Kreg Jig

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The Right Tool For The Job

Easy to set-up, easy to use. Easily worth a lot more than its price when building cabinets or anything else that you can assemble using pocket screws. BUY IT, YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID.

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It doesn’t get any easier than this!

I was building a set of shelves that would be assembeled with picket screws when I decided I needed the K4 kit. I had a 20 year old aluminum pocket hole jig with a hardened insert that you just clamped to the work, but to get this lined up and clamped took a long time and I had about 90 holes to drill for this project. The Kreg K4 was so easy to set up and use and I was able to drill all the holes in just a fraction of the time. I like the K4 better than the K3 master because it’s easy to clamp to the work bench with the clamp recess right in front. The old cumbersome jig I had before really kept me from using pocket screw assembly very much, but I can see this K4 getting much more use. It’s a very good tool.

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Works great – better than advertised.

This is the best jig I have ever used. Easy to set up, easy to use. Screw system is great.

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***Great tool for the job***

I like doing woodworking – whether it is refinishing old furinture,building new shelves or barn doors. The K4 is a must have tool for anyone’s work shop. I was building a wooden swinging door for my small barn and the K4 made the job so much easier and faster. The door is secured good and strong with the pocket screws. The K4 is easy to use, easy to set up or store. I had a small pocket screw kit I was using but since I purchased the K4 – I leave the other one in the tool box.
The K4 is a must have tool for anyone joining wood together.

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Debbie

I bought this product for my Husband as a Christmas gift. He loves it. We are getting ready to build our own kitchen cabinets so this will get a lot of use.

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another very good Kreg tool…

I have several Kreg pocket hole tools and this is another good product. It works as intended and is a time saver compared to other joining methods. Should be used in conjunction with the Kreg srews…why?…because they are well made, and not very expensive if you buy larger boxes and search by price on “Froogle”. You will not be disappointed. Now, almost everything I see needs a pocket hole screw!

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It is everything they say it is.

I purchsed the Kreg Jig K4 and found it easy to use. I made a quick monitor stand for my computer monitor from scrap pieces of wood and was pleased with the result. The kit was missing a part so I called the company and they promptly sent me out the missing part.

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My husband’s favorite tool!

I got this jig for my husband for Christmas (I can take a hint). He just loves it. He just finished making a computer desk and a couple other smaller things and keeps going on about how much easier it made the job. He showed it off to my brother and now he’s going to get one. It’s really nice to see him enjoy this gift so much!

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Great tool…

This was the perfect addition to our wood shop. Really, this is simple to use, and comes with a video to show how many uses this little gem has. We do a lot of wood joining, i.e. shelving, small furniture, picture frames, and I just think this tool has so many applications! Please watch the video or go to the website and watch the infomercial because there were a few applications they suggested that I had not considered.

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How did live without it!

I had a job to do that required me to assemble the work on site. I was able to precut all parts and predrill the pocket holes in the shop. The parts were then transported to the site and assembled. Glue was applied to the pieces and assembled and ready to finish in a short time. I do not know how long and how many clamps would have been required if I had used biscuits, dowels or any other type of assembly. This is probably one of the best specialty tools I have ever bought.

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Excellent product

The Kreg jig is the only product I’ve ever purchased after watching an informerical and I am quite satisfied with it. After many years of trying to get solid/square joints with my limited home workshop tools, I was impressed with the results of the Kreg jig on a workbench I built for my son. The rail and leg joints were square, solid (no glue) and only took about an hour to drill and assemble. The instruction DVD included with the set was very helpful in explaining the basic set-up and uses of the jig. I think it will be one of the best tools in my workshop. My only concern was the necessity of buying the special Kreg screws. I found a local source for the Kreg screws however which means I don’t have to order them online and the price is comparable to other wood fasteners.

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The easiest way to join anything

This is really well made. I resisted for a while because of the cost and the “do I really need another tool?” factor, but it is well worth the money. The jig is very well constructed. Better than I expected looking at the pictures. It is also good for some outdoors projects where you have to fasten 2x4s together (I use regular screws instead of the special kreg ones for that kind of stuff and they do work fine).

