Jonathan Salisbury looks at this complete pocket-hole jig kit from Milescraft, supplied in its own sturdy storage box, which isn’t only easy to use, but doesn’t miss a detail.
The Woodworker & Good Woodworking
I know what you’re thinking. “Not another pocket-hole jig! How many can there be?” Bear with me, please. Of all the pocket-hole jigs I’ve used, I prefer the bigger versions with a built-in clamp. The main reason being that they always stay in place; they’re also quicker to use when cutting lots of identical joints. However, they’re not suitable for drilling in pre-assembled corners, and are also more expensive. The simpler version, of which the PocketJig200 is a good example, is more versatile; my advice is that if you only want to buy one, then this is the design to go for.
Details
The major disadvantage of this type of clamp-on jig is movement as the drill is pushed in. Although the bodies of the jigs are often made from a glass-reinforced polymer, they don’t always appear to be strong enough for the required clamping force. Even when clamped firmly, they can still move if the drill isn’t sharp enough, or if dust starts to build up in the hole. On some models, there’s very little to keep the hook that sets the jig at the right distance from the end in place.
There are important features of the PocketJig200 that remove these problems. Firstly, the spring-loaded sled – which slides to set the hole position – has a pin to lock it in place, so it can’t move during drilling or when the jig is being repositioned. Secondly, the area of the body where the clamp is placed seems more solid and robust, which gives me the confidence to apply sufficient force without causing any damage. The clamp pad has a magnet to keep the clamp head in place, and the surround grips the disc, too. This means that clamp and jig stay together, giving one-handed operation during positioning.
There’s more
As with other jigs, the underside has a gauge for setting the stop depth collar; there are four marked settings for the most common thicknesses, which are 12mm, 19mm, 25mm – although it’s marked 27 – and 38mm; on the other side, you have 1/2", 3/4", 1" and 1 1/2". On some jigs, setting them up to be used inside a pre-clamped joint or for in-situ repairs involves some dismantling and reassembling; the PJ200 has a flip-over stop instead. The jig comes in a box that contains (almost) all you need, albeit in fairly small quantities: a connector to make quick changes between drill and driver bit, different length screws, and plugs to cover the angled hole. The locations of all items is clearly marked so you can return the components to their designated places, as well as being able to see what’s missing more easily. There’s space for a clamp, but this isn’t provided. I have a Trend face clamp which fits the jig perfectly, although it doesn’t open much further than 22mm thick. An F clamp was used successfully to cut another hole in the assembled test joint.
In use
The jig is quick and easy to set up. I felt that it was solid enough to really ramp up the clamping pressure to ensure that it stayed in place; there were no issues with movement nor any cracking sounds as I tightened the clamp. The dust and shavings clear from underneath and don’t build up inside the sleeves, but the holes were a little rough on the surface. The adaptor made swapping the drill for the driver bit faster, although I still had to remember to switch to the driver setting on the drill.
Conclusion
Pocket-holes need a confident approach, and it’s no good if the jig moves because you’re worried that clamping it any further would break it. The PocketJig200 feels reassuringly solid and up to the job, so I didn’t hesitate to give the adjustment screw an extra turn; the fact that the clamp stayed attached to the jig for easier repositioning was a bonus. There’s a tiny amount of slack in the sled, but the locking pin means that it’s not going to move from where it’s set; only having four preset positions does mean there’s no option of tweaking it a little for different thicknesses, of course, but it isn’t often that this is really necessary. The 27mm conversion of 1in is a bit of an oversight, but I could live with that.
Pocket-holes are a really easy way of creating a sturdy joint. Even when plugged, they’re never going to be pretty; they’re also not the strongest method. But for simplicity, they’re hard to beat. These flat, clamp-on versions of pocket-hole jigs are pretty much a standard design; they all work in the same way, and all produce the same 9.5mm holes at the same angle; drills, screws, and plugs are all of an identical size, with small variations of driver type. The difference is in the detail, and having used a few, I think that the Milescraft model from Wood Workers Workshop is one of the best available.
Specification
- Presets for 12, 19, 27 and 38mm thick boards
- Hardened steel drill bushings for precision and accuracy
- Flip fence allows the jig to be used for repairs on existing items
- Built-in clamping pad with magnet to secure jig to workpiece
- Quick-connect adaptor to change from drilling to driving, so projects can be completed faster
- 3⁄8in (9.5mm) split-design depth stop prevents slipping of the set screw when tightened
- 3⁄8in (9.5mm) HSS pocket bit with 1⁄4in hex shank is designed to reduce clogging and provide smooth and precise pocket-holes
- Set also includes 75mm and 150mm Magnetic T20 Torx drivers; 3mm Allen key; 10 × pocket plugs; 9.5mm split-design depth stop; 60 × T20 pocket-hole screws – 10 of each in 25, 32, 38, 50 and 63mm coarse and 32mm fine thread
The Verdict
- Pros: Complete kit in one box; secure locking of sled; standard sizes of drill and screws; very easy to use
- Cons: No clamp; sled can only be positioned on the four presets; requires supporting on thinner sections if only one hole needs to be drilled; supplied pocket plugs aren’t a great fit
- Performance Rating: 5 out of 5
- Value Rating: 4.5 out of 5