The first step is to cut a piece of pegboard that matches the height of your cabinet side. You can also make it the same depth as the cabinet so you can do all the holes on a side at the same time! Now that your shelf holes have been drilled, you can insert the pins and place the shelves on top! Just count down the same number on all four rows so your shelf is level. How to make a DIY shelf pin jig Size: In case you are a professional woodworker, you should go with a jig that offers you more holes. Otherwise, if you want to have a jig for casual use, you can even go with the compact ones as they are easy to store and handle.

Clamp the jig in place to prevent it from moving. On an assembled cabinet, just butt it up to the inside of the top or bottom. If you're working with flat pieces, align the edge of the jig with the edge of the board on one end. Drill the first holes Test the fit: Before drilling all the holes, it's wise to do a test run on a scrap piece of wood. Drill a hole with the chosen bit and insert the shelf pin to ensure the fit is secure and snug. This jig is purpose designed for drilling shelf pin holes with guaranteed accuracy when adding shelves to assembled, unassembled, new or existing cabinetry. If you ask the professionals out there, they will definitely recommend you KREG as it has a brilliant reputation in the market and is well-known for offering high-end woodworking tools.To make a corner butt joint, clamp the board vertically on the workbench. Place the dowelling jig on the edge of the board, making sure that the lateral stop is touching the board edge with the carpenter's triangle. Then secure the dowelling jig using two one-hand clamps. Drill the first hole, noting the position on the scale for orientation for the other drill holes. Then allow the drill slide to engage in every third hole, secure it and drill. Next up, if you are looking for an affordable shelf pin jig out there, Milescraft is quite a good brand to consider as it’s pretty famous for offering budget-friendly tools. I usually skip the first three or four holes, but make sure you drill at least one! You'll need this hole for the set pin on the next batch. Drill through the jig's holes using the drill bit until it hits the depth stop collar. Use the set pin to keep the hole spacing consistent

Creating your own pegboard jig not only saves money, but it also allows you to customize the placement of your shelf pin holes. This method can be especially useful when you're working with non-standard cabinet sizes or unique shelf layouts. Cut the pegboard Perfect for Building or Adding Holes to Existing Furniture.The compact size of the Shelf Pin Jig makes it perfect for adding additional shelf pin holes in existing furniture, as well as for building projects from scratch. Need more length for additional speed? Connect multiple Shelf Pin Jigs together with the included Jig Extender. Drilling holes of the same size which are evenly spaced is quite a difficult job, even for professionals. However, using a shelf pin jig allows you to finish the job perfectly. The standard hole size that you will be able to make using a jig is 1/4 inches in diameter which is universally accepted. So, in almost all the jig options, you will find hole sizes of 1/4 inches mainly. However, if you wish to make larger holes, you might have to look for a specific shelf pin jig in the market. 3. Hole Spacing

Although markings are not provided on the jig, it offers a 37mm offset from one side and a 50mm offset from the other side. Meanwhile, the spacing between two consecutive holes is 25.4 mm or 1 inch which is good enough. In fact, the size of each hole is 1/4 inches, so you won’t find any difficulty using any kind of hinges. For casual household jobs, you can consider buying a new shelf pin jig from Wooddriver as it offers a wide range of tools that are both budget-friendly and user-friendly. Starting with the design, the template comes with a transparent finish, so it’s easier for beginner users to work using this jig. In fact, the size of the template is quite decent as it offers about 11 holes of 1/4 inch diameter. Start by marking all board edges with the carpenter's triangle, which will help you to position the dowelling jig on the right edge later. Position the dowel aid in the middle of the board to determine the position of the side stops. Next adjust the stop, select the correct drill bush for the dowel pin and insert it into the drill slide from underneath. Then slide it into the slot in the aluminium bar. Use a depth stop to limit the drilling depth.

Align the jig with the front edge of the cabinet side where you want to drill the holes. There's a removable hook piece on the jig that makes it easy to keep the correct spacing from the front edge. If you prefer a DIY approach, you can create your own jig using a piece of pegboard. Pegboards have pre-drilled holes evenly spaced in a grid pattern, which makes them a perfect guide for drilling evenly spaced shelf pin holes. In our opinion, the KREG Shelf Pin Jig is the best option if you are looking for something reliable and compact. It offers a hole spacing of 32 mm and can be easily converted into a larger template by using a similar jig. Moreover, it has a brilliant build quality and comes with a 1 year warranty as well.Use the pegboard's pre-existing holes as a guide to drill the shelf pin holes. Remember to keep the bit as straight as possible, and stop as soon as the flag brushes against the pegboard. Repeat for the other side

The design of the template is pretty simple, and long enough, so it’ll be a viable choice to use in larger projects. There are two rows of 11 holes provided on this template with a spacing of 32mm while each hole has a diameter of 1/4 inches. If your cabinet is already assembled, it's easy to know which end is up. But if your cabinet is in pieces, make sure to mark which is the top on each of the side pieces. You don't want to start at the bottom on one side and at the top on the other! I always mark the top with a piece of painter's tape. Set the depth stop Choose a drill bit that is the same diameter as the shelf pin: Make sure the drill bit is the same size as the pins. If your shelf pins are ¼", choose a ¼" drill bit. If it's metric, use a metric bit (not an imperial size bit that's "close enough.") The shelf pin measured below is just shy of ¼", so I'll use a ¼" bit for that hole. Once your DIY shelf pin jig is prepared, align the pegboard with the edge of the cabinet side where you want to drill the holes. To prevent the pegboard from moving while you drill, clamp it securely in place. Make sure the clamps don't obstruct the areas where you plan to drill. Drill the shelf pin holesIn case you are a professional woodworker and want a high-end shelf pin jig for your workspace, EZ Align offers one of the best high-end jigs in the market for professionals.