kitchen wall cabinets

[jhreed]

my first time, need help. I am building 4 42" high x 22" wide cabinets for my daughter's kitchen. I need advise on shelf spacing. The spacing does not have to be uniform from cabinet to cabinet but as a whole needs to be functional for her storage except for cans. Shed has a pull out pantry for can goods.

Any tips or tricks of the trade would be helpful as this is my first shot at this.

 

[tarheelz]

Let her put them wherever she likes.

https://www.kregtool.com/store/c49/measuring-and-marking/p321/shelf-pin-jig-with-5mm-bit/

 

[Charlie]

James, I use 1/4" shelf pins. Drill holes every 1 1/2" starting about 8" from the bottom to within about 10" from the top.
Drill the holes in the cabinet sides before you assemble.

 

[Mike Davis]

If you can't make them adjustable then measure the things she keeps most and accommodate for that.

 

[Rwe2156]

Rockler makes a nice shelf hole drilling jig.

 

[JimD]

I have the Rockler jig but I like the Kreg jig better. It is little and simple but works great. 32mm spacing and either 5mm or 1/4 holes.

You may need a fixed shelf in a 42 inch tall cabinet. I would put it where your daughter directs. Absent that, I would put it at the top, about where a "normal" height cabinet would stop. If you have a face frame and 3/4 plywood carcase, you shouldn't need any fixed shelves, however. Especially if you also have a full back.

 

[kanggo]

Nice thread, same question as OP

 

[Skymaster]

I have the woodpecker version, woodcraft has same thing under their brand; It is a bit more money but you do alot more holes per setup, it comes with both 1/4 and 5mm dowels for location on long runs. I usually try to start first hole about 12" off the deck and stop close to that at the top. I make a spacer to clamp to the BOTTOM of each side so you have positive registration

 

[Charles Lent]

Instead of buying a shelf pin drilling jig, consider using a piece of peg board and either a 1/4" VIX bit in a drill or a plunge router with a 1/4" up spiral bit and a bushing, if you won't be making a lot of these cabinets. The accurate hole spacing of peg board makes it ideal for making a shelf pin drilling template and it's much cheaper than any of the shelf pin drilling jigs on the market. I would only consider buying a jig if I was going into the commercial production of cabinets. A shelf pin jig made from peg board will easily last through a whole kitchen remodeling cabinet building project.

Cut the peg board to width and length to fit inside the cabinet so that it can be clamped in place against the inside side of the cabinet. Hint - Trim the size of the peg board so that there are two rows of holes (one row for the rear pin locations and one row for the front pin locations) with the bottom and back edges of the peg board against the bottom and back of the cabinet (This will help to easily position the holes on the opposite side of the cabinet). Determine the row(s) of holes that you will use for the shelf support pins and mark them. You will need to enlarge these marked holes. Remove the peg board and drill the marked holes to snugly fit either the 1/4" VIX bit or your router bushing.

This piece of peg board has now become your template for drilling or routing the shelf pin holes. Place the peg board back into the cabinet, position it so that the enlarged holes are centered where you want the holes for the shelf pins and clamp the peg board in place. Now drill or rout the holes. The VIX bit in a drill will do a good job, but the plunge router method will leave cleaner holes.

Remove the peg board and place it on the opposite side inside of the cabinet. Don't rotate it - you want a mirror image, so the back (rough) side of the peg board will be facing out this time. Double check your positioning and clamp the peg board in place. Now drill or rout the shelf pin holes to match the other side of the cabinet.

My peg board shelf pin jigs were made about 15 years ago. I don't make many cabinets that need shelf pins, so they have survived very well and hang from a hook on the wall of my wood shop, waiting for my next cabinet project. I could easily make new ones, but will keep these as long as I have the space for them.


Charley

 

[Charlie]

Set up a fence on the drill press the distance you want the holes from the edge. Mark every 1 1/2", set the drill bit stop and drill. Been doing it for 50 years without a problem. Unless you are doing production work, a jig isn't necessary.