If you’ve never done pocket-hole joinery, you are missing out! It’s simple and quick,and it doesn’t need lots of math and measurements. You don’t even have to take a joint apart to repair it. Pocket-hole joinery is useful on everything from frames to furniture to stairs. Let’s take a look at these two pocket-hole jig systems from Kreg and see which one will be the best for you.
Kreg Jig K4 Pocket Hole System
The K4 may be just what you need when you start out with pocket-hole joinery.It’s super easy to use. Set the jig for the thickness of the wood you’ll be drilling, clamp the wood in place with the lever, and drill the hole by placing your bit right through the drill guide hole.
Don’t worry that you’ll damage the guide holes; they’re made out of hardened steel and have a lifetime warranty. They have an outlet at the bottom so that wood chips fall out of the way instead of down into the hole you just drilled.
The K4 works for materials that are between ½” to 1-1/2” thick, and it can be adjusted in precise 1/8” increments. It’s a light and portable jig, so you can clamp it to your worktable, if you like. (No clamp is included, but a C-clamp will do.)It comes with a starter selection of self-tapping screws that fasten right into the holes you just drilled. You can hide the holes with the wooden plugs that also come with the K4, so your finished masterpiece looks picture-perfect and no one can see how you joined it together.
More features of the Kreg Jig K4
- Comes with a stepped drill bit, 6-inch square driver, dust collection shroud, starter self-tapping screw set, starter plug set, and a carrying case
- Lifetime warranty on the steel drill guide holes
- The body of the jig is sturdy glass-reinforced nylon
Kreg Jig K5 Master System with Pocket Hole Screw Kit (5-Sizes)
The K5 Jig has a much larger capacity than the K4 and it comes with a larger range of accessories. It’s the newest offering from the Kreg company.
Many of the new features on the K5 are made for speed and ease of use. The clamp ratchets into place to hold the wood you’re drilling securely. The extension wings pop into place on the sides to support wider work-pieces. Each wing has a storage space inside that’s perfect for bits and screws. A removable work-piece stop makes it easy to place the next piece of wood in exactly the right spot that you used to drill the one before it. The drill guide quick-releases without anything more than a pull on a knob. There’s even a swiveling vacuum hose port for dust collection and a screw size selector cheat sheet. If you’re serious about building with pocket-hole joinery, the K5 can keep up with you. It’s also very versatile–if you happen to have some other Kreg products like the Micropocket guide and Jig HD, they swap into the place of the drill guide of the K5.
Like the K4 Jig, the K5 accepts materials from ½” up to 1-1/2” thick, so even with all the extra frills, they have about the same ability. But the K5 Master System comes with a lot of accessories that you won’t see with the basic K4 setup. Besides the very handy 3-inch face clamp and other parts we’ve already mentioned, Kreg throws in a self-tapping screw kit with assorted sizes. All you need is wood and a drill to get started building your next project!
More features of the Kreg Jig K5
- Like the K4, the K5 Master system has a lifetime warranty on the hardened steel drill guide holes
- The body is made of glass-reinforced nylon
- Comes with Automaxx® Face Clamp, extension wings, drill guide block, spacer block, work-piece stop, drill bit setup block, stepped drill bit, 6” driver bit, stop collar, Allen wrench, Hex wrench, starter screw set, starter pocket-hole plug pack
Recommendation
If you’re just starting to explore woodworking, or trying out pocket-hole joinery, the K4 will be a delightful addition to your tool collection. It should last for years of projects.
If you’re serious about woodworking, the K5 Master System is made for you. It is designed for quick, efficient work on a larger scale.
Click here to purchase Kreg Jig K4 on Amazon!
Click here to purchase Kreg Jig K5 on Amazon!