To start with; I build wardrobes, drawers, desks etc out of MFC and MDF for a living. Using kreg pocket hole fixings and Blum hardware.
A customer has asked me to repair a couple of bathroom drawers that have blown due to a leaking tap. And to do this I’m going to have to use cam and dowel.
I’ve got some 16mm board left over from the last lot if drawers I made but I’m struggling to find a jig to let me drill all the holes in the right place.
If anybody uses this wretched system what tools an bits do you use to make a good job of it. It doesn’t matter if it takes a while for me to do the job. I’d rather do it right than quickly and I don’t want to spend loads in the kit.

If it’s just the one job I’d mark out the centres manually.

Can you use the existing drawers as templates?

I’d just be marking manually, and then drilling on a drill press using Forstner bits.

Can you not just use pocket holes to repair ?

Can’t really use pocket holes as it’s one of those units where the drawer is shaped to go round the basin waste and all sides are visible.

BigJohn

BLUM has the jigs for drilling the cam and dowels.

I work for BLUM.

Gummikuh

Did you read the part where I said I didn’t want to spend loads on the kit!?

OK gummikuh I give in. What’s the part number. I’m on holiday just now with a crap signal an I can’t browse the Blum catalogue very well.

Dovetails? Couple of hours work and no new tools needed. They work fine in MDF and ply (not chipboard though).

As a total offshoot question you must be happy enough with pocket holes in MDF since this is your main line of work?? I was thinking about making something in MDF with pocket holes but figured it wasn’t the best plan…

Big John Part number 65.5040, price £10.82.

Its a rare old thing though, and you may struggle to get one super quick. but email in profile and I can see what we have floating around.

I looked in your profile but couldn’t spot an email. Will look again later.

I use a Kreg mini jig kit with MDF. Using coarse screws it seems OK but I don’t think there’s quite as much bite as using good MFC. You can get cut and edged MFC in a million shades and widths from HPPonine. They will also cut to spec and finish in 2mm abs edging if you buy a whole sheet. That’s what I do.

Hi Big John.

Give BLUM tech support in MK a call.

Pete

I’ll do that on Monday when I’m back cheers.

You can get colour matched plastic covers that slip into kregg holes, should be fine as the only exposed ones should be at the back if you have drawer fronts.

I just got an email from Blum tech. It could have been from when I visited the stand at the KBB show a few months ago or it could be someone on here helping me out.

Hi BigJohn.

You would have met me at KBB, I was the tech guy with the tache.

I never sent an email though, but could have been one of the team, I was training fitters all day.

Yes you must have been the bloke showing me the hinge jigs, inline hinge plates and telling me why the new drawers are better than tandembox.

Yep, that would be me!

Give us a shout on Monday, and I can sort out a jig for you.

Gummikuh