Hot take: I think pocket hole jigs are a huge time sink for real casework

I bought a fancy one about a year ago, the kind that costs over $200, thinking it would speed up my cabinet box builds. For a simple face frame, sure, it's okay. But for full overlay plywood boxes? I wasted a whole Saturday and a $120 sheet of pre-finished maple ply trying to get the alignment perfect on a 24-inch deep base cabinet. The jig just couldn't handle the thickness consistently, and I ended up with a racked box that was off by almost a quarter inch. I had to scrap the piece and start over with dados and screws, which took me half the time the second go around. That was a $120 lesson in using the right joint for the job. Does anyone else find these jigs are only good for very specific, light-duty stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

beth_singh10d ago

Remember when everyone said glue and screws were fine for shop furniture? I built a whole workbench that way and it wobbled like crazy after a month.

mason_lopez10d ago

Ever try those metal brackets from the hardware store? My dad swore by them for stiffening up old shelves.

tessa_murray10d ago

Honestly can't believe you built a whole bench with just glue and screws.