Showerthought: I used to fight with drawer slides for hours

Back when I started, maybe 15 years ago, I'd spend a whole afternoon just getting a set of undermounts to line up right, using a square and a story stick and a lot of bad words. I'd be under the cabinet with a flashlight, adjusting those tiny set screws a quarter turn at a time. About five years back, I saw a guy at a show in Charlotte using a simple jig he made from scrap plywood and a couple of blocks. It had two dowels that fit the slide holes and a cleat that hooked on the cabinet front. Now I make that jig for every job, and I can install a whole kitchen's worth of drawers in under two hours. It's just a dumb piece of wood, but it changed everything. What's one simple jig or trick that saved you a ton of time?

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3 Comments

butler.abby6mo ago

Why not just learn to do it right?

5

benreed6mo ago

Tried that, but honestly watching a quick YouTube tutorial saved me.

9

nancy3515mo ago

Abby's point about doing things right is fair, but sometimes you just need a fast fix. A full course isn't always the answer when you're stuck on one small thing. A quick video can get you moving again without a huge time sink. It's about picking the right tool for the job, you know? Learning the whole system is great, but a tutorial can be a perfect shortcut.

2