Kreg Pocket Hole Jig

[Mandres]

Lol ok I'll jump in. I don't have a pocket hole jig and I never will. That kind of joinery has no place in fine furniture, and if I'm just banging something ugly together for the shop I don't need a $200 gadget to toenail two boards together.

Kreg has spent a fortune on marketing to convince people this silly plastic jig is both a new idea and worth more than about $20. Neither one is true

 

[theoldwizard1]

Lol ok I'll jump in. I don't have a pocket hole jig and I never will. That kind of joinery has no place in fine furniture, and if I'm just banging something ugly together for the shop I don't need a $200 gadget to toenail two boards together.

The basic kit is under $40. Some of us DO need a gadget to toe screw 2 boards together.

 

[lilredex]

Pocket holes have their place...at least in my book.

There are many, many, ideas out there to make a guide for next to nothing, from your scraps. Lee Valley have drill jig bushings too.

Here is just one..

http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-plans/drilling/pocket-hole-drilling-guide/

 

[PCO6]

Lol ok I'll jump in. I don't have a pocket hole jig and I never will. That kind of joinery has no place in fine furniture, and if I'm just banging something ugly together for the shop I don't need a $200 gadget to toenail two boards together.

Kreg has spent a fortune on marketing to convince people this silly plastic jig is both a new idea and worth more than about $20. Neither one is true

I think the OP was connecting some 2"x4"'s for a small project. I can't imagine any one using a Kreg (or similar) jig for fine furniture. As for the price, I have various Kreg jigs and accessories and I don't think I have $200 total into them. They have a place and I like them.

 

[Modern Jess]

That kind of joinery has no place in fine furniture

Who said anything about fine furniture? I think most people would agree it's useful for cabinetmaking.

 

[Dberglind]

Lol ok I'll jump in. I don't have a pocket hole jig and I never will. That kind of joinery has no place in fine furniture, and if I'm just banging something ugly together for the shop I don't need a $200 gadget to toenail two boards together.

Kreg has spent a fortune on marketing to convince people this silly plastic jig is both a new idea and worth more than about $20. Neither one is true

This is an example of how someones extreme bias can be a disservice to them. The pocket screw falls in the middle of your two extremes and can be extremely useful for many purposes.

You are right, it is not something that really has a place in fine furniture building, but most of the people discussing it here are not building fine furniture. And equating a pocket screwed and glued joint to toe-nailing is fairly ridiculous.

The set builder was a great example. It provides a strong functional joint in a fraction of the time of "traditional joinery". Sometimes it is about how quickly something can be done instead of the absolute best way to do it. Time is money. Why waste time on traditional joinery if the pocket screw meets his needs?

The guy using it to build ******** boards is another. Using "traditional joinery" on a set of ******** boards would end up making him price them far above the price point that anyone would be willing to pay for them. With pocket screws and glue, they can be built and priced reasonably enough.

At times, it is the right tool for the job.

 

[ez-duzit]

semantics

Who said anything about fine furniture? I think most people would agree it's useful for cabinetmaking.

You bring up an interesting point--a distinction between fine furniture (presumably wood pieces joined so well that you would pay someone else to do that) and "cabinetmaking", which I presume means "a garage storage cabinet assembled by a do-it-yourselfer with a Kreg jig"?

 

[ez-duzit]

...it is not something that really has a place in fine furniture building, but most of the people discussing it here are not building fine furniture...
The set builder was a great example. It provides a strong functional joint in a fraction of the time of "traditional joinery". Sometimes it is about how quickly something can be done instead of the absolute best way to do it. Time is money. Why waste time on traditional joinery if the pocket screw meets his needs?...
At times, it is the right tool for the job.

D--sorry I missed your post while I was typing.

The reason so many, here, are NOT building fine furniture with their efforts is because they lack the skills and the tools to do so. If we had eggs, we could have bacon and eggs...if we had bacon.

The set-builder needs something fast and cheap to last for as long as the scene takes to shoot, or show to run--that's all. If it fails between uses, it's cheap stuff to repair/replace. His is perhaps the perfect application for such a joining method.

 

[PCO6]

... The reason so many, here, are NOT building fine furniture with their efforts is because they lack the skills and the tools to do so.

Either that or we don't need to or want to.

 

[cheechi]

Re: semantics

You bring up an interesting point--a distinction between fine furniture (presumably wood pieces joined so well that you would pay someone else to do that) and "cabinetmaking", which I presume means "a garage storage cabinet assembled by a do-it-yourselfer with a Kreg jig"?

