Just as any other hobby or work, you will have to invest in the necessary equipment and materials. If not, your works will just result in a lot of unsuccessful projects in which you will eventually throw away. If you intend to install hardware such as knobs or pulls on the cabinet, then you most likely know how important it is to have a cabinet hardware jig. A cabinet hardware jig will make your life so much easier and it will also allow you to complete your project on time. This is exactly the perfect tool that you will want and to have for any of your do-it-yourself home improvement projects.
What is a Cabinet Hardware Jig?
A cabinet hardware jig is a basic, excellently designed, customizable device used to drill mounting holes for knobs with single-stem or those that have two-stem pulls. Most jigs are made out of a rigid plastic frame with a sliding fence allowing an adjustable offset from the edge of a door or drawer.
If you are currently working on some home cabinet installation project and you are having some trouble getting the job done, then you most likely need a cabinet hardware jig. Check this roundup of ten best rated cabinet hardware jigs from Woodworkerslab.
Whether you are just upgrading your cabinets at your home – may it be in the bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen – or assembling something from scratch, do not ever consider starting one without the use of a cabinet hardware jig.
Why is there a Need for a Cabinet Hardware Jig?
Installing any cabinet hardware (such as the knobs and pulls) are the ones which are the most complicated and is a very time-consuming task to do. A cabinet hardware jig is quite handy to help make sure that you will be drilling accurately and in the proper upright manner.
Additionally, you also have to determine where to position the holes, and having a cabinet hardware jig would make things a lot easier for you by avoiding all of the trial and error.
The Ideal Cabinet Hardware Jig
The ideal cabinet hardware jig is the one intended to be simple enough to be understood by beginners, yet versatile enough to be used by professionals.
Whether it is giving your room a new and different look, adding additional hardware to new cabinets, or embarking on some kind of DIY project, a cabinet hardware jig will end up making the whole task of installing knobs and pulls a piece of cake.
Drilling the hardware is one of the most crucial parts of the job when doing a DIY project. Even if you make only one slight error, you could end up having to do it all over again or do further filling work. This is definitely no fun at all.
Fortunately, if you will be using a cabinet hardware jig – thanks to the measuring and drilling manuals that come with it – you do not have to depend on guesswork.
Choosing the Best Cabinet Hardware Jig
Investing in a cabinet hardware jig that will make it possible for you to do your work quickly and accurately is important. It should not be that difficult to choose the right one for you since there are not that many companies and manufacturers out there which manufacture them.
This signifies that to choose the best one, you only have to test out a few features of your chosen jig. Here are a few of the features you need to check out for when choosing the best cabinet hardware jig for you:
Durability
You will be using the cabinet hardware jig a lot; therefore, you have to make sure that the tool is durable enough. It needs to be tough ad made sturdy, so as not to lose its shape or shatter while you are still in the middle of doing your project. It should also remain reliable for precise measurements even after many uses.
If a cabinet hardware jig’s durability is one of your primary concerns, then investing in a steel jig is best Steel jigs are better compared to their aluminum counterparts. This just means that the jig can take a lot of assault and endure tough jobs.
Simply ensure that you purchase one with enhanced framing, steel liners, and bushings when buying cabinet hardware jigs.
Easy to Use
Truth be told, nobody really has the time to tinker around cabinet hardware jigs which are very complicated to use. The key here is simplicity. You need to have a jig which can help you shorten the time you devote for your DIY project and make it easier for you to do it as easily as possible.
There are lots of cheap calibre hardware jigs around nowadays, and most of them still work, too. However, they really would not last long. You might be able to get to use them once or twice, but they would already be useless after that. You are only going to wind up spending more money in replacing them.
There are also very scant features in almost all of the cheaper variants. This only means that you will eventually end up doing all the other measuring and preparatory work by yourself using a separate set of tools. This is exactly why you would need to invest in a device that is packed with all the functionality you need to make things easier for you and to save time during the installation process.
Other Features to Check Out For
It is also very important to take into account the extra features that come with a cabinet hardware jig. Certain jigs include center markings appropriate for mounting cabinet handles, while some are useful for drilling holes in the shelf. Some cabinet hardware jigs are only suitable for basic measuring purposes.
If you would like a jig with much more features, you must be willing to cough up more cash. More features mean it is going to cost a lot more. You should not expect that a basic tool would be equipped with all other features for different applications. Again, you have to also consider the price.
Nevertheless, if you think that you would not need all those extra features, then you can go for the basic and simple cabinet hardware jigs.
