When the spring floods hit south Manteca, several small businesses had their fixtures destroyed. A local contractor asked if we could help rebuild cabinets faster without burning out volunteers. We designed a jig that let multiple teams assemble cabinet hinges simultaneously.
The design choices
We needed a fixture that was easy to ship, quick to set up, and forgiving on tolerances. The team chose a plywood base with interchangeable aluminum drill guides. The guide plates were cut on our CNC router to keep the cost low.
The build process
Students ran a two-day sprint:
- Day 1: prototype the jig and validate hinge spacing.
- Day 2: batch cut 60 plates and package them with printed setup instructions.
What we learned
We underestimated the time required for sanding and edge finishing. By day two we added a small finishing station so the plates would not splinter on job sites. That single change cut rework reports by 40%.
Where it goes next
The contractor now keeps the jig kit on a shared trailer. We are documenting the build so other nonprofits can replicate it during disaster response.
