a homeowner's BEST FRIEND

i just got into woodworking about two years ago after buying an overpriced fixer-upper in the bay area. shortly afterwards, i found myself beset with the need to build multiple storage units including garage shelves, a bathroom vanity, kitchen cabinets and bedroom wardrobes. the kreg pocket hole jig is without a doubt one of the FASTEST ways to join two pieces of wood together.^M
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keep in mind that the pocket holes are PAINFULLY visible and that they should be kept in unseen areas like the top or bottom of a cabinet or the hidden sides of adjoining cabinets. otherwise, you'll need to invest in the pocket hole plugs and cut them off with a flush cut saw. pocket holes truly SHINE in face frame construction but i would strongly recommend purchasing the larger face assembly clamp (FAC) since the one included with the kit does not hold the joint perfectly flush and tight enough to compensate for the screw driving. BTW if you want a really flush joint, try clamping the two pieces of wood to a flat surface like a tabletop before you fasten them. pocket screws also work pretty well in fastening the face frame to the carcase and here i would recommend the right angle clamp (RAC) unless you enjoy hauling around a bunch of clamps. if you happen to have two drills you can use one of them to drill the pocket holes and the other one to fasten the joint thus saving yourself a couple of steps - you will get best results if you use a CORDED power drill to do the drilling especially in hardwoods and a CORDLESS to do the fastening.^M
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make sure that if you're using the 1 1/4 screws (which are by far the most USEFUL size that you'll need) that your material is at least 3/4" or you will sometimes find that the screw will punch through to the adjoining piece especially if you are not using the WASHER head screws. buy both the coarse and fine screws in bulk - 500-1000 should keep you going for a while. the coarse screws are good for pine, plywood and melamine while the fine screws are an ABSOLUTE necessity for preventing splitting in the harder woods like maple. another tip on drilling, don't forget to CHANGE your stop collar settings to suit the material thickness or you will easily drill through the bottom of the jig like i did once! you don't need to build another jig with the extension wings, just lay the board flat and turn the jig on its side and clamp.^M
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it's not absolutely necessary to buy the entire kit unless you want to get the rocket, the mini and the nice storage case along with it. you can do almost anything with the k2000 or its updated version.

A Must-Have for Cabinets

This is an excellent tool. I make probably 1 or 2 kitchen's worth of cabinets per year, and I would HIGHLY recommend this tool.^M
Pocket screw hole systems are a good compromise of strength and assembly speed, and I find myself being able to set several joints with glue, hold it with the pocket screws, and continue working the piece on another joint while the first joint sets. Always produces a strong joint and does so very quickly!!