Small label plates, rope guides and handle brackets can make a crate look either careful or hurried. The holes are often close together, and one wandering mark is enough to make the whole row feel crooked.
A quick scrap fence helps. Pick one straight offcut, set it against the edge you trust, and clamp or tape it in place before marking the holes. Instead of measuring from the edge every time, slide the square or pencil along the fence and let the scrap keep the line honest.
The fence does not need to be thick. A clean strip of plywood, a planed slat, or even a flat cutoff from the same batch can work. The important part is that it sits tight and does not rock when the drill starts.
For a repair, mark the first hole from the old hardware, then use the fence to carry that same height across the new part. If the crate face is finished, put blue tape under the fence or use a paper shim so the scrap does not rub grit into the surface.
Drill a test hole in another offcut when the hardware is small or the wood is dry. That quick check confirms the bit size and gives you a feel for how much pressure the screw needs before you touch the actual crate.
Practical takeaway: before drilling a row of small crate label or handle holes by eye, clamp one straight scrap as a fence so the layout stays level and the finished hardware looks intentional.
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