# Kreg Pocket hole Jigs



## andy6601 (Aug 23, 2011)

I just would like to get some feed back on anyone who has used this product and likes it or does not like it. I am looking to get one of the sets but they are kind of pricey. Also I am looking to use it to make furniture and I want to know if anyone uses it for that and can say how well it holds up or how well it does not hold up. Any comments on this would be great. 
Thanks,
Andy


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## RMP (Oct 15, 2009)

Hey Andy, I just finished and posted a project that I used a KREG jig to build (Blanket Chest), and I have to say it worked very well. My wife bought me one a while back and I've used it for a lot of things. It makes a good strong joint, especially when glued. It's also fast and tough. Just make sure the pieces are clamped together good before you screw them together. No complaints man. Hope this helps you. RMP…....


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I bought one to use on 1" pine boards and I have a lot of trouble with it splitting when screwing in the screws, even by hand. I finally use shorter then suggested screws and the splitting was less. It works OK on 2×4's. When I build something of hardwood I use different joinery than pocket hole .


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## toymike (Nov 17, 2011)

I bought this one for about $20 a year or so back (cause I couldnt afford the big set) and have used about 50 times for repairs and stuff its worked well. I am planing to get the big set soon


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

I have the big set and use it frequently in softwoods, hardwoods, and plywood. Great for jigs and fixes and fast builds. Not really appropriate for heirloom furniture, though.


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## exelectrician (Oct 3, 2011)

My first $20 set drilled about 700 holes before I attempted to sharpen the drill (it is difficult) I then broke out another 20 and got my second set. They are great and would not be able to do many quick jigs in my shop with out this amazing tool. See my fence project for what Kreg can do for you.


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

I've had the K3 set for about three years and sometimes wonder how I ever got along without it. Mine is mostly used for making faceframes (I just finished two this morning), and I love the fact that I can build a faceframe and immediately attach it to a carcass without waiting for another glueup to dry.


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## kizerpea (Dec 2, 2011)

Bought my first one about ten years ago…have used it alot…..if its spliting your wood u r useing the wrong screws..do a little homework on screw types for diffrent woods..i,m sure you will like it to


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

I feel guilty in that I used to do a lot of tenons and floating tenons. Now I often use my kreg jig. It's a really strong joint and takes half or less time. When I build something I think floating tenons or pocket holes. I find that there is no reason not to use the screws even though I feel like I should be building it more traditionally.


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## Betsy (Sep 25, 2007)

It's a great jib. Jim - I agree with Kizer - you are probably using the wrong screws. I use my kreg on both hardwoods and softwoods and have never had a split. It's worth the money - no doubt.


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## andy6601 (Aug 23, 2011)

Well here is my thought, if it saves time and is just as stong of a joint why not use it. Most people could care less about fancy joinery on a piece of furniture unless they are woodworkers themselves. Now I am not saying that mortise and tenons and all that is out dated but I am looking at the time factor. I am weekend warrior at best and when I watched an episode of Woodsmith they built a nice out door table and an end table using just the Kreg pocket screw jig for all of the joinery and put it together in no time. But great input so far I would like to here what others have to say.


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## Dixon1430 (Feb 16, 2012)

The kreg jig is great, I have one and haven't had any problems with it. Plus if you think of the cost of other tools used for joinery, it is a good price. Compare the price of a kreg jig to that of a biscuit joiner or the domino… (If you have deep pockets…). Or the time involved in M&T joints. The kreg jig really cuts down on time, especially glue times like previously stated.


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## LeeInAZ (Aug 16, 2011)

I used the K3 jig to build all of my shop cabinets - carcases, face frames, and drawers.

I use the smaller micro size for the 1/2" plywood drawers. It is fast, strong, and pretty much eliminates the need for clamping.


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## 559dustdesigns (Sep 23, 2009)

I've got a K3 master system. 
I used it for mainly one project. 
I really like how everything comes in the kit even a small sampling of the screws and plugs they offer.
The vise grip plyers work great for aligning panels during glue ups with and with out pocket screws. 
I also like how they made the drill depth stop adjustment gage on the base of the tool. 
My only negative comment is they could have made a much nicer case. The one I got the grip plyers don't fit and everything else is lose inside the small case. I wish there was fit dividers for the kit, so I could tell if some thing is missing. 
The micro drill guide kit is next on my list to complete my kreg collection. 
Have you seen that porter cable makes a pocket screw jig?


