axminster pocket hole jig

[j]

Anybody used one of these?
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=21225&rt=0&rid=1191234&src=2005wk48&

Seems a log cheaper than the Kreg which seems to be the standard round here, but is it any good?

I've never used pocket holes, but they look very easy and convenient.

opinions please.

With the reduced price, it's cheaper than the kreg, but the kreg is just a simple drill guide, does this do anything more?

 

[gidon]

It looks like the Trend one. It doesn't have a depth adjustment so you're limited to the size of wood you can join.
But at that price I ordered one last night as soon as I got the e-mail!
Cheers
Gidon

 

[j]

Which would you recomend?
This one for £21, or the Kreg one for £28

What range of wood thickness can I use with this?

With the Kreg one, do you just move the jig further from the edge to handle thicker wood?

 

[gidon]

The Axminster one should be easier to use on smaller components. Where the small Kreg scores is for joining larger pieces.
I think 3/4" stock is what the Axminster jig is designed for.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Scrit]

With the reduced price, it's cheaper than the kreg, but the kreg is just a simple drill guide, does this do anything more?

The reason the Kreg costs more is partly because it's a lot better - better quality drill bits, harder guide bushes, etc. From experience I wouldn't recommend the Trend at all - a cheap rip-off of the original Kreg and not a patch on it in terms of quality (although initially they do look pretty good). I am also suspicious of the Axminster, despite the fancy box.

If you are making face frame cabinets then pocket holes are a really quick and dirty way of doing this. Similarly in the absence of a biscuit jointer I know of no quicker way to put a kitchen/bedroom carcase together, however I wouldn't call any of the resulting product fine woodworking! The pockets get hidden because they are always on the outside of the carcase top or bottom (so hidden by the worktop/plinth) - on face frames they are at the back. They work well in MFC (chipboard) and softer hardwoods (such as poplar), but they pull-out/strip-out too easily on MDF and I've not had much joy with them in denser hardwoods such as oak. You will also find that they need special pocket hole fastenings (screws) which are not generally available - standard CSK head screws will just pull-out too easily. If you do buy one make sure that you run it on a fully charged cordless drill or better still a corded drill or air drill and keep clearing the hole as you drill it as pocket hole drills tend to clog up at low speeds and can "grab" if the drill flutes become clogged (and with a Trend that will break the tip of the drill at around £9.50 replacement) :x

Scrit

 

[PowerTool]

Hi - I bought the Trend jig recently when Machine Mart were having a VAT-free day.
Certainly useful,best suited to 18mm stock.
Started making a toybox for my grand-daughter to try it out - was actually very impressed with the strength of the joints (this frame is 34x34 softwood)

It's quick and easy,but no good for 12mm MDF.. 8)

Andrew

 

[paulm]

I have used the Trend version for some tine now, in hardwood and mdf and found it very good. None of the problems that Scrit mentions, at all !

I find it as quick and easy as biscuits but with the advantage that you don't need to clamp up afterwards.

Don't have any concerns over the strength of the joints in mdf or anything else, and the special screws are readily available from Axminster or Rutlands for example.

Think the current price at Axminster is a bargain and if I didn't have one already would definately go for it !

 

[RogerS]

Damn..Axminster say that they are now obsolete and no longer in stock. :evil:

 

[gidon]

Roger - yep think you had to get in quick on that one! Mine arrived a couple of days ago but haven't had a play with it yet. Seems a nice bit of kit for that price! Didn't come with a face clamp - so not sure how easy it is to get things lined up without one of them. Anyone reading this know where you can get them from cheap - Axminster don't sell them seperately as far as I can tell using their hopeless search system.
May give some more feedback when I get it up and running but may be a little redundant now since they no longer stock it!
Cheers
Gidon

 

[RogerS]

Axminster .......using their hopeless search system.

Gidon

Yes...it is, isn't it! Absolutely naff. It's not rocket science either.

 

[Scrit]

Didn't come with a face clamp - so not sure how easy it is to get things lined up without one of them. Anyone reading this know where you can get them from cheap ...

Don't know if they're cheap, but Kreg list all the components of their separately

Scrit

 

[gidon]

Roger - a decent search engine on Axminster's site may not be rocket science but its had them stumped since they first has a website!

Scrit - thanks. Just found the Kreg clamps - around a tenner from Brimarc. And the Trend one is around £8. I thought they were just welding clamps but it appears not - welding clamps are a lot cheaper and don't seem to have the flat faces.

I'll probably see how I get on without. It appears this is almost an exact clone of the Trend without the face clamp. Not sure how they were charging more for it than the Trend beforehand :?.

Cheers

Gidon

 

[Neil]

Gidon,

I have the Trend version, and I must admit I hardly ever use the clamp which came with it - I think you'll get on fine without it! I usually end up clamping the work to my bench with speed clamps, which ensures that the whole assembly stays flat.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[gidon]

Neil - I think that's the third item in a row I've bought that you have! I'm not trying to clone your tool collection honest!
Thanks for that - will save me a tenner at least!
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Neil]

I'm not trying to clone your tool collection honest!

Did I mention how good the Festool plunge saw is...? :lol:

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Jake]

Axminster .......using their hopeless search system.

Gidon

Yes...it is, isn't it! Absolutely naff. It's not rocket science either.

I'm repeating myself, but their search engine works fine as long as you remember that it doesn't default to 'phrase' or indeed 'and', but searches for the individual words on an 'or' basis. Put in "pocket hole jig" (with the quotes) to force it to search for the phrase and it will get you exactly what you need. Pocket hole jig without quotes will give you anything with one of those words in it.

It is very quirky though, usually search engines like that allow boolean searching, but it doesn't seem to recognise AND or NOT. It also defaults to the equivalent of a * wildcard, so hole returns holesaw, where normally you would have to enter hole* to get that.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Jake

It is very quirky though

Yes, I would have to agree. After reading your post I typed in supersaw and, for the the first time ever, their search returned a hit.

They must have done something to it recently.

Cheers
Neil

 

[AndyBoyd]

I ummed and aarghed about these for a while, I always wanted to try one, but was a bit put off by the cost, especially as I only do these things occasionally. I have a lamello biscuit jointer but this seems quieter and just as easy - and that still has lots of other uses in the workshop

So when the low price came I pounced, I orders the 2 sizes of screws too which should keep me happy for years to come. (500 in each box)

Just tried it and it seems fine, no need for the extra clamp it seems.

Now I saw these being demoed at the Rotterdam Wood show (trade but open to us Joe Public) and there they were showing those pocket hole dowel inserts in 14 wood sorts! Not sure I'll go down that route but they did cover the holes so well they were nearly invisible. Anyone use them ?

 

[j]

Hi Jake

It is very quirky though

Yes, I would have to agree. After reading your post I typed in supersaw and, for the the first time ever, their search returned a hit.

They must have done something to it recently.

Cheers
Neil

Tried searching for DVD, got loads of paperback books

 

[gidon]

Neil - don't - have you been checking my search history recently!
Jake - I know about the full phrase search - but this hardly ever works for me - try for example "festool circular saw". It only works if you know the way the item is described exactly and I rarely do .
Andy - same here! In fact I almost came away with the new Kreg one from the Axminster show but had spent too much already. It should definately have a fair bit of use in the workshop at least. I often want to build stuff quickly for tool storage etc and biscuits are still slow and needs lots of clamps even for simple items.
I don't really like the look of those plugs - but then when I saw it demonstrated they were using contrasting plugs for interest - I thought it looked a bit naff.
Cheers
Gidon