[cambriahouse]

Rockler has a shelf jig for drilling the peg holes on sale for $27.

The model is:

http://www.rockler.com/jig-itreg-shelving-jig-jig-it174-shelving-jig-set-template-self-centering-bit


Has anyone used this one or a similar one?

Is there a better one (for a reasonable price)?

I know I can save money and make one, but I have a huge project going on and can't spend the time right now. This jig would help drill the shelf holes on my kitchen cabinets I am building.

Steve

 

[mdntrdr]

Marking out and drilling a homemade one couldn't possibly take more than 10 min. :smile:

 

[Masterjer]

I just saw a jig Norm Abrams used and it is the best one I've seen so far for using a plunge router.

Most jigs have holes spaced and sized for a drill bit. Of course, the drill bit can enlarge the holes on a homemade jig and cause inconsistencies in the hole placement.

On Norms jig, he spaced holes sized for a router bushing installed in his router base plate. The bushing slips into the jig hole and he then plunges the router to make the hole with a spiral bit. There is no cutter contact with the jig, and the jig can be as long as you want it to be with as many holes as you need. Very simple and elegant.

I have the Kreg jig and it works well, but it's so short I have to keep moving it every few holes.

 

[cabinetman]

You can use pegboard. Masonite ¼" thick has ¼" holes all at 1" apart. Just mark your bottom of the pegboard so it's always in the same vertical orientation, and the front edge. Then you use the same piece for the left side, and the right side. Use spring clamps to attach to the ends/dividers.

.

 

[red]

I've got that one and it's good. So if want to buy a jig, that's a good one to buy. Check Amazon you may get a better deal.

Red

 

[captainawesome]

I also have this one and opted against making my own. I'm glad I did. It comes with the bit, and each hole will be dead on and the same depth.

That being said, I bought it for one project a year ago and haven't touched it since...

 

[mmwood_1]

I am with cabinetman. I have been using pegboard for shelf holes for nearly 20 years. You buy 1 sheet, you rip it on the tablesaw, crosscut the length you want and you have your jig. Then you have more for different lengths or widths if you need sometime down the road. It's simple, it's as accurate as those jigs, and more versatile. And it's a heck of a lot easier to drill the holes before you assemble the cabinets. And as C M said, mark the edges you use for reference (i.e. front, bottom), and always use the same reference edges.

 

[Steve Neul]

Any jig like that is going to wear out pretty quickly and it's only 20" long. I use a piece of 1/4" plywood 8' long for this. It's good for about 3 kitchens and I make another.

 

[grandpas passion]

I have this jig and have used it on several project with good results.

 

[Tom King]

I've used the same jigs for over 20 years. I only build one or two sets of cabinets or shelves or pieces of furniture that uses them a year though. I have two strips of 3/4 Birch plywood in different lengths to fit full length pieces for shelves, or short for upper cabinets.

I marked a line the length of the piece back from the edges for the setback I wanted for the holes. Along that line, I stepped off each hole with a pair of dividers, making a little dent at each step. At these marks/dents, I drilled a hole that allows a slide fit for a 6d finish nail.

I clamp the strip to an edge of a cabinet part, and with a finish nail, with comfortable wooden "handle" glued on, mark the location of each hole, making a small dent with the sharpened end of the finish nail just by pressing with fingers. Holes are quickly punched on the drill press with a brad-point bit. Roller stands out each side of the drill press make it easy to advance the part being drilled. Hole size can be whatever you need it to be for any project, without depending on the hole size in the marking jig.

Cost nothing, and still works probably quicker than any method short of a multi-head drill press setup.