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## JGM0658 (Aug 16, 2011)

This gizmo to make kitchens and cabinets is the bees knees. Get it, you won`t be sorry.


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

I have the K3 and love it.
I use it a lot for shop projects and it works great.


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

Jim -
Are you using the truss head screws with your Kreg jig? The Kreg pocket holes aren't flat bottomed and don't work well with the pocket screws used with flat bottomed holes.

I dial my cordless drill back to ~11 or 12 when I'm driving pocket screws and never get splits.


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## jtriggs (Dec 13, 2007)

Andy, I've had my set for about 6 or 7 years. I bought it at a woodworking show and got a few through ins. Even though I thought the price was a little steep at the time, I've decided it was one of the best purchases ever made for my shop. I built my entire kitchen cabinet set (european style) with them. All the drawers were built quickly and strongly with PHs and they have held up very well. I've also used them for chair and table repairs when I can hide them or make them innocuous.

I still use traditional joinery when I make most furniture but I did use them on a recent project I built for my son, a quilt rack. I used them where quilts would normally cover them up and also pegged them with oak pegs in the walnut rack and they ended up looking kind of cool when the quilts weren't on the rack.

I've built more shelves, jigs and cabinets for the shop than I can count. My only complaint about my set is that I have the older version with the clamp on the back side of the jig. That makes it a little awkward when I'm drilling holes in a large cabinet side or back and I have to reach around the panel to get to the clamp handle. It is by no means a deal breaker. Still much better than not using it.


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## D1st (Jan 28, 2010)

I built this mahogany/maple farm table using the kreg jig and it worked great. In the past Ive only used the jig for face frames and jigs, but now I use it to build most if not all my furniture products.


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## MontanaBob (Jan 19, 2011)

A few years back I borrowed my neighbors Kreg Jig to make three sliding drawers for the kitchen cabinet that is used for storing pots and pans, using ¾ " material….I thought I'd test the joints so used no glue. Those drawers are used every day, and the joints are still as strong as the day they were made. The wife gave me the Kreg Jig for Xmas 2010, and I use it whenever I can. It saves a bunch of time. The last built (end tables) is put together using only the Kreg Jig. Now for the negative, though I have had no splits when useing this jig with wood thickness that is 5/8" and higher, when using it on ½ " thickness it splits the ends. From what I can see, the reason is-the screw exits much too close to the outside edge of the piece you drill the pocket hole into, instead of exiting at the center of the piece. So I don't use this system for ½ ".


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## longgone (May 5, 2009)

I definitely like mine and use it primarily for jigs, cabinets and face frames. I just made three cabinets to hold squirrel cage motors and it took less than a day to make al three. I used 3/4 ply for the cabinets and 3/4 pine for the face frame and dividers. I also spread a bit of glue on the wood before I drill the pocket holes and install the screws….might not be necessary to use the glue but with the very little time it takes to spread the glue I have the satisfaction of knowing it will never become loose or come apart


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## SignWave (Feb 2, 2010)

I have the mini jig kit (posted by toymike, above), and I use it occasionally. The main thing I use it for is a joint involving end grain (like face frames) and where the hole won't be visible, or for repair work where normal clamping/gluing techniques can't be used. It can be a real time-saver vs other types of joinery. I recently had to repair some water damaged ply under a sink and it made a huge difference due to the limited access and working under a cabinet.

I have had some splitting, but only on very thin and soft wood (e.g. <3 />t made it a priority.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Pocket hole joinery holds up fine with glue in the joints.

Its downsides are problems with aligning parts, especially
those with offsets, splitting of end grain, and a
screwed-together appearance where joints are visible.

The Kreg jigs are very good. If you don't mind sanding 
misaligned face frame joints and the swiss-cheese appearance
they are acceptable for lots of cabinetmaking applications.


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## Straightbowed (Feb 9, 2012)

yes I used to do tenons but i really like the jig I also glue the wood in certain areas where there neds to be max support but yes I love my jig actually I have the junoir the sigle and the pro I love them, but it does take away tradition but the looks are great and the speed is what I like


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## kizerpea (Dec 2, 2011)

Well there u have it…..go buy one now….then tell us how much u like it…....best thing sence ice cream..LOL


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## BentheViking (May 19, 2011)

I had the kit a few years ago in a shop and with a good jig it worked well. Then in another shop I had the machine that was really awesome. Finally after Christmas I got the master set for myself. Havent used it yet but i know it will come in handy when I do


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## nomercadies (Dec 31, 2011)

I was thinking of getting into the pocket hole construction, but I fear dimensional conflict from stile and rail expansion and contraction. Does the Kreg system take that into consideration? Should I be worried about it?


