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It measures 8.8 inches in height, 16 inches in length and 10 inches in width, and it is made entirely from aluminum, thus it is heavy-duty and time resistant. It is a bench-top tool, so it requires to be installed on a tabletop, and it provides you extensive variety, as you can safely use it when you need to build frames or furniture.
Despite its intimidating use, it’s easy and simple to use. It features an adjustable wood clamp, which allows you to work with all types of thicknesses, as it adjusts with a simple turn of a knob depending on the board. It even comes with a locking system that will maintain the set thickness if you need to do repeatable drills.
Adjustable Drills
You won’t have to adjust the drilling bit for every wood piece you’re going to use. This unit provides you with a one-time-only fix, as the collar needs to be adjusted only once. It features an automatic depth gauge, which adjusts itself according to the wood piece you’re using, so you’ll never have to worry about drilling through the board. For even more versatility, the dial placed on top allows you to select how far apart from one another you wish the holes to be. Therefore you can move them further apart or closer together depending on your preferences and work.
Additional Features
It comes with a side chart which eliminates the guesswork you’d otherwise have to do when selecting the screws. The chart will tell you what kind of screws you need to use, as soon as you set the gauge for the wood pieces.
Moreover, it has a stop, which enables repeated cuts at the same distance every time. It can also be removed, by using 2 Philips screwdrivers, for whenever you need it at a further distance. If you need more support for the board, the base measures 1 ½”, thus you can add two 2×4 boards on both sides of the unit. Therefore, you’ll be able to work with longer wooden boards without any problem.
It comes with a rear dust collector, which once equipped to a shop vac, will keep your workshop clean. It is conveniently placed at the back of the tool, so it won’t get in your way as you work. Additionally, it comes with 2 drive bits, a drill bit, a clamp, a dust collector, a hex wrench, a collar and 3 packs of starter screws, thus it can be used right away. Furthermore, it is backed by a 90-day money-back guarantee, a one-year free service contract along with a three-year limited warranty.
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CONS
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- Dust catcher
- Metal construction
- Easy to attach to workbench
- Adjustable wooden clamp
- Automatic depth gauge
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- It doesn’t come with an on-board storage space for the drill bit
- Workbench-use only
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| VERDICT
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| Versatile and durable, it provides you with a long time of hassle-free woodworking. It comes with an automatic depth gauge which prevents you from adjusting the drill bit every single time, and with an adjustable wood clamp. Therefore, not only will you be able to use a large variety of wood boards, but you can use it repeatedly with the same settings.
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Ideal not only for DIY lovers but also beginner-friendly, Kreg K4 provides an easy-to-use design as well as an easy setup. It can be used with a large variety of materials, ranging from ½” up to 1 ½” and 1/8”, while thanks to its hardened steel-core, you won’t need to worry about its durability. It has minimal bit deflection, which in turn reduces tear-outs and provides a clean drill.
It comes with 3 drilling guide holes, thus providing you with versatility in crafting your project, and the drilling guide is removable, for increased portability. If features an integrated clamp, to help secure in place the wood boards you’re going to use, and it comes with all the necessary accessories for you to use it right out of the box. Therefore, it provides you with a drilling bit and a drive bit, a clamp, a collar, as well as a dust collector. It comes with a lifetime warranty from the moment of your purchase.
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CONS
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- Large clamping recess
- Optimized drilling angle
- Removable Drill Guide
- Lifetime warranty
- Dust collection
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- You might need to buy an extra bit, because it breaks easily
- Some users have complained about alignment issues
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| VERDICT
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| Beginner-friendly, it features a simple and easy to use design. It can be used with a variety of materials, and it features 3 drilling hole guides to provide you with versatility in crafting your project. |
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Don’t let its simple design fool you, as it provides you with quality work, which is beginner-friendly as well. It features an easy-to-use thickness adjustment, thanks to its ratcheting clamp. Simply slide the wood piece in place, adjust the clamp and push down the lever to lock the clamp in place. Thus, not only will your board stay secure, but you can use the same settings repeatedly for the next pieces, as well.
To help keep your materials in place it comes with a pin that prevents the wood board from moving as you drill. It comes with drill guiding holes which allow you to set the drill from ½” up to 1 ½”, and it provides drill-guide spacing from 9/16” up to 1 7/16”. It features a removable dust port that moves from side to side so that you can position it exactly where you need it, which allows you to attach it to a shop vac, ensuring your working bench is kept clean from debris.