I don't draw this same distinction that you do. I have been around a lot of fine furniture, and plenty of it has pocket screws. Whether Kreg was involved in either the jig or screw, could not tell you for sure. But pocket holes are in plenty of modern (not style, but manufacturing process & recent assembly date) fine furniture.

I think the distinction you might make is, still talking fine furniture, case goods vs chairs & upholstered pieces. I've seen more pocket holes actually in chairs than in case goods. There are still some there, but I think in some cases (dovetails in drawers) the joinery is a show piece. In a lot of pieces the case is assembled in such a way that it's all dry fit for the rough cut of the decorative elements then all glued in one step.

I've seen $10k bookcases with pocket screws and $10k chairs with pocket screws. The main difference is, the chairs are more likely to have plugs.

 

[Regnar]

I personally would like to see Pocket Hole joinery over what most manufacturers do now which is glue and crown staple. Hell even their face frames are made with corrugated staples. Drawers are made of "Fake" dovetails. So your definition of garage cabinets are better than what most homes have in States.

 

[Givl Reggin]

There are a lot of tool polishers here, but when it comes down to it, they can't hold a candle to woodworkers....
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthr...on-of-the-Kreg-ToolBoxx&p=2159948#post2159948
That's probably the most complete Kreg jig setup I've seen.

 

[Beenman]

Here you go http://www.kregtool.com/default.html They are affordable and have varying prices for various jigs. And Kreg keeps coming out with other fantastic items other than just the drill jigs. You'll have to look through the site and check it out.

Also, and for ones that may not know, you can send in ideas to Kreg for a tool that they may not be making yet. If they use your idea, I don't know what you get, but it is the chance to get a tool into production from your idea that others can find useful too.

And don't forget to sign up for their newsletter. It will tell you of new tools coming out, and also ideas from other members on the site. They have one section of projects ranging from A-Z and then some.

Thanks. Even though I can see US pricing, simply converting it to our currency using current exchange rates does not always give one an idea whether its affordable or not. Earning potential in the US is quite different to here, and in relation to other tools costing similar money, it might be very seen as expensive for what you are getting.

Either way, seems everyone who bought one is very happy with it.

 

[cagullett1]

Just got another right angle clamp during the Sears, "$10 off $20 or more" ordeal this weekend. After points, got it for FREE!

 

[IndyGarage]

Kreg has spent a fortune on marketing to convince people this silly plastic jig is both a new idea and worth more than about $20. Neither one is true

It sounds like you haven't tried one.

I personally think the pocket hole jig is a fine product. The simplicity is deceptive. The value is that the Kreg jig is set up to make a repeatable hole position, depth and angle every time.

If you set up to the instructions, your screw will not accidentally penetrate the surface of the stock, and will hold tight - extremely tight if you put a little wood glue in the joint.

I was very skeptical at first too. What I will say is that I was wrong. The jig will do everything my biscuit joiner will do about 3x as fast and easy.

 

[syeater]

I love my Kreg

 

[metaldad]

i have a kit, somewhere down in the crypt.

 

[383 240z]

I borrowed one from my kid sister to make a few cabinets for the kitchen. I used it for the first time last weekend. Is it the end all be all joinery tool? No, but it is a damn nice tool. Very fast and easy to set up. I will say that I had to fine tune the drill bit depth stop on my first project. I ended up driving the screws deeper then I wanted. I'm sure this was my fault as I was using my impact driver to run the screws. I was running the 2.5" screws into 2x4's. I'm thinking the impact pulled to tight, and the wood was kinda soft. All I did was lessen the depth and everything worked out great. I am very interested to see how they work in the harder woods I bought for the face frames. I built a bunch of test joints, edge to edge, 90* and 90* into end grain out of the 3/4" 7 layer plywood I'm building the carcasses out of. Even without the glue I was very happy with the outcome. I've decided that I didn't need the right angle clamp, I'm glad I bought it but I could have got by with out. I am planning on picking up a deeper face clamp as I will be making solid cherry counter tops out of 6" wide 5/4 thick boards. I love knowing a sawmill owner. Keith

 

[theoldwizard1]

There are a lot of tool polishers here, but when it comes down to it, they can't hold a candle to woodworkers....
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthr...on-of-the-Kreg-ToolBoxx&p=2159948#post2159948
That's probably the most complete Kreg jig setup I've seen.

