You can set up your Kreg pocket hole jig K4! The whole purpose of this page is to give you confidence, so that you can get to building as quickly as possible.
BECAUSE we have a bunch of Kreg Jig plans waiting for you to put that Kreg jig to use!
**These instructions were written for the complete novice,
I was one of those novices not too long ago!
The first step in using your Kreg pocket hole jig is to measure the thickness of the material you will be drilling into. You will use that measurement for the next two steps. For our example we will use a measurement of 3/4 inch.
The drill bit that came with your Kreg pocket hole jig has two pieces:
the drill bit and the stop "collar" which slips onto the smooth part of
the drill bit.
Your pocket jig also came with an allen wrench that fits into the hole
on the side of the collar. Use your allen wrench to loosen the collar
by turning it to the left. As soon as you can move the collar up and
down the drill bit, stop turning.
Look at your drill bit. The very tip of your bit will drill a short,
narrow hole. The wider, longer section in the middle of the bit will
drill a bigger hole. That bigger hole is the "pocket" that will hide
the pocket holes screw.
Your pocket jig has scale markings from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inch molded
right into the base to make setting up the drill bit very easy.
Lay your drill bit in the slot of your pocket jig as shown in the photo.
Line the very first part of of the wider section of your drill bit
with the 3/4 inch marking.
While holding your bit in place, slide the collar toward the tip of the
drill bit until it is stopped by the front end of the pocket jig. Make
sure the hole in the collar is visible.
Still holding the bit in place, use your allen wrench to tighten the collar in place by turning the allen wrench to the right.
Once your collar is tight, double-check that your drill bit is still lined up at the 3/4 inch mark.
Your drill bit is now ready to drill the right depth required by your free wood working plan!
Insert the drill bit into your drill and tighten it securely.
We will use the same 3/4 inch measurement from Step One. Loosen the
brass nut near the top of your Kreg pocket hole jig, so that you can
move the drill guide up and down.
Find the 3/4 inch mark on the side of the drill guide, and then tighten the brass nut to hold the drill guide in that position.
Your drill guide is now ready to drill your pocket holes at the correct angle.
The instructions with your free wood working plan will show you where to
mark for the postion of the pocket holes on each piece of wood. Put
your piece in the pocket jig with the edge that has the pocket hole
marks, down and facing you.
Clamp your workpiece tightly into your pocket jig.
With the adjusted drill bit securely fastened in your drill, put the
drill bit into one of the guide holes. Start the drill. When it
reaches full speed, slowly lower it into the wood.
To keep wood chips and sawdust from accumulating in the guide hole,
bring the drill bit partway up several times as you are drilling each
hole.
Unclamp and move your workpiece so that you can drill the rest of the pocket holes needed on that piece.
Once the holes in that piece are completed, clean out the wood chips and
sawdust from each hole. A hair dryer will blow them out, or a shop-vac
could vacuum them out.
Now you are ready to make your first pocket hole joint!
The other chapters in the WHY KREG JIG? section include:
“All About Kreg Pocket Hole Screws”
“All About Kreg Pocket Hole Plugs”
“The Different Kind of Pocket Hole Joints”
We have created many Shaker style plans to be built with the Kreg Jig. Click on this link, or on the photo to see some of those plans. You will find various kinds of tables, step stools, cabinets and much more!
We have built a bunch of the FREE plans from Kreg Tool Company. Click on this link, or on the photo, to see those Kreg pocket hole jig projects.