It comes with a sizing chart, which will eliminate the guesswork, as it provides you with exact measurements regarding what type of screw length you need depending on the material you’re using. Even more, it comes with 2 support wings, which can be attached on both sides of the unit if you need additional support when using long wood boards. The wings can store your items, including different types of screws and bits, so you’ll be able to have all the accessories in one place. It features a lifetime warranty from the moment of your purchase.
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CONS
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- Storage space for screws
- Easily adjustable
- Integrated clamp
- Best for bench top or portable drilling
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- The inside of the unit is made of plastic
- Can only be used on certain materials
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| VERDICT
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| Thanks to its two support wings, not only will you be able to use long materials, but they can also be used as a storage space. this way you can keep all your accessories in one place. it features an easy to adjust clamp, which allows you to work with several wood thicknesses. |
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As it comes with a rear-mounted clamp design, it offers incredible resistance and rigidity. Thanks to this, adjustments such as releasing the locknut, and rotating it to the correct setting, can be easily done, making your work a lot faster.
Besides its clamp design, the Porter-Cable 560 comes with a 3-hole drill guide that lets you drill pocket holes in a wide variety of materials, ranging from 1/2” to 1-1/2” in 1/8” increments. Furthermore, every model comes with a hardened steel core, which has a lifetime guarantee. Its core covers the bit and supports the board through its drill-stroke. This way it will reduce the drifts and tear-outs, allowing a clean, pluggable pocket hole.
Additionally, it features a dust-collection shroud which gathers the wood chips that fall when you work. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about cleaning your workbench. Even more, it has a removable drill guide, thus it ensures portability as you can choose to use it either with benchtops or with portable bases. The jig is backed by a lifetime warranty from the moment of your purchase.
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CONS
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- Removable 3-inch drill guide
- Durable construction
- Portable design
- Easy to mount of workbench and portable bases
- Lifetime warranty
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- Dust collector is placed on the side, it might get in your way
- Constant tightening needed
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| VERDICT
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| Sturdy and durable, it comes with a lifetime warranty from the moment of your acquisition. Even more, it features a beginner-friendly design, as well as a removable drill groud. thus you can choose how you to want to work with it, on a bench or in a portable version. |
Drill Master Portable Kit
5. Drill Master Portable Kit
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It is made from anodized aluminum, which provides you with durability and a lengthy use, as well as corrosion and rust-free unit. Portable and easy to use, it measures 3 ½ inches in width, 5 inches in height and 9 7/16 inches in length. It weighs only 4.45 pounds, thus it is lightweight, and it has an ‘L’ shaped base, which increases its stability during use. It comes with 2 sets of hardened steel drill guides, and, depending on what type of wood you’re using, you can choose how deep the holes would be.
The drill guides closer to you can be used with thick materials, ranging from 1 ¼” up to 1 ½”, while the sets closer to the wood board can be used with thinner materials, ranging from ½”, to ¾” up to 1”. It features a variable center distance, so you can select how far from one another you wish the holes to be.
Additionally, it features a fixed toggle clamp, which, once you’ve placed your wood board it can adjust to the wood’s thickness. Thus, you can easily use it for a variety of materials, depending on your project. When you receive the package, you will notice it comes with several accessories like drill guide blocks, depth collar, as well as 100 screws and 2 hex wrenches. Thanks to its accessories, you will have the right tools to work on your design straight away.
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CONS
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- Adjustable spacing holes without unclamping
- Removable drilling jigs
- Aluminum body
- Self-taping screws
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- Doesn’t have a dust collector system
- Drill angle is fixed
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| VERDICT
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| The Drill Master is easy to use and allows you to adjust the spacing between the holes whenever you want. Even though it doesn’t feature a dust collector system, it comes with plenty of accessories, so you can easily use it right out of the box. |
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It comes with a compact, easy-to-use construction, and it is made of nylon 6.6, combined with 30% fiberglass content, for increased durability. It reduces bit deflection as well as possible tear-outs thanks to the full-body steel guide holes, which cover the entire drill surface.
It comes with a built-in measuring guide, which allows you to use a large variety of materials, ranging from ½”, to ¾”, 1” and 1 ½”. It features a reversible head, which allows you to easily fix any, already mounted, piece of furniture, without requiring you to dismember it. While it doesn’t come with its clamp, it has a gripping surface so whenever you need to clamp it down, it won’t move, maintaining a stable and secure position.
