Drill Cabinet Hardware With a Template
A cheap adjustable jig that marks identical pull and knob holes on every drawer and door.
Set Perfect Cabinet Door Reveals With a Two-Board Jig
Screw two pieces of 1x4 together with a slight overlap — one leg registers against the bottom edge of the cabinet, the overlap holds the door at exactly the right reveal while you fasten the hinges.
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The Problem
Hanging cabinet doors is a three-hands job: one to hold the door at exactly the right height, one to keep it from tipping, and one to drive the hinge screws. Eyeballing the reveal — the even gap between door and cabinet edge — while also supporting the door's weight is how doors end up visibly out of line down a run of cabinets.
The Technique
Two pieces of 1x4 and thirty seconds of assembly replace the third hand.
- Screw two 1x4 offcuts together face-to-face, offset so one piece overlaps the other by a small step — the size of the overlap is your door reveal.
- Hold the jig so the lower piece sits flat against the bottom edge of the cabinet.
- Rest the door on the overlapping step. The door now sits at exactly the reveal you built into the jig, held there by the jig instead of your knee.
- Fasten the hinges, slide the jig out, and move to the next door — every door down the run lands at the identical reveal.
Pro tip: Make the jig once per project, not once per door — the whole point is that the same step spaces every door identically, so consistency comes free. Label it with the reveal size and it's ready for the next job too.
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