Total OVERKILL !

Get the Junior Kit and a cheap locking C clamp. There really are not enough screws in that kit to do much of anything. The 2½" coarse, washer head screws are perfect for 2by construction. But them by the box of 250. Amazon prices are good, if you can get free shipping,

 

[LeeG]

I built every cabinet in my garage using pocket hole joinery. Easy, fast, and solid. I wouldn't use hem on an heirloom project, but for lots of stuff, it's great.

 

[ez-duzit]

Kinda surprised at how many find these useful. Might have to try one.

What has kept me from considering one, thus far, is seeing stuff like this proudly displayed table from a previous thread, here. The joint gaps are horrendous! And his use of pocket holes for everything leaves a butchered look.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

^ The contact faces of boards have a lot to do with that gap. You can't put uneven surfaces together and expect a perfect fit. Tightening screw down atters too. For a great fit the pieces must be clamped together so there's no movement or the screw doesn't push the board away (there is not a pilot hole in the adjoining board, it's a self tapping screw).

A joint still has to be treated properly in order to sit right with the Kreg method..

 

[southalabama]

The kreg jig and system is a handy tool for a woodworker. It doesn't substitute for making square cuts and basic wood working skills.

 

[signcrafter]

Kinda surprised at how many find these useful. Might have to try one.

What has kept me from considering one, thus far, is seeing stuff like this proudly displayed table from a previous thread, here. The joint gaps are horrendous! And his use of pocket holes for everything leaves a butchered look.

First of all, I don't have a clue who's this is but they probably did the best they could. The gaps aren't the fault of the kreg jig, just not a perfect cut. I'm guessing the builder isn't a high end furniture builder so no way they could have built that with traditional joinery. But they built this themselves and probably were proud of it. The kreg jig allowed them to build something they probably wouldn't otherwise have been able to do. Is it perfect, nope, but I'm sure it looks pretty nice and is better then the walmart junk.

The kreg jig isn't a solution for every joint, but it does come in handy a LOT. I use mine all the time for quick and strong joints.

 

[lilredex]

Pocket holes do have their place, such as the middle shelf on these bookcases, where they are never seen. I didn't want screws from the outside and they give the case the rigidity that it needs. The balance of the shelves are moveable. For the builder of that gem......they make tapered plugs to make those joints a whole lot less obvious.

 

[ez-duzit]

Well, I just ordered the small MHJ, single hole kit for $20, delivered. This small one I preferred for use in less accessible places. And I'll watch for a place to try it out. It will require that I locate some stainless screws to go along with it, as they will be used on a boat. Maybe that Grizzly drill bit someone mentioned will be required.

Attached is a photo (taken prior to varnishing) of a table top I built using a 3/4" Finnish birch multi-ply core with 1/8" teak veneered plywood skins epoxied in place. The inlay of a starfish was made from 6 pieces of 1/8" solid birds'-eye maple. Curved, solid teak edging is attached with biscuit joints and epoxy. There are no fasteners. Dimensions are nearly 1" x 24" x 48"

 

[ez-duzit]

Well, I just ordered the small MHJ, single hole kit for $20, delivered. This small one I preferred for use in less accessible places. And I'll watch for a place to try it out. It will require that I locate some stainless screws to go along with it, as they will be used on a boat. Maybe that Grizzly drill bit someone mentioned will be required.

Attached is a photo (taken prior to varnishing) of a table top I built using a 3/4" Finnish birch multi-ply core with 1/8" teak veneered plywood skins epoxied in place. The inlay of a starfish was made from 6 pieces of 1/8" solid birds'-eye maple. Curved, solid teak edging is attached with biscuit joints and epoxy. There are no fasteners. Dimensions are nearly 1" x 24" x 48"

 

[Regnar]

Ez-Duzit. I would caution for you to have an open mind while using the jig you purchased. And truly the only reason I say that is because this is the first time using one and you picked one that doesn't have any features to it. You are going to have to manually set the setback, clamp, drill, un-clamp and redo. Not hard but it is gonna be tedious.

Btw if you really hate the look of screws you can always drill, glue and screw the pocket holes. After the glue has dried remove the screws and reset your drill bit to drill deeper into the next piece but not come out the other side. Then glue up a dowel and insert it into the hole. Now you have a 15 degree dowel joint.