The kit comes with all the necessary accessories for you to start working on your project right away. It features the jig, two square drive screwdriver bits, 3/8-step drill, a hex wrench, a 3/8” stop collar, several types of pocket screws and pocket hole plugs. Everything is stored neatly into the carrying case, thus not only will you be able to take it with you anywhere you go, but you’ll also have an organized way to keep all the accessories.
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CONS
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- Precise drill guide
- Durable body construction
- Adjustable for different materials
- 4 Different thickness levels
- Comes with accessories
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- Its drill bits might break under a lot of pressure
- No clamp included
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| VERDICT
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Perfect for small tasks around the house, the Wolfcraft 4643404 is perfect for DIY enthusiasts. It comes with all the necessary accessories you might need to start working right away. However, you will need to buy a clamp as it is not included in the package.
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With the Milescraft 1323, you are bound to finish projects fast, as it connects workpieces quick. It can be used to do repairs, create T-joins, miter joints, corner joints, and framing joints. The flip fence lets you set it to do any type of repairs at home or in the shop. Regardless if you are accustomed to the metric or the imperial system, you won’t have issues using it as it features built-in scales of both measurement unit types.
There are 3 board thickness settings that you can pick between, more precisely 1/2″, 3/4″, and 1-1/2”, and the readout arrow helps you pick the pre-selected depth setting you need. The hardened steel drill bushings guarantee precision when you do pocket holes.
Its stop collar setting lets you customize the drilling depth as you like quick and easy, and you can find it on the underside of the tool. It comes with a clamping magnet, to properly secure it to the workpiece when you use any metal clamp. It even comes with a plastic storage carry case that features special compartments for each kit component. Furthermore, a 3-year warranty backing is provided against defects by the manufacturer.
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CONS
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- Built-in imperial and metric scales
- Readout arrow helps pick the board thickness setting
- Creates a clean pocket hole on the first try
- Clamping magnet helps you secure it to the workpiece using any metal clamp
- Comes with a plastic storage carrying case
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- Flimsy plastic fence
- Some users report that it flexed when a lot of pressure was put on it
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| VERDICT
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To connect workpieces in a quick and timely manner, all at a reasonable price, the Milescraft 1323 is your go-to option. Furthermore, no manual measure is needed as it comes with built-in board thickness to make your life easier.
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It is made from a mixture of aluminum and plastic, thus it is sturdy and time resistant. It measures 5 inches in length, 2 inches in width and 1 inch in height, so you can easily take it with you wherever you need. It provides you with a simple operation, as it features a magnetic base system, which allows you to easily adjust it according to your needs.
It features a one-in-all design, as it comes with an inbuilt thickness gauge, as well as a drill bit gauge. This way you won’t need other additional accessories to set the drill for the wood piece you’re using. It can be used with wood boards ranging from ½” up to 1 ½” in thickness, thus providing you with increased versatility.
While it doesn’t come with a clamp, it does come with a clamping magnet, so you won’t have a hard time keeping it in place. Even more, it comes with a stop collar, as well as a hex wrench, for quick, out-of-the-box operation.
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CONS
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- All-in-one design
- Lightweight and portable
- Easily adjustable
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- It doesn’t come with a clamp
- It doesn’t come with a dust collector system
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| VERDICT
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Easy to use and adjust to your needs, it is also lightweight and portable, so you can take it with you wherever you need. It comes with a drill bit, a collar stop as well as a hex wrench, so you can start using it right away. It can be used with boards ranging from ½” up to 1 ½” thickness.
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Signs that Show You Must Change the Drill Bit
If you have been using the pocket hole jig to do some housework, it means that you need to change the drill or sharpen it as it does not last forever, contrary to what you might have believed. Nevertheless, how do you know it is time to replace it? Here are the signs that show you when the times comes to replace the drill:
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Its sharp days are gone
By using it constantly for different projects, the drill will start to lose its sharp edges and hence not to go through wood with the same ease as before. To test sharpness, you can drag the drill on the surface of a balloon, and if it pops, it is sharp, if not, you need to replace it.
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Look for clean edges
When you try to drill a hole the edges should be clean and crisp. If you notice the lines are a bit fuzzy or jagged and the hole itself look chiseled, drill replacement is needed.
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Sharpen rather than replace
Did you know that drills can be sharpened? Well, yes. You can save money if you simply sharpen the drill instead of replacing it completely. How can you do this? A lot of manufacturers offer sharpening services, and we recommend you get into contact with the manufacturer to benefit from this perk.