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## bunkie (Oct 13, 2009)

One of the best things about pocket-hole joinery is that you can disassemble things. This is incredibly useful at times. I had a situation where I had mis-measured the space available for an upper kitchen cabinet. The cabinet was 1/4" too wide. Because I had used my Kreg jig (no glue), I was able to disassemble the cabinet, rip 1/4" off the top, back, and bottom of the carcass, reassemble and install the cabinet in under 30 minutes.

I started with the $20 kit and moved up to the larger jig along with two of the clamps which are definitely worth the money. You can get by for cheap (the $20 jig, one drill/driver) but life gets much easier for big projects when you have the clamps, the bench-mounted jig and one drill for the drill bit and another for the driver. All told, the $200 or so I've spent was well worth it.

One more tip: buy the screws from Amazon using their free shipping if you buy $25 of merchandise. It's much cheaper to buy them in bulk as they tend to be pricey in small quantities.


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## rivergirl (Aug 18, 2010)

Super easy to use. Even I can do it.


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## Jumpsticks (May 31, 2012)

Great tool. I built a workstation for my K3. Simple and easy to use tool.


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## TrBlu (Mar 19, 2011)

I have the K3 jig and love it.

I was fortunate. I found mine at an estate sale for *$40*, complete & never opened. The case was still factory sealed. I also got a Plano organizer case, similar in size to the Kreg case, full of various size Kreg screws. That's a total retail of $200 - $250, for my $40.

Wish I could find deals like that more often.

I got my face clamps and a pocket hole clamp from CMT at The Woodworking Show. I like CMT's clamps better. The CMTs feel better in my hand and are easier to close.


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## patcollins (Jul 22, 2010)

I have the Junior and it works great, sort of wish I had bought bench top version but I wasnt sure how much I would use it. Turns out that I use the crap out of it for utility stuff and making cornhole boards and such. Never had any problem with alighment or splitting.


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## BillBean (Mar 23, 2012)

Like most people, I love mine. I use mine primarily for face frames, but have used it for a lot of other projects as well.


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## stonedlion (Jan 12, 2011)

Last Summer I built a pair of Adirondack chairs using my Kreg R3. I wanted to hide the screws. They turned out beautifully. And after sitting outside in all sorts of weather for most of a year now, I am happy to report that they are as solid as the day they were built. No glue, just screws.


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## JarodMorris (Nov 24, 2011)

I just used mine to make up a face frame for a bathroom vanity for my wife. Love it. I did one for a changing table about 6 years ago used this same jig. Made a mistake in that the wood was a bit too long but didn't realize it until I drilled the pocket holes. It made those pieces offset on the face frame of the changing table. Should have scrapped the pieces and used brand new ones but that would have been a trip to the lumber yard again and I was getting impatient. It's been 6 years though and I've let it go, can you tell?


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## BenI (Jun 8, 2012)

I bought the very simple 'package' - drill bit, collar, basic jig and allen wrench (about $25 I think) because I didn't have the money for the whole system that is at least $100, couldn't be happier with it! Used it A LOT on my last project made out of walnut and maple and it did great.

Should point out that after only a few holes, the bit and the inside (metal) part of the jig gets very hot so I'd work on something else for a bit so it'd cool down and then return to it.

The screws are pretty good, they are indeed self-tapping! At times though, I had trouble with the driver slip out of the square head, nothing a little more pressure on the drill couldn't solve though.

Depending on what you plan on using the jig for, you might want to be sure to have clamps that will work for it but doesn't have to be the expensive Kreg ones. I just used the couple clamps I had on hand and worked out fine.


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## Powerdiamond (Jun 14, 2009)

All pocket joinery is the same. Kreg has some marginal additions and works just great. Something still in my heart still draws me to M/T even though pocket works at least as well and is extremely faster. Depends on your view of your own shop. If you use pocket you'll be happy with it.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

I've had mine for many years. It is the all aluminum model (that's how old it is). It gets used a bunch.
Bill


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## Earlextech (Jan 13, 2011)

Probably one of the best products on the market. I've had my original for about 25 years and still use it every week.


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## Bsmith (Feb 2, 2011)

Love mine. Built most of my garage cabinets using one. Wouldn't us it on fine furniture but for other applications it's great.


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## DaddyZ (Jan 28, 2010)

Don't use mine much but I do Like it - Very Handy !!


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