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great tool

My husband had always wanted to try the pocket-hole jig,and now after watching the video and also one on cabinet making, he has made me a side table, and my 16-year-old son made a table for our deck. It is easy to use and took no time at all to make projects. Now he wants to make us all new kitchen cabinets!!! Great tool.

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The right jig.

This is a great jig, I wish now Iwould have gotten one earlier, but I did get more by purchasing later on and its been improved.

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holding corners

Great little device to drill screw pockets. The included DVD was very helpful and full of hints for use of the jig. This is a great tool for furniture making and repair.

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Pocket screw jig (Kreg)

I am very satisfied with this jig and communication and shipping were fast and very acceptable. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

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Nicely made but very poor design

This thing CAN make very nice pocket hole joints but the markings on the jig are USELESS. I set it up exactly as it says in the instructions with exactly the right screw type and screw length and with the jig set to exactly the matching dimensions of my wood. Then I tried 3 times to make a joint. EVERY time the wood split on the face of the rail (assuming standard rail and stile construction). The pocket hole comes out far too close to the face with the tip of the screw about 1/8″ from the face. No wonder it splits. So I then adjusted it by trial and error and got it to work fine by essentially lying about the thickness of my stock. Setting it to 5/8″ instead of 3/4″ and then eyeballing the depth gauge on the drill bit rather than using the built in guide made it work. I would have really been bummed if I hadn’t practiced on some scrap stock firs.

UPDATE 9/7/10
I’ve been using this jig alot and do really like it so I’m increasing my rating to 3. However I’m still unimpressed by the inaccurate markings. I stand by my comments above the you really need some trial and error to get a good joint.

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excellent product

As others have noted, this is an excellent product for some fast, effective joinery. Well designed and easy to learn. It will not work for all your joinery needs, but it will make lots of projects easy. Only drawbacks I found are 1. Joints aren’t as strong as biscuit joints. 2. Even though they make hole plugs, I wouldn’t want to use it where the pocket holes are showing. Besides that, it’s a great product.

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Kreg Jig

What a time saver
I am restoring an old camper
It would be impossible without my KREG

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So easy a child can use it,

I love this tool it is my favorite non electric tool I own. I too wish I bought it sooner there were so many things that did not come out the way I liked because I didn’t have the jig. Seriously I am a retired grandma and if I can use it really anyone can I made many wonderful things including a large chicken coop for my girls with gates. You can’t go wrong with this tool. You don’t have to get the best one just get ONE.

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my standard assembly tool

As a newcomer to home improvement and woodworking this is my standard method of building things. As a complete (and impatient) novice I watched the video (pocket hole solutions to trim carpentry) about 20 times and then went to work. I’ve built shelves and tool stands, and repaired my roof. I love this whole system–I can build most anything quickly. It is strong, and, unlike any other system, can be disassembled (even the screws can be re-used!), which is important—as a newbie I make mistakes! NO problem– just unscrew, correct, and re-assemble. No waiting for glue to dry either. Kit is well-built in the USA. I recommend getting the vacuum attachment and a few of the clamps to start. You do have make sure the wood is cut perfectly square. The only thing I would correct would be to add a little hole to store the allen wrench and use some white paint to highlight the numbers on the jig. My carpenter friend now is bugging me to borrow it to build cabinets with on his next job. Better than lego or tinker toys

Update: one method to get the markings to show up–takes 2-3 minutes total including clean-up. Use gloves. Note: this will lighten the area slightly and permanently.

1. Apply office supply white-out liberally to markings, get it down into the etched markings
2. Wipe of excess with dry towel (not much will come off).
3. Wipe with paper towel soaked in adhesive solvent with a few even strokes in one direction (along the length of the jig, perpendicular to hash marks)
4. Wipe off with moist towel
5. if needed, rinse under water to remove all the solvent
5a. repeat if needed
6. Note- this will lighten the background permanently a little as well, but is fast and easy and it works!

Alternate method-not as consistent Put some white out above the area to be whitened, not in the markings Wipe once or twice with adhesive solvent towel to spread the white out across the markings. This will lighten the background slightly and leave the markings looking darker. Clean up.

