STEP 01
Measure the production panel and the actual support
Measure the panel where the hole will be drilled and note any material variation that matters to the setup. Nominal sheet thickness is not a substitute for that reading. Identify the exact support, its inserted portion, shoulder and any required recess. Select the matching drill diameter from the hardware instructions and verify it on a sample. A 5 mm pin and a quarter-inch pin belong to different diameter systems. Changing a bit label in the planner changes the modeled circle; it cannot make a mismatched physical pin fit.
STEP 02
Define penetration at the deepest cutting point
The maximum drill-tip penetration input means the deepest point below the finished inside surface, including a projecting center point. It is not the distance from the bit tip to the collar in free air, because the jig’s bushing and body stand between the collar and the panel. Set and use the collar according to the jig instructions. Then verify the resulting hole in a same-material coupon. A pin may need a cylindrical bore deeper than its inserted length while the projecting tip reaches farther still; resolve that geometry with the actual tool and hardware.
STEP 03
Make the skin calculation explicit
Remaining outer skin equals measured panel thickness minus maximum tip penetration. The required skin input is a project reserve supplied by the user. The tool prevents a plan whose calculated remainder falls below that reserve, but it does not select a suitable reserve for plywood, MDF, solid wood or a decorative face. For example, passing a 3 mm reserve does not mean a 3 mm face layer is adequate. The calculation also assumes drilling from one inside face of a single side. A shared divider drilled from opposite faces requires a separate collision and web review.
STEP 04
Inspect a coupon before the cabinet side
Use offcut material that matches the production thickness, surface and core as closely as practical. Clamp and support it as the real part will be held. Drill a small test pattern, check the deepest penetration with an appropriate inspection method, seat the actual support and inspect the opposite face. Record whether the shoulder seats, the support binds or rocks, chips obstruct the hole, or the show face is marked. If you section a sacrificial coupon to inspect the tip profile, keep it labeled with the bit, jig and stop setting so the evidence remains interpretable.
STEP 05
Recheck when the setup changes
A verified setting belongs to a particular bit, collar, jig configuration and material batch. Replacing the bit, moving the collar, changing the fence or shifting to a thinner side is a reason to repeat the coupon. Capture the tested maximum penetration and the observed fit in the drilling record; add the coupon ID to the planner notes. Mark the physical coupon check only after that work is complete. The four evidence boxes record your observations, and the software never uses them to infer a load capacity or an automatically approved drilling operation.
Can the planner choose a safe hole depth for my pins?
No. It checks your entered tip penetration against measured thickness and your entered reserve. Hardware engagement and the finished hole need a physical coupon.
References and model boundary
The manufacturer references describe their own jig systems. Project dimensions, grid phase, keep-out envelopes and remaining-skin requirements belong to your measured setup. The planner tests its stated geometry; use the actual hardware instructions and a physical test pair before drilling production panels.