I bought a cheap pocket hole jig set and it cost me a whole day of work

I was doing a quick built-in for a client and grabbed a $40 pocket hole jig kit from a big box store to save time. The guide holes were off by a full millimeter, so every screw I drove either missed the mark or came out the side of the wood. I had to stop, re-cut half the pieces, and lost about 8 hours of shop time. The client was understanding, but I ate the cost of the extra lumber and my own labor. Has anyone found a mid-range jig that's actually reliable without breaking the bank?

3 comments

3 Comments

johnrobinson1mo ago

I read a woodworking blog that swears by the Kreg 320 model.

noahlane28d ago

Got a Kreg 320 myself... still trying to figure out which end of the drill bit goes in the wood. It's a solid jig, I just make solid mistakes with it.

holly_garcia1mo ago

My cousin's old Foreman jig from the 90s still works perfectly, but good luck finding one now.