Rating

Love the jig, not sure about the blue screws?

I just began building the Kreg workbench. I figured I’d start with a basic project like this to familiarize myself with the Kreg jig and how it operates. If I make a mistake on this, the wood is just inexpensive 2x4s that I can easily replace.

I really like the fact that it comes with the DVD, which gives all the basic details and is broken down into sections so you can easily go and just rewatch one section again.

One bit of advice I’d give from what I’ve experienced with the jig so far is that instead of drilling the pocket hole in one motion, I found it works better to drill down maybe a 1/4 to 1/3 of the way, then back the drill bit out to clean out the hole, then continue on in this fashion until you reach the drill stop. The holes are cleaner-cut this way and it’s easier on your tools. This technique has worked well for deep holes for the 2x material. I also had one piece of wood that I neglected to sort out when I selected my wood that was heavier than all the others, so it’s wetter than the others. I did have to make sure and clean the holes in the jig out after this, as they did gum up a bit from the moist sawdust produced from this one piece of wood.

I do wish the jig came with a few more screws right out of the box. You get an assortment of different sizes, but only 10 or so of each. This allowed me to basically get one little section of the workbench put together. I then had to go searching for screws. The problem was, neither Home Depot, nor Lowes carries the 2.5-inch screws. Luckily, there is a Rockler store in Denver. But when I got there, they only had one box of the 2.5-inch screws in a 50-pack, and they were the blue “weather resistant” ones. I didn’t care because the screws are all hidden. I think the box was $1 more than the normal screws would’ve been.

Now this jig and these screws are all brand new to me. But, at this point, I did have a problem yesterday when using the blue screws. I don’t know if it’s the coating on them or what, but they drove down into the hole and then proceeded to strip out the threads they’d just drilled! I hadn’t changed the torque setting on my drill at all from using it the day before with the regular Kreg pocket hole screws that came with the jig. So, I backed off the torque a bit and tried another screw in another hole. Same thing! I then turned the torque almost all the way down on the drill. That worked. Then I tightened that one by hand. After that, I tried driving another one by hand. I can certainly work around this, but I’m definitely apprehensive about using the blue screws again on anything else that might call for them, such as a potting bench, or outdoor chairs, etc. Kreg does make stainless steel pocket hole screws, but a box of 50 was about $25, compared to $6 for the blue screws. They do package larger quantities together as well. There was a box of 250 of the regular 2.5-inch screws that I needed, but I don’t need anywhere near that many of that size screw at this point in time. However, if you were going to make, say several outdoor chairs, or multiples of anything for that matter, it is more cost effective to buy the larger boxes of screws.

I know this is supposed to be a review just for the jig, but these items all go together, so I figured I’d mention my issue with the blue screws. Before that, I did not have one problem with the regular screws. They worked flawlessly.

I am definitely looking forward to many more projects using the Kreg jig system. I don’t have a lot of shop tools and no woodworking tools, other than a few basic chisels, etc. So, this gives me the opportunity to try my hand at woodworking a bit before investing a lot of money and space for things like a nice table saw, drill press, planer/jointer, tons of clamps, etc.

Is a matter of fact, I actually bought this jig to build two built-in bookcases and an adjoining mantel. I will be using the Kreg jig to build the boxes for the bookcases, as well as the faceframe and doors. No need to worry about mortise and tenons for the doors, or gluing and clamping biscuits into place and then waiting for the glue to dry. Once I get the workbench done, I’ll then have a nice work surface to begin the bookcases on. If I get a chance, I’ll come back and add more info once I’ve used the jig a bit more on plywood and hardwood for the bookcases.

So far, I’m quite impressed with the Kreg jig (other than the above-mentioned blue screws). I’m sure I’ll find a ton of uses for it in the future. I’ve already started thinking about building a couple of nightstands and a blanket chest, something I probably wouldn’t have thought of doing before buying this jig.

Rating

This just works

I got the K4 system because it seemed like it would work and I already had a similar hold-down clamp. Saved $40 for what I needed. I ended up screwing the unit to a wooden work bench, rather than using the clamp anyway and that is a good way to do it, probably the best.

