Q:

I’m making a wall cabinet with a single door. I know that I should have ordered the hinges before I began to make the cabinet, but I didn’t. It turns out that the hinge screws are longer than the cabinet case is thick. What should I do?

Ollie Timmons, Milwaukee, WI

A:

I’ve made the same mistake—and more than once, I’m ashamed to say! But I’ve also intentionally designed cabinets with sides that were too thin for the hinge screws. Don’t let hardware dictate design. I always shorten the supplied screws rather than replacing them. A screw’s holding strength comes from the section of its shank where the threads are not tapered. A long screw that’s been shortened provides a longer section of full-width threads than one that’s shorter to begin with.

To shorten long screws, mill a board about 1⁄16 in. thinner than the case sides. Next, drill a pilot hole and countersink for the screw, and drive the screw into the board. Use a mill bastard file to remove everything that sticks out. Back the screw out and it’s ready for use. Before you drive it in, you might need to use a screw with the pointed tip still on it to start the threads in the pilot hole—just be careful not to drive it through the cabinet side.