Woodworking is not only fun, but it also provides you with satisfaction as soon as your project is done and ready to use. There are
several techniques you can use to create your project, but one of the important elements is how you join all of its parts together. For woodworking beginners, or for those that have never used wood in their works before, using a pocket hole jig might be a completely foreign concept. However, it is not only easy to use, but it provides you with
strong and sturdy woodworks.
There are three main steps you’ll have to consider before you venture into building the next woodwork: what does a pocket hole jig do, what types of screw you’ll need, and how to use it.
How Does It Work?
A wood board comes with three different sides: the face grain, the end grain, and the edge grain.
When you join two wood boards through the end grain, the result might look nice, but
it won’t hold for too long. The wood fibers might spread out with time, so there will be nothing left to support the screw. Therefore, when you combine two wood pieces, it is
recommended not to use the end grain, but rather the edge or face grain, for more holding power. To do so, you’ll have to angle a screw, so it will pass through both wood pieces.
Wood Screws and Drill
In order to successfully connect the wood boards, you’ll need to use the drill that, most often, comes with the jig set. It is a bit different than a normal drill, as the tip tends to be narrower while the base is wider.
Depending on what type of screws you use, they can be grouped in two classes:
- Fine threaded – they are usually used for hardwoods like oak, maple, hickory, mahogany, walnut, cherry and birch.
- Coarse threaded – they are usually used for other types of lumber, and plywood.
The packages in which the screw come usually have a chart placed on them, to help you choose the length, and type you need, depending on what type of wood you’re going to use for your project. Additionally, it is recommended for the screw to go as deep as possible into the board, without pocking the other side. In this way, you can be sure your project is sturdy and stable.
Using the Jig
If possible, make sure to attach the jig to a surface, before you use it. By doing so it will remain in place, so your work would be even.
Every type of jig offers an adjustable lumber scale, which allows you to set it according to the wood piece you’re going to use. The scale usually comes with positive stops, so you won’t have to worry about missing an inch.
Depending on what type of jig you have, it might come with more than one guiding hole. This will come in handy when you want to space the holes along the board, according to what type of item you’re crafting. The drill has a collar – you can loosen it or tighten it by using a hex wrench. Place the drill bit in the guiding hole, and adjust the depth. Once it has reached your desired depth, tighten the collar to secure it.
The jig might, or might not come, with a clamp. It is important to use one, for increased precision, so if it doesn’t come with an integrated one, then it’s best to consider investing in one before you proceed to the next step. If the jig does have a clamp, use it to lock the wood board down, and use your drill at the highest speed. Drill into the board until the collar stops it.
The screw has to go into the face grain or the edge grain for increased stability, so double check your board before drilling the holes.
Repeat the procedure for all the wood pieces you want to join together. Once all of them have holes, clamp them together, and use a screwdriver to tighten the screws. Make sure to use the right type of clamp, as it will differ according to what angle you plan on using to join the wood pieces. Additionally, don’t forget to angle the screw towards the mainboard part and not towards its end, for more stability.
If you don’t clamp the wood pieces together, they will drift away, resulting in an uneven finished product.
All in all, if used correctly, it can offer you a more stable finished product. If you’re worried about the left holes, there are plenty of ways to cover them up, and once you paint over them, there won’t be a trace left.
A handy person’s tool bag is never complete without a pocket hole jig, especially when woodworking projects are the main challenge. Ultimately, the model you pick must help you accomplish not only projects that you have the skill level for today, but future advanced projects when your woodworking skills improve as well.
If you’re looking for a strong, durable and powerful unit, which provides you with versatility in crafting your dream woodworking project, then you have to check out Porter-Cable 560. Heavy duty, it comes with an adjustable wood clamp, so not only can you work with several wood thicknesses, but you can do so repetitively, as it will maintain your settings. No need to readjust the drill bit and stop collar every time, as it features an automatic depth gauge, which will adapt itself to your needs.
Kreg K5 is easy to use, incontestably accurate, and durable enough to ensure years of use without any issues arising. It lets you concentrate on your work, and caters to any professional or hobbyist’s needs as it handles board thickness of up to 1-1/2”. Even more, it comes with support wings that act as storage spaces, as well, so you can keep all your accessories in one place.
We hope that our guide makes your task to find the right tool easier as all the products presented and reviewed have been carefully selected to cater to the needs of both hobbyists and professionals. Furthermore, attention to detail was given to the flaws and highlights of each jig to ensure you are aware of the product’s strong points and weaknesses beforehand to eliminate any unpleasant surprises.
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