The dust collection was hooked up to my Fein vac that turns on when the drill is on. Not even a scrap of dust. Totally clean. See my Fein vac review.

Set-up is very easy per the nice simple little instruction pamphlet and the very professional DVD that is included.

You obviously have to use this tool correctly to get the great results. This means getting the right screws for the job. There are all sorts of different screw options from Kreg. I got the course ones for soft wood and suffered no splits or other problems. The screws seem to be of the highest quality, good for other projects as well.

I was kind of worried that I would have to come up with some kind of a jig to hold my wood at a right angle. I found this is not necessary. What you have to do is make sure the ends are exactly 90 degrees because that end will be drawn very tight to the other board. If it is off a degree, the screws will set it one degree off, if they are perfect, then it will be perfectly perpendicular. So, just take the time to make sure your crosscuts are perfectly accurate. This joinery system is very hard to fudge, it is very unforgiving of errors.

The bit has that hard feel to it, sharp and probably not meant to take much in the way of sharp impacts. I drilled down at a modest rate so as to not break anything and nothing did break. There is a collar that you adjust for the depth of wood. Unlike a set of collars I bought for general use, the Kreg one sets securely and doesn’t slide on you. Again, I took care not to bear down on the drill too hard because if the collar slips, you would have problems.

You do have to hold down the two pieces of wood, right at the joint with a clamp. This always keeps the pieces flush with each other. Don’t skip this step, even if you have to buy that long clamp, expensive but useful for a lot of projects. Push the pieces close together before you set the screws. The wood pulls tightly together, but don’t get too lazy. It creates a little misalignment if you get too sloppy.

Frankly, the screws seem so tight that glue seems unnecessary. Doesn’t hurt, but I wouldn’t bother except perhaps on a table top.

The Kreg K4 is touted as the universal joining method and it can work that way. As somewhat of a traditionalist, I would still glue up a table top and I will still use mortise and tenons on many tables projects simply because that kind of work is expected. One of the recommend uses is to screw down a table top to its frame. I do not like that idea and recommend sliding blocks and such to let the top expand and contract independently from the frame.

Even so, there are still thousands of interesting projects that the Kreg system does just perfectly and you will be able to use it forever, really. I see nothing about this that might be obsoleted, but if I was using it commercially where time was money I would buy a spare bit just in case. Note that after hundreds of holes my bit seems perfect and the hard metal inserts in the jig are as good as new. If I was alternating drilling and screwing with one drill, I would get that quick-change bit system Kreg offers. In my case I practiced on one piece and was so secure with the process that I went into mass production mode and didn’t switch back and forth.

I made some utility cabinet drawer frames that were essentially knock-downs. Just marked the parts, unscrewed things and was able to carry it all in my truck. Sometimes this is a very handy way to do things. You don’t lose any strength, can carry the flat knocked-down sections up into building by yourself…all sorts of advantages.

Kreg doesn’t give anything away! It is all quite Euro-spendy, but I cannot fault the design or materials at all. This is a tool system you will use for a very long time and it will save you a lot of time and provide superior results on many projects and repairs. A high quality product, well-designed and thought out. Happy to hand out five full stars.

Rating

great time saver

Fast, easy, almost fool-proof, and makes joints that are scary strong. The only way to make face frames or other connections where the joint won’t show. The one caveat I will make is that screws can make a difference. If you buy cheap, off-brand screws, the chances of splitting and other problems greatly increases. Buy the Kreg, self-tapping screws in bulk and save yourself some heartache.

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Handy tool

This thing does the work of many other tools combined. It does it as advertised and the results are impressive. Haven’t done large projects yet but would be easy and fast seeing that the system is itself everything you need. In some instances I used some drywall screws and a long phillips-bit (being out of Kreg-screws), well results are the same and they are still in place holding the project together. Just make sure to plan your drilling since the holes will be very visible if you do not hide them. The included DVD won’t tell you a lot (it’s just advertisement) but if you’re starting out it’ll have some tips.

