Pocket jig opinions

[Tadge]

Hi, recently bought a jig but sent back as accuracy was lacking. So my next question is which one now to go for? I think the Kreg K4 wil be fine but want a metric one. The K5 looks good but ot keen on the plastic outriggers. I'm happy to make my own.
Wont use ahuge deal but want a decent one which will last and be accurate.
Advice and opinions welcome.
Thanks

 

[shed9]

Kreg have new ones out right now, the 520 and 720 Pro. I have a K4 that rarely gets used but can't say the imperial measurement has been an issue. Most sheet stock is nominal measurement anyhow.

 

[Lonsdale73]

What about versions from Trend or UJK?

 

[porker]

I have the Trend version similar to the K4. I also have the Kreg mini jig and since I got that I never use the Trend. Depends what use I suppose but quickly clamping the min jig on works for me.

 

[novocaine]

The minijig has proven to be more than enough for me. I dont use pocket holes to often but when i do it doesnt to much more to my schedule. For 11 quid it was a no brainer really.

 

[Tadge]

Kreg have new ones out right now, the 520 and 720 Pro. I have a K4 that rarely gets used but can't say the imperial measurement has been an issue. Most sheet stock is nominal measurement anyhow.

Tbh. The new omes with trigger handle looked a bit flimsy to me

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

I have the small Kreg jig with the clamp made for it, they do the job but if doing a big job, the reclamping and drilling gets really old really quickly and seems to take forever. I'd love one of the Kreg foreman's, but can't justify the expense or storage space at the moment .

 

[Robbo60]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kreg-18582...ig&qid=1614849090&sprefix=kreg,aps,293&sr=8-4I got the R3, which is like the mini but with 2 holes. which is handy for bigger pieces where you want 2 screws at each location. Works great

 

[shed9]

Tbh. The new omes with trigger handle looked a bit flimsy to me

I tend to agree, Kreg kit fits the bill in being about the right price for the level of quality and target market but at the end of the day they are mostly plastic tools.

The Porter Cable Quikjig always looked like the best of both worlds to me, metal construction where it counts and flexibility in use. That said, you always have to be mindful that these are just pocket holes and in most cases not the best method to connect wood together.

 

[Tadge]

Been looking at youtube last noght and teh new KREG look pants to me, flimsy plastic. Pretty dissapointed. It wil either be the K4 or K5 I think, swaying towards K5 but is the font handle worth it over teh rear handle K4? Cheers

 

[Tadge]

I tend to agree, Kreg kit fits the bill in being about the right price for the level of quality and target market but at the end of the day they are mostly plastic tools.

The Porter Cable Quikjig always looked like the best of both worlds to me, metal construction where it counts and flexibility in use.

think this is discountinued now and I'm in UK

 

[shed9]

think this is discountinued now and I'm in UK

Yeah they stopped production a while back, not sure why as most of the reviews really rated it quite highly. The price was quite high so maybe it just didn't sell in enough unit quantities.

 

[PeteHB]

I bought the UKJ (Axminster one) as a full kit it works perfectly.

 

[mikej460]

I use the Triton 7 piece jig (£66 FFX) and it is solid aluminium and works very well. The only thing I'm concerned about is that the hardened drill guides don't extend all the way through the block so there is potential for drill damage and tolerance issues over time. That said it is a quality piece of kit. I'm not sure if this affects others.

 

[Spectric]

Kreg jigs and Kreg screws, they work and also look at the Kreg HD jig which I find useful.

 

[user22161]

I've had the K5 for a few years and it's far better than the Trend I had previously. It's mounted on mdf with blocks flush with the tops/ends of the plastic side boxes in case board dropped in off horizontal so the block takes the impact, not the box.

 

[moosepig]

I bought the UKJ (Axminster one) as a full kit it works perfectly.

Likewise, except I found the UJK drill bit to be very poor, i had 2 bits lose the thin bit on the end in normal use, they just snapped off. Bought Kreg bits instead, haven't had any trouble with them although they are a little bit shorter overall (but I never use pockets in thick stock so that doesn't matter). The jig itself has had a lot of use and is still going strong.

 

[Tadge]

I use the Triton 7 piece jig (£66 FFX) and it is solid aluminium and works very well. The only thing I'm concerned about is that the hardened drill guides don't extend all the way through the block so there is potential for drill damage and tolerance issues over time. That said it is a quality piece of kit. I'm not sure if this affects others.

Think thats the same as the rutlands one i sent back for same reason. Too much play in the guides

 

[sometimewoodworker]

Been looking at youtube last noght and teh new KREG look pants to me, flimsy plastic. Pretty dissapointed. It wil either be the K4 or K5 I think, swaying towards K5 but is the font handle worth it over teh rear handle K4? Cheers

My K4 has a front handle so I don’t know what you’re taking about, however a front handle is absolutely better.
AFIK the main difference is the auto thickness clamp on the K5

PS I see there are pictures showing a K4 with a rear handle but mine is a front handle version.

 

[mikej460]

Think thats the same as the rutlands one i sent back for same reason. Too much play in the guides

I'm not sure it is, the Triton hardened guides are tight enough, it's that they don't extend through the whole block that concerns me.