# question about shelf pin holes



## fge (Sep 8, 2008)

Since we have been building kitchens, I am always looking for the best and most efficient method of doing everything. Currently we use a shelf pin hole jig from Rockler that was $35. It is a great little jig, before that we used peg board, that was not the best solution though. Currently we do not have the money for a line boring machine, maybe in our future but not right now.

I was wondering what others did for their adjustable shelf pin holes. I was wondering if anyone ever uses adjustable shelf systems they might just screw in place? I am sure that would be more costly to the customer but would probably save some on labor/time involved in drilling each hole by hand. My wife actually drills the shelf pin holes herself and does not seem to mind it. She actually loves wood working as much as I do and maybe even more. She was raised on the farm and her family are Mennonites and I believe she has been around hard work most of her life. I don't mind hard work but I believe in working harder and more efficient.

Happy woodworking,

Jerry


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## fge (Sep 8, 2008)

I meant I prefer to work smarter and more efficient.


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## kolwdwrkr (Jul 27, 2008)

This may be an alternative to drilling shelf holes if you can't afford a line boring machine :http://woodworker.com/96-brass-look-standard-mssu-830-998.asp


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## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

I was thinking what kolwdwrkr said. Just a couple of dados and you're done.


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## fge (Sep 8, 2008)

Yeah, that was sort of what I was thinking, just not sure how ell recieved it would be from the customer.


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## North40 (Oct 17, 2007)

I had a custom jig made, but it's basically like this …
Shelf Pin Jig
... which uses a plunge router, a guide bushing, and a ¼" spiral router bit. It goes really fast.


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## fge (Sep 8, 2008)

Yeah, we use this jig and it is very nice. Just kicking around different ideas. Anyway, my wife is the one who drills the holes and does not complain, just wish I had a line boring machine. Our goal is to build one kitchen per month next year which ends up being a lot of shelf pin holes. Thanks guys.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5876&filter=shelf%20pin%20jig


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## North40 (Oct 17, 2007)

Yeah, I used a drill jig similar to that for awhile, and the router is so much faster. Plus, sometimes with a hand-drill I'd get a hole at an angle, and that doesn't happen with a router. A line boring machine takes up more space than I'm willing to sacrafice in my little shop for an operation that only happens a couple of times a month.


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

I have a plunge router jig that has all the line bore holes for the cabinet side, plus drill bushings for hinge holes. No need to move the jig, just clamp it and do the entire cabinet side. I can line bore the entire side and drill the hinge plate holes in under a minute.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

I cant justify a line boring machine like that of Blum because I dont do a lot of volume, rather a project that can take a year to complete soooooo

I drill 7.5 mm dia., holes on 2 1/2" center to center using a drill press with a fence and depth stop.

I mark out the center line of the gable, and then mark center lines up and down from that, then use a "square" framing square and a sharp pencil. By "eye" I dril;l the center hole and transfer that center mark the fence on the drill press, after that its only a matter of lining up the marks with the fence and drilling. I prefer the flush brass/chrome inserts but you could use any pin system. It doesnt take a lot of time and I have yet to recieve a complaint


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

I have three shelf pin jigs and the one from M.E.G. is my favorite. It is a simple jig of machined aluminum and is designed to be used with a plunge router and upcut spiral bit.

This setup creates the cleanest holes ever and using a plunge router is fast. After using this you will never want to use the drill jigs again.

Available here: http://megproducts.com/

A few more pics of the jig in my shop: http://www.flickr.com/photos/toddclippinger/sets/72157622967152562/


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## seearran (Nov 13, 2009)

A cheaper method which I employ is to use a length of 9mm or 12mm MDF cut to the width of the cabinet sides which have been drilled with diameter of shelf pegs studs. You can suit the spacing to your own requirements; the board is then placed against cabinet side and clamped and drilled through MDF into side using a block of timber on drill to act as stop. Lip and spur drill bit best.


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## SnowyRiver (Nov 14, 2008)

Todd, thanks for sharing the pictures of your jig. Thats a great looking tool I just might think about getting one. I use the Rockler jig now and though it works pretty good, I think the MEG jig would be much better.


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## KentS (May 27, 2009)

Jerry, I used to use the KV 255 shelf standards quite a bit. They seemed to have gone out of style here. I think people like the cleaner look of the drilled holes much better. It has more of a furniture look. Or so they say. Just go buy a CNC. I hear they are cheap. LOL

Kent


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

SnowyRiver - I own the Rockler Jig too and I don't even use it anymore. It doesn't produce holes as fast and clean as this setup.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

My home made jigs use the router and collar. Used them a lot when building cabinets. 3 different lengths.
For other, odd lengths, I used a drill and a piece of peg board. Used the same stuff for 3" drawer pulls, too.
For a while, I built 4-6 kitchens a year. Not production exactly, but it kept my one man/one woman shop busy on the weekends and after work.


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

Gene does make a good point - most home made jigs are constructed with the drill in mind. But the jig could be made for use with the router to achieve the results that I do with the M.E.G. jig.


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## fge (Sep 8, 2008)

Hey guys, great responses. I have been out of pocket. My little girl, 2 year old, fell off of a ladder she was climbing on without us seeing her, the ladder fell on her, mom heard it happen and ran to her and she was under the ladder. She suffered a siezure from the fall and rushed to the ER and that is where mom and I spent last night. She has recovered it appears fully. She is doing really well. She is now trying to climb everything just a day later. I thought this would scare her enough but I don't think she even remembers the incident. The doctor said her body will do a sort of 'reboot' and likely will not even remember the fall. Well, now she really scares me. The ladder actually was the one left out after putting the Christmas tree up in our home, it was a small step type of ladder.

Anyway, about the discussion, looks like a bunch of good ideas. The Rockler jig has done really nice for the money. I like the idea of a dedicated $60 PC 690 and a template/plunge router. That would be great. I don't like the higher price for the 'meg' jig though and think that should be something I can fabricate on my own some way. My wheels will be spinning in order to do something along the 'meg' jig lines with a plunge router. I think doing it this way would make the process much quicker, like about 1 minute per side probably.

Thanks everyone for the good discussion on this topic.

Jerry


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

Good to hear your daughter will be OK.

It's always distressing and painful to watch a little one get hurt.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Jerry,
What a scare! It's good to hear that she's doing well.

My jigs are modeled from one Norm made on NYWS. 1/2' BB, 1/2" holes. I use a spiral bit and collar. Norm's was not long enough to span the height of his piece (a gun cabinet, IIRC) so, he simply inserted a pin in the last hole routered and moved the jig down, placing the first hole in the jig over the pin. I just made my three most common lengths for upper and base cabinets. My holes are made before assembly, of course.


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

My homemade jig is very similar to the MEG, without the toggle clamps. I keep a PC 690 setup for it, so it's a very quick to use. It's very easy to make the jig with some MDF, a drill press and a 1/2" drill bit. Clamp a fence with a bottom board to the drill press, and drill a 1/2" hole. Slide the fence over about 1-1/4" (32mm), and clamp it down. Drill the first hole in your jig, slide it over, and use a 1/2" pin to locate the hole you just drilled into the fence base. Repeat.


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