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Almost got it right

Kreg almost got it right. This is an excellent tool for almost any kind of joinery. In my experience it is far superior to biscuits or dowels. It really is one of those tools that performs as advertised.

The problem comes in when you want customer support. In our area the dealers who are listed as carrying parts such a plugs for the pocket holes, drill bits, drivers, etc. Have little or nothing from Kreg, (i.e. Lowe’s).

Kreg customer support is non-existent. When we called Kreg’s order department they refused to help us. Instead they insisted we buy from a local supplier or buy on-line from Amazon; they insisted Amazon’s prices were cheaper than buying direct from Kreg, and that Amazon gave free shipping.

Amazon’s prices were almost twice what Kreg advertised, and the shipping was free only if you order in bulk. When we explained to customer service that Kreg’s advertised process and shipping were less than Amazon’s, Kreg continued to argue with us and insisted we buy from Amazon.

I have to wonder why Kreg even has a contact point to order from Kreg, when Kreg won’t sell anything direct. I am absolutely mind-boggled that they refuse to do business with a customer who shows up, money in hand, who wants to do business with them. The only thing I can figure is that they have some sort of arrangement with Amazon and their dealers that they won’t sell by mail to anyone who lives in the same area as a dealer, or anyplace where Amazon will ship to. This only works if the dealer actually stocks a good selection of Kreg products, or you have no problem paying the premium prices Amazon charges (almost twice what Kreg advertised)and don’t mind the waiting time involved with the mail.

If you live close to a dealer with a good supply of Kreg parts and accessories, I cannot recommend this product too highly. It really does work.

If you do not have a good dealer close by, I recommend you order a good resupply of everything and accept the fact you will be paying a premium to use the tool, and that there may be times when you may not be able to use it while you wait for supplies to reach you via mail.

Fortunately the tool appears to be well made, because based on my experience with customer service, I have serious doubts about Kreg’s willingness to honor their warranty.

Rating

Nice. Makes Joining a breeze.

Man, I like this jig. Coming into woodworking from a more mechanical viewpoint, I was always looking for an easier way to join two pieces in a small shop where I don’t have a lot of clamps hanging around for gluing. This is it. So simple and so fast, I’m enjoying making more complicated pieces than I ever thought I would until I had a bigger shop. Like an apothecary cabinet, next on the list.

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Kreg… Where have you been all my life

Love it! It’s simple, easy, accurate, strong and almost impossible to mess up. I have recommended it to every DYI’er I know. Love it!

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Well-designed, well-built, and easy-to-use.

This Kreg jig is exactly what I needed for an outdoor fencing repair project. I found it to be solidly-built and easy-to-use. It makes for reliable, consistent, repeatability. Requires a mere minute or two to set up and saves a ton of time. Joints are solid even without glue. Blue-Kote weather-resistant screws also worked very well. Can hardly wait to see what other uses i can find for this tool.

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Great Tool

Amazing time saver. The only thing is that you want to use an impact driver with it, rather than a “regular” drill/driver. Even with the square drive heads, the bit will walk out if you are working at any kind of angle or with hard woods.

Rating

The best joinery solution

I have always have had issues with common joinery. I started with dowels, moved to spline joints, to biscuits, then mortise & tendon and finally dove-tail. All were tedious and most of them not as strong as I expected. With Kreg’s pocket screw system, I am finished looking for the perfect joinery method. It is soooooo easy and the strongest solution to any joint application. My first project, I made a simple small table. 2 hours prepping the wood, 15 minutes drilling the holes and assembling the table. I was happily shocked. It looked great and so strong I stood on the table, which if I tried that with any of the other joints, I would ended up on my butt in a pile of splintered wood. I can’t say enough good things about this product. I MUST for any woodworker or project that requires joining 2 pieces of wood together. Don’t forget to purchase a lot of Kreg pocket screws because you will want build a lot of projects right out of the gate! 6 Stars!!!

