Over at Walmart, they’ve been working on some new tools deals, with this Kreg bundle especially catching my attention. It features the Kreg R3 pocket hole jig (this is the one I own), bundled with a free box of screws.
Pocket hole joinery is a versatile and easy way to join wooden boards and panels together using minimal tools. It’s a fantastic way for DIYers to work on projects without requiring an entire home workshop. Pocket holes are used by some professionals as well.
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Kreg is the most popular brands in the industry, and for good reasons – they have a range of pocket hole jigs aimed at different users’ needs and budgets, and their jigs are easy to use.
There are more options these days, but Kreg’s reliability, durability, and ease of use is worth the premium.
I started with the Kreg R3 jig, and it’s served me well over the years. At the time, I had drooled over the more featured and much pricier Kreg pocket hole jigs, but as it turned out, the R3 was all I needed. (I also do have access to a Porter Cable jig that I hadn’t donated or given away yet.) Even if not, I always considered that my R3 jig would be complementary to a more featured kit.
I mention this because I’ve become a “buy it once” kind of person. Hopefully that adds some context when I say that I would buy my R3 all over again.
With this deal, you get the Kreg R3 jig for its normal price – $39, but they throw in a box of Kreg #8 coarse 2-1/2″ Blue-Kote pocket hole screws (125 count), which typically retails for ~$14.
Deal Price: $39
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This deal looks to be a Walmart Pro Tools Exclusive.
You will also need:
A cordless drill – you can probably make do with a 12V-class model, but a 18V or 20V Max drill might be the better choice.
A clamp. I bought Kreg-like Vise-Grip locking C-clamps, and I have seen bar clamps being used with this jig, but if I had to do it all over again, I might have spent a few dollars more on a Kreg clamp. You could try to use a clamp you already have, and then buy a Kreg clamp later on if you need something that works better.
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Pocket hole screws. I’d recommend an assortment, at least to start with. That will get you familiar with the different thread styles, head styles, and coatings that are available. The screws included in the bundle are rated for indoors/outdoors use in plywood or soft woods. You’ll need completely different screws for working with 3/4″ hardwood material.
See Also(Kreg Pocket Hole Screws)
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For those of you who own the Kreg R3 pocket hole jig, what has your experiences with it been like?
M Cohen
I’ve been thinking about getting a Kreg jig; can someone give me a rundown of the differences between the K3, K4 and K5 models? It looks like the K4 and K5 models come with a larger clamping area, but is that really necessary?
Stuart
I will try to address this in a later post, but in a nutshell, the R3 – sorry I incorrectly wrote K3 in the title – is a portable less-frills jig that you clamp to your work.
With the K4, there’s a larger jig with different spacings, and you clamp the work to the jig, or you can remove the block to clamp to your work.
With the K5, there are added support wing accessories, a more sophisticated clamping system that’s supposed to be easier to use, and an extra accessory or two.
Kreh K5 introductory preview post: https://toolguyd.com/kreg-k5-pocket-hole-jig/
Let’s say you use the R3, K4, and K5 on 3 different pieces of wood. Chances are that if you mix them up, you won’t be able to tell which jig was used to drill which holes. The difference will be in the user experience, mainly the ease and speed of use.
If you’re building a whole room’s worth of cabinets and face frames, you will probably benefit from stepping up to the K5. If you have a lot of pocket hole projects planned but are on a tighter budget, the K4 might sting your wallet less. If you have a tighter budget or you know you want to use pocket hole joinery on a few quick projects now and don’t know what the future holds, the R3 is the most economical.
Last year, and maybe the year prior, there was a Black Friday bundle on the K4 – a basic K4 system with clamp and screw kit for $99. In 2015 there was a bundle on an R3 kit plus clamp for $40, but I don’t believe it returned in 2016 or 2017. In 2016, there were Kreg basic K4 system sets with free clamp or screw pack bundles for $100, with the freebie depending on the retailer.
If you know you want the R3, this is a good deal, giving you screws you could use on a bigger workpiece outdoors project. If you’re leaning towards a K4 system, I’d say wait if you can. If you’re leaning towards the K5, there’s a current deal I’ll post about shortly, or you can wait to see if it’ll be on sale during the holiday season, but I don’t recall seeing it in any holiday promos.
John S
This is a good matrix break down:
https://www.kregtool.com/store/c1/joining-solutions/#tab5005
When I bought my K4, it actually came with a Jig Mini inside so at the time it was almost like buying the R3 as well. I’m not sure if they still do that anymore.
PETE
My K4 came with the mini jig as well.
I see that for being good for being able to put pocket holes on a joint that is already together and you don’t want to take it apart.
But beyond that it’s about it.
PETE
If you want to do anything above once/twice a year project that needs pocket holes you’ll want the R4 model. The R3 which i also have, is a pain…. My “self adjusting clamp” broke under normal light duty use on my second project. To drill pocket holes with the r3 you really need to have a really good clamp or else the whole thing will move.
Since the r4 is so much easier to use you’ll end up using it more and doing more projects.
James C
Love it and I’ve converted a few friends. One tip: you don’t actually need a clamp per se. If you find yourself without a clamp, or in an area where you can’t fit in a clamp, slide off the grey, circular clamp pad. There’s a hole underneath that you can run a screw through (1 1/4″) to hold the jig to your workpiece. A downside is you’ll leave a screw hole but it works in a pinch.
