gotten around to it and just clamp this on flush with the edges. A whole kitchen of cabs doesn't take long. I will time the one I am doing now.

Joe

[Jim Becker]

I built the "economy" version of the MEG as Norm Abram presented a number of years back in a 2-episode New Yankee Workshop about jigs. It's geared to using a router with a guide collar. Works great! The plans are available at http://www.newyankee.com

[David Giles]

I've built lots of jigs that I was less than thrilled with in actual use, but this one worked great. No need to be so fancy, long or adjustable unless you want to be.
http://www.woodworking.org/WC/GArchive99/4_23holejig.html

[Matt Meiser]

I built the NYW version too. Its a great jig. Its built for 1" spacing but there's no reason you couldn't make it 32mm. When I want 2" spacing I just put blue tape over the holes I shouldn't use to prevent oopses. It allows putting the holes 0-3ish inches from the edge, as determined by an adjustable fence.

[Craig D Peltier]

I used a piece of plywood and with an L shaped wood edge of plywood atop. Then I drilled holes using a drill with a level built into it. I do one side then flip over the ply and take off L bracket and install on other. Ive used it twice. Two more time si just measured all the holes out and drilled them freehand.Worked fine for me.

I have been thinking of the $189 one that lee valley sells because it adjust to all common widths and distances and its small enough to stash away.