Rating

Good, but

The Kreg Jig works fine for me on soft wood, but trying to drill a 2×4 with the drill bit was a lost cause. I wish Kreg would make a stronger drill bit

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Very good – but spend more and buy the Master System for the face clamp and carrier for the drilling jig

I originally started off by purchasing the Kreg R3 Jr. Pocket Hole Jig – which is an outstanding product with an amazing case. It was so good I got this one in addition.

You can create pocket holes in wood much quicker with the K4 than the Jr. Jig. The clamp holds the wood up against the drilling jig and holds it very steady. If you attach a shop vac to the jig, as you drill most of the shavings go right into the vac. It also helps hold the wood against the jig.

This unit is designed with holes for screwing down to your workbench. I pull it out of its box and use it without holding it down with screws. It works very well without screwing down.

Because the jig guides the drill bit, I was even able to let my 7 year old drill the pocket holes. Once your holes are drilled, clamp the two pieces of wood together and drive with the nice long square drive bit included and it will actually pull the wood together. The joint is very strong and reliable.

I gave the Jr. Jig a perfect 5 – this one is not as perfect.

1) The case is just a plastic box. You can’t leave the vacuum port attached while it is in the box. It seems more like a product they expect you to screw down to your bench not put away when not in use.
2) You can use the drilling guide with the supplied spacer to do 1/2 inch material outside of the clamping jig but it is not nearly as convenient.
3) Even though you don’t need a clamp while drilling, you do need one while screwing it together and that clamp isn’t included in this kit.

I recommend you step up to the Kreg K4MS Jig Master System. It costs more but it includes a carrier for the drilling jig so you can use stand alone it for more than just 1/2 inch material and an excellent face clamp. The added benefit of these two items is well worth the price difference.

The perfect setup in my opinion is the Kreg K4MS Jig Master System and the Kreg R3 Jr. Pocket Hole Jig. You can use the clamp from the Master System with the Jr. Jig. You also end up with an extra bit and drill as backup. Together they are amazing.

Rating

Not as good as I’d hoped for

Unlike perhaps some users I am coming from a reasonable woodworking background, having used other jointing meathods such as biscuits and rabbits. This is fast way of making joints, but there are some drawbacks.

I have found that when making flat face frames the wood is drawn up at the angle of the screw, and its very difficult to end up with a flat joint. If you have one, you know what I’m talking about and they even say in the DVD you will have to likely do some “minor sanding”. I did try various clamps along the joint with some improvement but no solution. Also, if you are using glue, it tends to act as a lube and lets the wood move more, but of course the joint will be stronger.

Unfortunately, on smaller jonits like face frames, you also get movement on the other axis, as the screw acts as a pivot. I had to reclamp and check to make sure my smaller face frame parts were still alighned and most of the time they were not and adjustments were needed.

On plywood the screw tends to take the easier way and if one layer is softer a it normally is, your screw and the joing will pull the wood out of alignment. On Kreg, there is nothing holding this alignment. To assist you really need to shell out the $30 for the right angle clamp, which I did, but even that is not perfect. The pad for the non-hole said hangs down below a typical 3/4″ board and will hold it off the work surface. And you still can get movement, there’s nothing stopping that and when you’re looking for total alignment as you are in woodworking – its dissappointing.

You really have to also use biscuits and have a biscuit jointer to make acceptable panel joints in my opinion, and its even mentioned in the DVD. Biscuits will hold the panel in perfect alignment, then you screw it. This works well and makes clamping overnight a thing of the past.

You also don’t get more than 10 screws of each type, good luck if you got as gift doing anything w/o a trip to the store. You would think for [...] bucks you’d get more than 10 screws of common sizes so you could actually open it and use it.

The base is 1″ tall and you will need to make 1″ spacers to hold panels at same height for better drilling accuracy, I had plenty of 3/4 but had to look for things to add to a true 1″ the way wood is finished these days. How much would have 1″ plastic add-on cost? Oh wait, this is Kreg, it would cost you $29.

The DVD shows white numbers on the jig but the one you buy will only have embossed measurements marked on it. Plan on spending time using paint to “finish” your expensive new jig, something they could do at the factory for the price they charge.

The case is a joke of sorts, only holds the jig and the other stuff flops around dulling the drill a bit of a mess inside.

