When it comes to pocket-hole jigs, there’s plenty of choice but are they all the same? Having already tested jigs from several manufacturers, Jonathan Salisbury seeks to discover whether the Milescraft PocketJig400 has anything new to offer.

As a joining method, pocket holes are simple, strong – if carefully positioned and glued – quick and easy to cut – with a jig, of course. They can be located to keep them out of sight, but at corners they’re strongest when cut so that the screw points in from the end-grain, especially with thinner sections. If the holes are on view, wooden plugs can be inserted to hide them. Most people would probably consider this an undesirable feature. Unless you can find a piece of well-matched timber, you’d have to be a functional purist to appreciate them! There are two main types of jig; the simpler and cheaper ones clamp onto the wood and the more expensive have a base with a built-in clamp into which the wood is secured. The PocketJig400 is the latter. Which you use depends somewhat on personal choice, but also which is easiest at the time. Batch producing frames is quicker when done with the clamp-type, but the basic model is convenient for one-off jobs, especially when making a repair to an existing piece of furniture.

Just type ‘pocket hole jig’ into a search engine and you’ll find many models, but they all do the same job: cutting a 9.5mm hole at 15° to a certain depth and at a certain distance from the end of the wood, depending on its thickness. The drills are all the same size, the screws are standard, too; mix and match to your heart’s content.

I’ve tested several Milescraft tools and they’re always well made; this jig is no exception...

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Milescraft PocketJig400