Tom
This is a great jig. I would highly recommend that anyone buying one also springs for the Kreg clamp. Yes, you can use another clamp, but it is a pain. The Kreg clamp clicks into the circle on the jig and you can just slide the whole assembly down your work piece.
fred
Probably since man has worked with wood – there has been a need to fasten pieces together. Once glue was invented – the idea of gluing one piece to another became appealing. What folks learned – was almost regardless of the glue type – gluing end-grain to long grain did not make for the strongest joints. So different sorts of joints were conceived to provide for additional gluing surface. This could be as simple as half-lap joints or more complicated like using dovetails. Each came with their own degree of complexity. Butting joints together still has the appeal of simple cuts and equally simple measuring – so adding something to strengthen the but joint has some appeal. Using nails or screws into the end grain – might be simple – but were really not that strong and might need to be concealed.
Splines – often used on mitered joints were one possibility, dowels are another, then biscuits can work – and loose tenons are always another possibility.
While I really like my Domino XL machine – and its changed how I do lots of casework and furniture joinery – it comes with both high precision and high cost. For a quick face frame – a batch of pocket holes and screws get the job done as fast (probably faster) and at much lower cost. The fact that on face frames the pockets get hidden – helps in the bargain.
In the cabinet shop we had a free-standing machine to cut pocket holes. But we also also brought Kreg jigs out with us for field work. With a little bit of practice, they are capable of good work. Porter Cable also makes a good pocket hole jig – but it might be more of an adjunct or step-up if you find yourself doing a lot of pocket hole work.
BTW – if you watch Scott Phillips on the PBS American Woodshop Show – he uses Kreg (one of his sponsors) jigs and pocket hole joinery extensively. Sometimes Scott uses pocket holes in places where I would use a different joinery technique – but I can’t fault him that it makes his projects simpler for many home woodworkers.
Chris
Looking for all to pipe in. Based on experience what is the simplest but strongest joinery?
Troy Bataille
There are a number of YouTube videos testing this exact question where they test pocket, domino, mortise, and others. If I remember correctly, pocket holes have the best balance of simplicity, strength, and value.
Stuart
There are too many factors to consider.
The benefits of pocket hole joinery is that it’s fairly quick, easy, and inexpensive.
A wood dowel jig costs less, but requires more clamps and better attention to alignment. A router dovetail jig requires more tools. Hand-cut dovetails require more skill and other kinds of tools. Something like the Festool Domino can be better, as it allows for hidden joints, but the tool is a hefty investment. There are also biscuits, but that requires a biscuit joiner, which have gone down in popularity over the years.
Pocket holes are a quick, easy, pretty strong, and inexpensive way to make butt joints.
fred
If you look at the way some rough joints are made using corrugated fasteners or things like Senclamps – they are even quicker to make – but not elegant or pretty
https://www.amazon.com/Senco-Y09BFAN-Senclamp-Fasteners-Bright/dp/B000OAOQ5Q/
Troy Bataille
Stuart – don’t forget the K4 kit usually goes on sale on Black Friday at Home Depot. I’ve seen it at least the last 3-4 years.
Stuart
I didn’t forget, mentioned it here – https://toolguyd.com/deal-kreg-r3-pocket-hole-jig-w-free-screws-bundle/#comment-1185806 . I didn’t want to get into that in the main discussion since past K4 promo bundles were 2.5X the price ($100 vs. ~$40), and because it’ll another 6-7 weeks before we know for sure whether there will be any such promo bundles this year.
Travis
I have been wanting to experiment with pocket holes and this looks like a good way to start out. Thanks for posting this deal.
Robert
I have and use my K5 regularly. One thing to learn is how different woods react to different screw types. Soft woods vs hard woods. Coarse threads vs finer threads. Kreg also has a nice template jig where depending on corner or but joint and thickness of mating materials what size screw is recommended. I’d never be without my pocket hole jig. I typically glue joints as well as pocket hole them. Some say the glue is moot but since it’s inexpensive and the screws hold the joint instantly I always double up, unless I predict dis-assembly in the future to replace some insert panel or something like that.
Framer joe
Kreg K4 master system is our choice at work and in my shop, always on sale for $89-99 at holidays…dust collection works awesome.
A very good kit for pros also. I’d spend the extra money to get this kit.
Get a couple extra Kreg clamps, kreg drill bits and long #2 bits…you’ll want them.
I’d say the best joints are biscuits/domino type…pocket holes ,well they leave holes..so if their not seen then ok…but the cleanest look is hidden joints… except for drawers where the dovetail is king.
John
The R3 is a versatile tool for smaller projects like Stuart mentions. Our master bathroom has two vanities, each with long counter tops with a sink bowl on one end. As a result, there are a couple false drawer fronts to the side of the sinks. My wife complained about the lack of storage in the bathroom, so I used the jig to build a pair of drawer boxes for each vanity. Now we have plenty of useful storage and my wife is a happy camper. My woodworking space is limited, so the smaller jig and pocket screw joinery made a lot of sense for me.
Redcastle
I have a K4 with most of the accessories including some specialist clamps which pur a pin in a pocket hole made by Rockwell which work very well and some packs of timber plugs made to fit in the holes and a plug cutter so I can make my own. I do own the pocket version but would agree with the comments that it is for low volume use. There are an increasing number of competitors nearly all of whom use Torx rather than Thompson head screws. So far as I am aware Kreg use no traction in the professional carpenter market here (biscuit and to a lesser extent the Domino system being preferred) and I use mine primarily as a fast and strong joint maker on fencing and other types of frame at home rather than for face framing or panel building.
Bolt
Remember pocket holes aren’t just for cabinets or the weekend warrior.
https://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/pocket-screws-for-chairmaking-yes/
Philip
The Lowes here has another deal: buy the Kreg saw guide and get a mini Kreg pocket hole jig free