Rant: I cut dadoes freehand for a built-in bookcase and it actually worked

I was fitting shelves in a 1920s house where nothing was square, so I just marked them with a knife and used a router with a guide bearing. Has anyone else had to ditch the jig and go by eye on an old house job?

3 comments

3 Comments

piperbailey1d ago

Old houses demand that kind of improvisation. The square jigs just collect dust when every wall is out of whack. Sometimes the best tool is just a sharp pencil and a steady hand.

kimr7422h ago

Exactly, you learn real fast that nothing is plumb or level. I spent a whole weekend trying to make a built-in bookcase fit in my 1920s place, finally just traced the wall profile onto the side piece and cut to that weird curve. Worked perfect.

knight.felix21h ago

My 1918 bungalow has a closet where the back wall leans out a full inch over six feet. I tried to fit a plywood shelf with a square jig and it looked awful. Now I just use a long level as a straight edge, scribe the angle with a utility knife, and trim it with a jigsaw. The shelf looks like it grew there. You have to work WITH the house, not against it.