Thread: Making Flat Pack or Knock Down Stuff

If the job is small (hundreds of holes as opposed to thousands) and one is careful then one doesn't really need hardened guides for drill jigs - instead you might like to try metric hi tensile steel nuts OR head to you local metal engineer and get them to whip a set up out of tool steel. My local charges $70/hour plus material and will turn up whatever you need...

If you use a decent drill press then you can avoid much of this...

You could make full scale templates and then use a transfer punch for the holes.

An alternative would be to use one of those drill bases (see photo) and locate you hole pattern with dowels or a cut out fixed to the template.

Another idea would be to put a long fence on the drill press with stops locating the holes.

Bob,
I'm pretty sure that Lee Valley sell hardened steel drill guide bushes. If you have a good drill press with little to no slop in the quill you may get away with a fence with multiple stops. If you're looking at going this way, look at getting the flipstops that go with the Hettich hinge drilling/insertion system. I bought some extras for mine and they cost about $12 each. You could fix them to a piece of sail track or "T" track.

Mick

One "trick" I was taught was to make a template from MDF. with locating strips on 2 or 3 adjacent sides for accurate positioning. It doesn't have to be a full template, a set of smaller templates for different parts/ends of the same board works well provided they're positioned accurately. (And're much easier to store. )

The hole centres are marked on the "wrong" side of the jig then brads/nails about 5mm longer than the MDF thickness are driven through through these marks, also from the "wrong" side. These are then removed and replaced in the same holes from the "correct" side. This mucking around helps avoid errors from not being able to drive a nail home squarely. I s'pose the same marks could be predrilled instead to ensure they're square, but where's the fun in that?

The template is positioned on a prepped board, a light tap to each nail head... et voila! All the holes are accurately centre-punched.

Not the best for large production runs, but it has saved me a lot of effort on smaller jobs (qty wise) over the years.

Thanks fellas,
These are all very good suggestions.

G'day Bob

I know off a place in Ringwood Melbourne that make bushings for exactly what you want. They make all types of bushes and normally have set type in stock all the time and can make bushes to suit whatever you want.

You could make a MDF template and use bushes with a collar pressed into a slightly undersize hole in the MDF.

Let me know if you want their name and phone no and I will PM them to you

dahpendin on how many how much how exxy etc, maybe
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...at=1,180,42311

Originally Posted by echnidna

Ok the usual way to make Flat Pack or Knock Down Stuff is with CNC so that all screw/bolt holes align correctly.

It must be possible to do this on a limited scale using jigs.

But Jigs for drilling holes need hardened guides etc.
Any suggestion on a source for hardened guides for drilling holes.

Hi Bob,

For a one-off, I use a pencil gauge and drill by hand. 37mm in from the edge, 32mm apart.

For a run, Hettich make the guide you're looking for. About $150-200 from memory.

their part # 022870, that appears to not be available any more.

However, if you go to their cattledog:

http://web2.hettich.com/hbh/Start.do?localeId=en_UK

enter with guest access, then type in the term

accura

or

exacta

in the search box (two separate searches), you'll see what they currently offer.

Nover should be able to order it for you - see attached for distributor list, there may be one closer:
http://www.hettich.com.au/996.htm

Cheers,

eddie

Hi all

I donot understand all the tech talk, but I think I get the gist.

Try these guys www.hafele.com.au they are in australia.They have thier entire catalogue on their web site.

They carry all the fittings etc. used in the flat pack stuff like IKEA and they have guides and templates etc.

I have an online account so I can log on and get prices. So have alook and if you need a price let me know.

Celeste

Bob, make yourself up a heap of clamping squares and use them to hold the cabinet together while you drill and screw.
Disassemble the cabinet and number the panels... instant flat pack with screw holes that line up perfectly.

Some decent hard wood will make good drill guides that'll last a few hundred holes, if your drilling free hand make the guides thick as possible to help keep you square.

Bob
Nover sell a range of jigs for doing System 32, hinge, drawer runners and handles. The drill bit is a similar setup to a Vix bit .
http://www.eurolimited.com/1024/webc...atalog1024.htm

Mark

The euro bits look interesting as they work with plastic guides so it shouldnt be difficult to make the guides from wood.

That way template jigs can be built from chipboard or mdf quite economically

And euro bits etc are relatively cheap unlike a lot of other stuff

I have been using the Haffele jig called the unitool
I bought it from seeing on the Danish site before Aus had it in stock. Hafele UK will have them in stock just need to quote the part numbers. There is an insert to do the Rafix connectors, but i dont use that i use a Blue Max 3 to do the drilling here is the catalogue page from Hafele UK site . the pricing is comparative to the Austarlian price

Unitool multi drilling jig 001.25.000
Suitable for System 32 001.25.042
Suitable for Ø 35 mm cup hinge 001.25.031
Suitable for Ø 26 mm cup hinge 001.25.030
Suitable for minifix 12, 24 mm tightening distance 001.25.020
Suitable for minifix 12, 34 mm tightening distance 001.25.021
Suitable for minifix 15, 24 mm tightening distance 001.25.022
Suitable for minifix 15, 34 mm tightening distance 001.25.023
Suitable for Ø 20 mm connector 001.25.024
Suitable for Ø 18 mm connector 001.25.025

If anyone wants the manual to read before buying i have it in softcopy which i can email you

Originally Posted by echnidna

Ok the usual way to make Flat Pack or Knock Down Stuff is with CNC so that all screw/bolt holes align correctly.

It must be possible to do this on a limited scale using jigs.

But Jigs for drilling holes need hardened guides etc.
Any suggestion on a source for hardened guides for drilling holes.

Give Sonny a call, he is in Springvale around corner of Carbatech he has a CNC and has very reasonable rates