How to Make a Guide for Cabinet Pulls
Custom hardware can give just the right finishing touch to any piece of furniture or cabinet. However, drilling holes in an expensive piece of furniture can be a recipe for disaster without a little know-how. Rather than spending hours poring over needlessly complicated instructions, or paying $50 or more for a commercial jig, you can make your own. This article will teach you how to build one of the easiest and most reliable styles of pull guides from scraps you probably have in your garage in less than half an hour. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Power miter saw, jig saw or handsaw
- Pin nailer and compressor or hammer and nails
- Tape measure
- Carpenter's square
- Drill and bits
- Quick clamp or C clamp
- Scrap ¾ inch plywood
Instructions
-
Building a drawer pull guide
-
1
When preparing to install pulls on a drawer, first remove it from the cabinet or furniture. Most drawers pull smoothly out and may need to be tipped up to be removed completely. Stand the drawer on its back with the front facing up on a table or low bench. Measure the width and the height of the drawer. Mark and cut a piece of plywood to the same dimensions as your drawer front. This will be the base of your guide.
-
2
Cut three strips of plywood about 2 to 3 inches wide. Cut one plywood strip to the same length as the top of the drawer and cut the two remaining strips to the same length as the sides of the drawer, plus ¾ inch. Stand the strips on edge forming a U around the top and sides of your guide base. Nail the strips to the guide base and to each other where they meet in the corners. Two or three nails in each piece will suffice. Using the tape measure find and mark the center of your guide base.
-
-
3
If you are installing knobs, drill a single hole on your center mark using a bit close to the same size as your knob's fastening screw. This will be your pilot hole. Make sure you drill this hole perpendicular to the face of your jig. Place the finished jig on the outside of the drawer front with the U shaped edges hanging down toward the inside of the drawer. Press the top edge firmly against the top edge of the drawer front and double check to make sure you have your hole centered. Fasten the jig with the quick clamp or C clamp to avoid shifting and drill all the way through the face of the drawer using your pilot hole as a guide. Remove the clamp and jig. Slide your knob screw up through the hole from the inside of the drawer and twist the knob onto it snugly.
-
4
The procedure for handles with two screws is the same, except for the following: do not drill the center hole. Measure your handle from the center of one screw to the center of the other. This will usually be 2.5 or 3 inches. Divide this measurement by two and write it down. Using the carpenter's square, draw lines through the center of your jig base from side to side and top to bottom. Measure along the side to side line starting from the top to bottom line and mark the divided handle measurement. Repeat for the other side. Drill a pilot hole for each screw and proceed as described in Step 3. Be careful, if this measurement is off even a little your handle may not fit. Don't panic, try the bit next up in size and drill your holes again, this should give enough wiggle room to attach the handle.
Building a guide for door pulls
-
5
For doors, build the jig as in step one and two. Decide where you want your pulls. 1.5 inches from the edge and approximately 3 inches from the top of lower doors, or bottom of upper doors is typical. Drill pilot holes in your jig as before. Drill one set spaced from the top and a second set spaced from the bottom. This will allow the jig to be used on both left and right hand doors, top or bottom.
-
6
Remove the door from the cabinet and place it on a steady, level work surface. Place two scrap pieces of 2x4 lumber, a little narrower than the door, underneath the door to raise it to an appropriate height for the jig and to allow space for the drill bit to pass through.
-
7
Determine if your door will be hung on the left or right and position the jig accordingly. Clamp the jig to the door, and drill completely through, remembering to keep the drill level at all times. Adding your pull before rehanging the door is simpler. Be careful to reposition hinges exactly as they were to get best results.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Unsure of jig placement? Mark your holes with pencil, remove the jig and double check, then replace the jig and drill. With fragile finishes, placing a square of masking tape on the surface to be drilled can help avoid scratches and splintering.
