Shelf Pin Holes (when to drill)

[Frank Snyder]

Has anyone here ever tried drilling their shelf-pin holes after they've finished their cabinet interiors (but prior to assembling)? I'm curious if having a finish topcoat on the material in any way helps minimize tear-out while drilling.

The other obvious benefit to drilling them after finishing is the holes don't get filled up with finish.

Any experiences to share?

[Prashun Patel]

I prefer to drill them after finishing. The thing that prevents tearout 4 me is using a bradpoint bit and a zero-clearance plate (i.e., a drilling jig).

For me (a non-sprayer) the risk of drilling BEFORE finishing is that the hole edges rake the bristles and cause runs and sags. PITA!

The times I've had to paint them with a roller, I actually prefer to prime first, then drill, then sand fine, then roll the topcoat as dry as possible.

[David DeCristoforo]

Whenever I have to use drilled shelf pins, I always drill them after the cabinets are installed. Then I ask the customer where they want the shelves located and I either drill a single set of holes for each shelf or a "series" of three holes to provide some adjustability. I have found that people actually don't move their shelves very often and I am "offended" by the "line bored" look. Just me but that's the way I am.... I have told every customer I have ever done a project for that if they needed to move a shelf, I would come back and drill some extra holes for them. I ain't been called back yet....

[Dave Falkenstein]

One issue with drilling the holes after the cabinet is assembled is insuring the holes are on the same horizontal plane when you are done. That can be tricky to do on an assembled cabinet. To me it is easier to drill the holes accurately when working with the unassembled parts.

I have had the same experience as David D. In all of the adjustable shelves I have installed in my own home and shop, I cannot remember ever moving a shelf once it was installed. Adjustability is a one time thing.

[Prashun Patel]

Using a jig keeps the holes vertically and horiztontally aligned

[Peter Quinn]

I drill after finishing. A sharp brad point and a jig does wonders. The plunge router with a spiral up cut works well too but its sometimes tough to maneuver in a pre-assembled case. You have to do it before backs and face frames are attached.

If your current species is particularly prone to chipping (which you have by now of course tested on a pre-finished scrap piece, haven't you?) piloting the holes with the drill running in reverse can help make a clean surface, like s scoring blade does on a slider. Just run the drill in 1/16" or so in each hole in reverse, then drill the full depth in standard rotation.

I'm LOL at Mr. D's post above. Totally agree. Sometimes I'll get crazy for the truly indecisive and drill several holes to increase adjustability a bit, but nothing says prefab factory blah like an 18" run of holes up the side of a case.

An added benefit of not drilling lots of holes is that your shelf pins may hide any chipping that occurs on the holes actually in use, so if you limit that number to one, you wont see the chipping either way!:D:D

[Matt Meiser]

I use a router jig with a sprial upcut bit. I've never experienced any chipout with that technique, even in Melamine. That's usually my first step once the panels are cut to size. I've always figured that doing them before finish helped to ensure there wouldn't be any problems around the hole from an unfinished edge. I can see how they would be a pain on a brushed finish though.

[Jim Becker]

I've done them both ways and don't have a preference. I use a shop-built jig designed by Norm Abram to emulate the MEG aluminum jig and a router to cut the holes cleanly. Since I spray, finishing after the fact has not presented an issue with clogging of the holes. Doing the hole pre-finishing does have the advantage that you have less chance at damaging the surface with the jig.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...your shelf pins may hide any chipping that occurs on the holes actually in use, so if you limit that number to one, you wont see the chipping either way..."

I like these because they conceal any minor chipping and look a million times nicer than a "raw" hole....

http://www.widgetco.com/shelf-supports-pins-5mm?gclid=CODvy6ypvZMCFSMYagodWBZ0DQ

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I've done them both ways. Two pluses to doing them before finishing is that if there is any tearout you can deal with it at the same time as finishing everything else. Also there's no worry about scratching or marring a finish (which for me is usually dry but still 'green') and very susceptible to dings.

[Frank Snyder]

Wow! Thanks for all of the responses.

These shelf pin holes are for the base cabinet interiors, which are Maple plywood. I'll be spraying these prior to assembly (first time spraying), but I wasn't sure if the spraying would clog the holes (as is the case with brush on finishes) or not. I also wasn't sure if the finished surface was less likely to tear-out.

Good tip, Peter, with running the brad tip bit backwards to start.

I'm using Veritas's shelf drilling jig, which does a pretty good job keeping both sets of holes in horizontal plane (dual rods join both lengths of jig).

Thanks again for the tips. I may try several methods described here and see what works best.

[Steve Clardy]

I drill them before assembly. Much easier I think.

Yes, I've done it after the box was completed also, because I had forgotten to do so during assembly. :o


Spraying on finish will not clog the holes, or at least I've never had that problem.

[Norm Roberts]

I minimize or eliminate tear-out completely by putting a piece of masking tape down and drilling through it with the jig in place on top of it. Just a thought.

[Rob Blaustein]

Not to hijack but I'm curious what people do when drilling these through plywood that has a darker veneer, for example walnut. I'm helping a friend with his project and after drilling the holes through the walnut ply, you can really see the holes stand out because the plywood core is so much lighter than the walnut. I was wondering about maybe some tinted shellac and a Qtip or something like that.

[Steve Clardy]

Not to hijack but I'm curious what people do when drilling these through plywood that has a darker veneer, for example walnut. I'm helping a friend with his project and after drilling the holes through the walnut ply, you can really see the holes stand out because the plywood core is so much lighter than the walnut. I was wondering about maybe some tinted shellac and a Qtip or something like that.



That would work. May be time consuming. I can't think of a better way at the moment. [Brain dead again :rolleyes:]

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,

I was wondering about maybe some tinted shellac and a Qtip or something like that.
A tblspoon of instant coffee with a few drops of water & a Q-tip works like a champ.
On white woods it produces a very warm rich "walnut" brown.

(side - The "pros" I used to do business with way back when (~ 35/40 years ago) would just siphon off some coffee out of thier thermos and use that. LOL! 'Course most of them drank Hungarian or Slovak coffee!<- half coffee/half Slivowitz :D)

[Mark Rakestraw]

Not to hijack but I'm curious what people do when drilling these through plywood that has a darker veneer, for example walnut. I'm helping a friend with his project and after drilling the holes through the walnut ply, you can really see the holes stand out because the plywood core is so much lighter than the walnut. I was wondering about maybe some tinted shellac and a Qtip or something like that.

The other way to handle that would be to use the shelf pin inserts referenced above.
Mark

[Don Morris]

I have the Rockler system with template and last month still got tearout with their Brad point drill on Furniture grade Maple plywood. Next time I thought I would use tape and drill through it. Was glad to see someone else suggest that. I too would rather do it first then finish. I don't want to mar the finish because I know I would. I do like the idea of less holes and will discuss this with LOML as everything must pass her "approval of design".

[Bill Neely]

Woodhaven sells self centering bits for shelf pin jigs - both 1/4" and 5mm. The bits have a 3/8" diameter nose and a very sharp brad point bit. This bit works well if you are drilling holes after assembly.