# Drawer Runner Jig Help



## eigersa (Apr 17, 2011)

Hi guys. 90% of the time I use drawer runners (these actually) that are a bit of a pain to put on the cabinet. Up until now it's a case of screw the front in, then try line up the face of the draw square, somehow pinch the back of the runner against the carcass, take the draw out without moving the position of the runner then quickly get a screw in. I haven't bothered with a jig up until now because I've always had assistants, no more though.

What tips, tricks & jigs do you guys use to fit these things, any help appreciated!


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

eigersa said:


> Hi guys. 90% of the time I use drawer runners (these actually) that are a bit of a pain to put on the cabinet. Up until now it's a case of screw the front in, then try line up the face of the draw square, somehow pinch the back of the runner against the carcass, take the draw out without moving the position of the runner then quickly get a screw in. I haven't bothered with a jig up until now because I've always had assistants, no more though.
> 
> What tips, tricks & jigs do you guys use to fit these things, any help appreciated!


Putting them on the drawer is easy. For drawers with a separate drawer front, the drawer front is marked out on the cabinet face, with the vertical gap allowance, and a mark for where the drawer is mounted to the front. Then the drawer can be used to figure out the slide placement. What I do is get a measurement from where the drawer member and cabinet member puts the drawer where I want it. IOW, I use the mounting hole for the cabinet member to put the drawer at the right position. 

For a single drawer, I just use a framing square and draw a line back on the side of the cabinet for the screw holes. Then figuring a small setback of the slide, I measure on that line the holes I want to use to mount the slide. Then I just punch the holes. Set the slide and screw it in. There are adjustment holes for up and down, and front to back.

For a bank of drawers, I basically do the same thing on a blank piece of 1/4" plywood. I first figure out where each drawer will go. Then using a square draw the lines back for where the cabinet member goes. At the bottom and top of the piece I measure back for the mounting holes I want to use. Then I set a straight edge on those marks and mark each line for the screw hole placement.

Then I use a scratch awl, and punch all the holes. The piece of plywood is square, and I just set it on the floor of the cabinet and position the front and clamp it to the end, or divider. I use a small drill bit and pilot all the holes. Then I move the sheet to the other side without turning it, and do the same thing there.

I wind up with the slide mounting holes all there, and the slides mount easily with a cordless drill and phillips bit. they are square to the front of the cabinet and parallel to the floor.













 







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