Review: General Tools EZ Pocket Hole Jig

I picked this pocket hole jig up at Home Depot because I had a couple gift cards burning a hole in my pocket.

“What have I got in my pocket?"

- Bilbo Baggins*

I have haven't done a lot of pocket-hole joinery, but I have done a bit. I had a really good experience using a dedicated Porter Cable Machine about a year ago, when taking a community college woodworking class. It was pretty sweet; I blasted out at least a couple dozen holes in just a few minutes, each was perfect. I've also done them on my Shopsmith, using the horizontal boring mode with the table at a slight angle. That's fine, but a little laborious. Looking at the General Tools kit, for about $40, I figured it would do the trick.

The General Tools 849 EZ Pro Pocket Hole Jig Kit as described on their web-site:

The E-Z Pocket Hole Jig Kit! Before embarking upon your next project, be sure to grab one of Generals E-Z Pocket Hole Jig Kits. The innovative design allows you to create three popular types of pocket hole joints with accuracy and relative ease. Made of heavy duty aluminum, the Jig can be mounted to a bench for stationary use and also includes a clamping system for when portability is desired. A great choice for building cabinets, furniture or other high precision woodworking endeavors. Includes free DIY project plans!

It looks nice though.

The clamshell plastic box is decent enough but the divider is terribly lightweight. I can see it ripping up in short order. You get some screws and dowel plugs which, along with the box, is what makes the kit I purchased the deeeeeeee-lux version. The jig itself seems to be constructed pretty well, nice and straight without sharp mold marks etc. The stepped bit seems good. The long Robertson tip driver bit seemed a little goopy with its chrome coated finish.

Here's the deal. I tried it out. I'm not going to rave about it. It performed for me reasonably as advertised, but I just wasn't pleased with it from a standpoint that I had dropped 40 bucks on it. I also thought it would not be a long lasting tool.

There was too much slop for my taste between the jig and the drill bit. I kept getting aluminum shavings along with my sawdust, not good I would think. It think the hardened chrome steel (?) guide bushing at the opening of the jig should have gone deeper into the jig itself and protected the aluminum body. I never hit it, but even adjusted for depth, I could wiggle the bit enough for the tip to hit a ridge at the base of the jig. If I adjusted the bit too shallow it just didn't leave much room for the supplied screws to bite enough for my preference.
The whole concept seems like it only works for thin stock, perhaps 1" thick max. Anything larger and the screw would be too far to the edge of the work piece and be floppy. This is what I experienced when testing it on a 2x4.
The Robertson tipped driver was nice and long, but after running two screws, the chrome was already flaking off on the tip and on the chucked end. Why chrome it at all?
As mentioned before, the storage box divider is just plain cheap. Basically worthless in my opinion.

It had a sticker on the box that said it was a 2007 Popular Mechanics award winner for best new product. I remember liking Popular Mechanics, and think they are a respectable magazine, but for them to rank it as "best"? I don't know, maybe I had a newer, cost engineered version. It's a great concept, but I just can't get excited about it as an addition to my shop.

If you want to give it a whirl, Amazon has the kit I bought here and a less expensive version here, without the screws and dowel plugs.

I took it back. I almost never take stuff back. I like a quiver of gadgets in my toolbox, even if I barely use them. But, I'd hang on to this for $19.95 tops. I hate being negative, but here I am; it just doesn't do it for me.

Search "Pocket Hole Jig" and you are bombarded by Kreg products. The DIY Blog world seems to have a near love affair with their stuff. It looks pretty good. At some point I'll give that a try. Sure it's expensive, but they have one at 40 bucks, so maybe I'll give that a whirl.