What to measure
Start with the pins, not the drill. Shelf support pins are sold in 5 mm and in quarter inch (6.35 mm) versions that look alike in the packet; measure the pin with a caliper. Then decide the setback. In the widely used 32 mm cabinet system, the row of 5 mm holes is 37 mm from the front edge of the side panel, which is the value used here. If you are adding holes to existing furniture, measure the setback of the holes already there, from the panel edge to the centre of a hole, and type that as the offset.
Hole clearance, thickness and material
The guide hole is 5.2 mm for a 5 mm brad-point bit: the bit turns freely and has about a tenth of a millimetre of play per side. If your printer makes holes tight, use 5.3 mm; more than that and the pins end up visibly out of line. The block is 10 mm thick, twice the bit diameter, and the jig is 60 mm wide so there is solid material beyond the hole and a broad face to clamp. A 12 mm fence suits 16 and 18 mm panels. PLA is stiff and accurate, which is what a jig needs. PETG works too, but check that it has not strung inside the hole.
Printing
Print flat with the fence pointing up, as generated, and no supports. The guide hole is vertical, so it comes out round. Use a 0.2 mm layer height with five perimeters; around a 5 mm hole that gives a 2 mm sleeve of solid plastic. The part is 80 by 60 by 22 mm.
Stepping along the edge
This jig has one hole and sets only the distance from the edge. For the usual 32 mm spacing between pins, mark the positions on the panel edge with a ruler and align each mark with the centre of the jig, which is 40 mm from either end. Both cabinet sides must match, or shelves rock: mark the two sides together, clamped edge to edge, and always hook the fence over the front edge. Fit a depth stop or a flag of tape on the bit, allowing for the 10 mm of block, so you do not drill through the panel.
Outline drawing
To scale. Left: top view as printed, fence along the top edge. Right: end view, block 10 mm thick with the fence rising 12 mm above it.
Parameters the generator will use
| Setting | Link parameter | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Model | model | drill_jig |
| Jig length along the edge (X) | length | 80 |
| Jig width including the fence (Y) | width | 60 |
| Block thickness | thickness | 10 |
| Guide hole diameter | hole_diameter | 5.2 |
| Hole centre to workpiece edge | offset | 37 |
| Hole position along the length (0 centres it) | hole_position | 0 |
| Fence thickness | fence_thickness | 6 |
| Fence height | fence_height | 12 |
All lengths are in millimetres. Outer size from these values: 80 x 60 x 22 mm.
Open the generator with these values
This model needs the $7 licence key: one payment, one key, and it opens all five paid models. Get a licence key on Gumroad ($7)
The drill guide jig needs a licence key: without one the generator shows the model locked, lists the values from this link and fills them in as soon as you unlock. The fitted drawer organiser bin is the free model and downloads with no key.