The holes you make are huge and a far cry from professional looking biscuit or mortise and tenon, but of course that’s the price of speed. You can get the fillers but be prepared to pay = again.

You pay again and again with Kreg, its a neat idea but they guy is making a fortune off everything.

It is well made and does work pretty good, with some alignment issues.

Rating

Kreg jig is a quality tool

The tool was what I expected. It is a quality tool and easy to set up and use. I would recommend it for anyone doing cabinet assembly.

Rating

Excellent Value

I bought this to repair a sagging fence (!) that was missing the third (middle) board. After jacking the fence between the posts to level it, I pocket-holed the ends of a 2×4 twice on either end, slipped the board in place and screwed it in with two 2-1/2″ coarse screws. After securing the pickets to the middle board I released the jack and the fence was straight without any sag whatsoever. I know there is a metal bracket available for holding fence boards in place but liked the ‘classy’ look of the pocket holes (filled with the pine plugs). Others have also commented on how nice it looks.

I’ve also used the jig to reinforce the half-lap joints on the cover over my deck. Again, a very strong joint and a classy look. I am so pleased with this jig that I also purchased the Kreg Decksys jig and will be working (and reviewing) it very soon.

All in all, like any quality tool, it’s not cheap, does a very good job and is Made In America. Anyone who complains about the unit being too pricey should probably consider glue and nails as an option.

Rating

Best Tool Ever

Greatest invention for the DIY Man at the house, built a great kitchen center Island. He really liked the way it was crafted and the easy use.

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Wow!! A good investment!!

When I received this item I was somewhat surprised with it’s quality and the simple operation of this item. I had purchased the Kreg R3 Jr jig and also additonal screw and drill bits plus the clamp and was so impressed, I decided to spend the money and purchase the Kreg Jig K4. Believe me, this was a wise decision. Upon opening the packaging, I couldn’t wait to try it out and just had to practice on some scrap lumber.I also found that the DVD included with this kit was very imformative and helpful. Very, very pleased. As stated, I also own the R3 jig and I am very impressed with both of these items from Kreg.The R3 will be kept in my tool box for portable use. I invited two of my neighbors over to view the K4 and they were so impressed that they are placing an order for one. Very, very pleased as usual with Kreg quality and the simplicity of operation. Highly reccommend!!!!!

Rating

Does what ads claim, but there are some issues

I had seen ads for this device on TV, but never got around to buying one. Then, my nieces gave me a Home Depot gift cirtificate and I discovered that the Kreg jig combo was for sale there and so now I have one.

The device functions as advertised, but I did do some modifications and additions to make it more workable for me. First, I purchased additional, screws, drill bits, and drivers (including a hand-type square drive tool to make sure that machine-driven screws were torqued adequately), and also purchased an additional stepped drill bit from Grizzly that has a 45 degree shoulder instead of the 90-degree version offered by Kreg. This allows me to use any of the multitude of standard flat-head wood screws I own for projects not requiring the more solid power of the flat-shoulder Kreg screws. Picture frames might be in this category. I also mounted the jig on a 2×6 wood block to make it more stable and built an outrigger block out of scrap lumber so that longer pieces of wood hanging off of the unit while I drilled the holes would not shift or sag. I purchased a Kreg bench clamp and two of the small aluminum plates that it can work with and countersunk them into my mobile work bench. (The clamp is well built and can do more than just stabilize Kreg projects.) Kreg also sells more conventional quick hand clamps, but I discovered versions for sale at Harbor Freight that look to work just as well for half the price.

I have used the device for several projects and I do have to admit that the process is superior (easier to do, quicker to set up) to biscuits, and is certainly stronger. More experienced woodworkers might still prefer dovetails, rabbets and the like, but there is no denying the speed advantage of the pocket-screw approach, especially if one does not care to fool with clamps while the glue dries. And of course many joints are strong enough without the use of glue.

