The Best Pocket Hole Jigs To Create Joints That Last

Best Pocket Hole Jigs Buying Guide

A pocket hole joinery tool is arguably one of the most convenient, handy, and useful tools that you can use when you’re working with wood. While the tool is designed to make it easier for even beginners to use it, there are multiple variations of the product that you can opt for. A lot of aspects of this equipment might differ from brand-to-brand, which might make the process of purchasing it slightly confusing for a lot of buyers. We’ve prepared a guide that covers just about everything that you need to know before purchasing one of the best pocket hole jigs in 2021.

Why Should I Use a Pocket Hole Jig Over Conventional Techniques?

This is a question that arises in a lot of people’s minds. A lot of people believe that the conventional techniques to join two pieces of wood are good enough, which is not true. Here are the reasons why you should use a jig over the conventional techniques.

Easy to use

A lot of times, a pocket hole is the best and the most feasible way to create a joint in a certain situation, which means that you cannot get away with making pocket holes.

Making pocket holes using screws and drills is extremely difficult and there is a risk of the piece of wood getting snapped. It requires good craftsmanship to pull it off successfully, which cannot be done by everyone.

On the other hand, a pocket hole joinery tool makes it extremely easy to make as many pocket holes as you want. Using a jig to create a pocket hole does not require good craftsmen skills either and anyone can do it with due precaution and guidance, making it a very easy and convenient solution.

To learn more about using pocket hole joinery, watch this video from Steve Ramsey:

Provides stronger joints

One of the most important things to consider while making a joint is its strength of it. Joints created manually through drills and screws might not be as strong and consistent as you would want them to be. A loose joint can prove to be a major inconvenience and might actually be dangerous as a weak joint is prone to breaking apart. 

On the other hand, a jig is capable of making joints that are strong and reliable. Joints created through this equipment would last longer and are capable of tolerating more pressure.

Provides cleaner joints

Another one of the most important advantages of using a pocket hole joinery tool is that it creates cleaner joints. The amount of tear-out would be much lesser and you will have more consistency as far as the angles are concerned.

Cleaner joints would also minimize the damage that would be done to the aesthetics of the piece of wood, improving the overall visual appearance.

Is It Important To Consider Clamps While Purchasing a Pocket Hole Jig?

Since there are several types of jigs that differ in terms of their size, features, and design, it is important to consider clamps before you can start working with the tool. Some jigs are compatible with regular clamps while others would require special and custom clamps. Either way, you should prefer the product that comes with clamps as they will keep the jig firmly in place and would provide stability.

Lack of clamps may cause the jig to wobble and destabilize, which would result in messier pocket holes and reduced precision, both of which will reduce the quality of the work that you will be able to pull off.

Are Multi-hole Pocket Hole Joinery Tools Better Than the Regular Ones?

One of the most important configurations in a pocket hole joinery tool is the number of holes that it is capable of producing. Different jigs are designed for different tasks and have different capabilities subsequently. 

While some jigs are designed to drill a single hole at a time, other configurations of the same tool are capable of drilling multiple holes at a time.

As far as the decision to choose between the two configurations is concerned, you should go for the one that suits your requirements. Usually, a woodworker by profession or someone that has to drill holes frequently would find the multi-hole variant more suitable, as it would help them save time and resources. On the other hand, for someone that does not have to drill pocket holes very frequently or someone that needs a jig for a DIY project, the regular variant that is capable of drilling one hole at a time would be more suitable, as it would be less expensive, less complicated, and more portable.

Other Things To Consider Before Purchasing a Jig

Here are the most important aspects of the product that you should definitely consider before you purchase a jig:

Convenience/Ease-of-use

One of the core purposes of a pocket hole joinery tool is to make it easier and convenient for you to make pocket holes whenever required. Consequently, a jig should be easy and convenient to operate if you really want to reap the benefits of this equipment. If the operational design is too complicated to understand, the tool would not come in handy for everyone.

Adjustability 

Most jigs are only capable of drilling holes at an angle of 18/15 degrees out-of-the-box. While this fixed angle would be suitable for a lot of tasks, it might not work for some other projects that require pocket holes drilled at different angles.

Ideally, you should go for a jig that allows you to adjust the angle at which you’re going to drill the pocket hole. This will make the tool significantly more useful and functional, allowing you to perform a larger variety of tasks, with more precision and accuracy.

Maintenance

Tools such as pocket hole jigs are often difficult to clean and maintain, given the sophisticated designs and multiple components that comprise these tools. Ideally, the tool that you opt for should be easy to clean and all of the components should be easily reachable for cleaning purposes, in order to avoid dust build-up and accumulation. 

An additional feature that you should prefer is a dust collection port that collects all the wood dust and it can be easily disposed, without making a mess.

Portability

When you’re considering products that would make tasks more convenient, portability is one of the most important aspects that you should consider. The product that you select should be compact and lightweight, making it more portable. A portable product would be easy to carry around and use, whenever you need to.

Durability

Durability is an important aspect to consider while purchasing any product, let alone hardware. While purchasing a jig, you should take a look at the build quality, mechanical parts, resistance against rust, and other aspects of the product, to make sure that you’re opting for one that is going to last long. You should always go for a durable product that will last long, even if you have to pay extra for it.