There are two anomalies I noticed with the rig. First, on the TV commercials the small, engraved lettering on the machine is easy to read because the engraved figures are filled in with white paint. With the actual machine I purchased they are still engraved, but there was no white paint and so the lettering is rather hard to read. The ads mislead the potential consumer, since a few other customers have commented about this. Perhaps earlier versions had the white lettering and later on they had to pass on doing that to slim down production costs. No telling. One commentator here used a rather elaborate procedure to make the lettering on his unit white, but I did it the simple way and used a super-fine Sharpie pen to fill in the engravings in black. Not quite as visible as white, but still more visible than what we have with no fill at all.

Second, virtually every illustration I have seen of the basic K4 package shows the attachable dust-collecting accessory along with the other items that come in the package. However, my package had no such accessory (there was not even a spot for it within the container), and when one reads the list of components in the ads for the package the adaptor is not mentioned. The picture is therefore misleading, another misleading item from Kreg. Interestingly, I have not even seen an ad for the adaptor anywhere. It is for sale separately at all? Unless one is doing a lot of assembly line work it is probably not needed. Just take a deep breath and quickly blow out the holes after each drilling segment.

In any case, the Kreg jig is worth the price paid and I certainly recommend the thing. Just go purchase a Sharpie super-fine marker to fix those near-invisible scale markings on the unit and you are cleared to go.

Howard Ferstler

Rating

Pocket Hole

I only used it acouple of times and got my use out of it, planning on using it more in the future.

Rating

Awesome Jig

After debating between the Kreg Jr. and the K4, I finally opted for the K4 and purchased it. Usually when doing my building, I would do either bisquit joints or simple and unstable butt joints. After watching the videos and reading the reviews of the K4, I was excited to give it a try. My wife and I recently moved into a new home and setting the garage up to my liking is my priority right now. I built a two-section workbench, the first section I did out of 2x4s as the frame with butt joints and L brackets, not overly pretty. I didn’t build the second section until after I purchased the K4. I decided to give my first pocket-hole experience to the 2x4s. The jig set up quite easily and the drill bit went through the wood like butter. I then clamped my pieces down and used the 2 1/2 inch screws to fasten them. I have read so many reviews about how tight and secure pocket-hole joints are, and after securing the wood with the screws I tried to pull the pieces apart. I couldn’t budge them….I love that! I wish I would have tried this system a long time ago. I now look forward to doing more.

Everything in the kit is well made and strong. It doesn’t come with the sawdust port as pictured though. Also, for $99.00 it would have been nice if Kreg made a nicer case for it all. Mouldings for the drill bit and bit driver would have been nice. I am going to cut a piece of foam to fit inside the case and cut out narrow grooves for the bits so they don’t bang against each other.

All in all, I absolutely love this thing so far.

Rating

Time Saver & Money

This is the tool that will change the way I build any of my woodworking projects.

No more fillimg in nail holes, just sand and stain or paint. It is so easy to use. I have watched the DVD several times. I saw the ad on t.v. and decided then an there I had to have the Kreg jig.

Lil’Mac

Rating

Kreg Case ruins the Tool

I like the tool’s core functions, but the carrying case actually ticks me off. I would like to save time and not completely disassemble the jig, but I must do so to make it fit. Additionally, I have an older jig that fits perfectly in its case. However, the K4 will not fit in the old case. The new case is just an empty space where everything is just thrown in there. When the drill bits are worth $18, and having a sharp bit is a must for this system to work, this is the absolute worst option that Kreg could have provided. Granted, it’s economical, but makes me think again about the value of their other products, such as the bead jig, in which the middle rails and stiles have to have a precise fixed width, with no ability to adapt other furniture designs. I’m looking for a way to fit this tool into a Festool Systainer. Then, maybe I’d be a bit more satisfied with this tool set, other than they provided a terrible solution to begin with.

Rating

Still going strong

Lets see,Where to start.Biscuits and dowels have there place and I still use them on occasion when nothing else will do for a project or repair.
I have been using my kreg jig for almost 2 years now and am extremely happy with the results ive received from this tool.
Need to make carcasses it will do it,drawers done,face frames no problem and its so easy to understand and use. I use this jig everyday and would be hampered without it.
It wont replace biscuits or dowels in some cases of repairs or projects but what it does it does simply and well.