Bought this for my trim carpentry business. Making built in cabinets is a part of what I do and most of my work is done on the job site. This purchase was a way to get the tedious task of drilling shelf pin holes simplified. Since the last job I did was 405 holes drilled for a bookcase I thought a review was in order. The bookcase and other projects where this item (KREG KMA3200) was used were all made from birch cabinet grade plywood with a solid wood face frame.
Pro's- Small and compact. Easy to keep on a work vehicle for ready use.
- Love the on board storage for the bit and retaining pin. Wish there was a place for the allen wrench like the euro hinge jig has.
- Drills a decently clean hole without much tear out of the veneer. NOTE- my old method was to lay everything out, use a small nail set and
punch a small hole in the plywood to prevent the drill bit from drifting. Then use a 1/4 inch drillbit in reverse to break the veneer of the
plywood without any tear out, then drill normally with another 1/4 inch bit with a stop collar for the actual hole. If I did not do it that way the ply wood would have alot of tear out. The veneer these days is just too thin. Way to much work!
-I have used their pocket screw jigs for years and feel comfortable the steel inserts will hold up with time.
- It stayed true using only the guide pin to continually move the jig further up the 7 foot tall panels of a tall book case.(Also see negatives)
Negatives- I hate the 1 inch set back side of this. It does not allow for my usual 3/4 inch shelf edge with beaded edges to fit behind the
face frame. It only allows for a maximum of about 1/2" after the shelf pin itself is installed. It also is so close to the edge of the
plywood that fasteners used to fasten the backing can protrude into the hole. This did happen so now I align the fasteners
in a way that they do not match where the holes are, but it is a pain in the az.
- The jig also has a very slight offset when you flip it to drill between the front and back of the piece you are working on.
It is hard to see with a tape measure but I do have a very slight wobble in shelves with the front right always dipping down.
Sometimes it can be from the plywood not being flat, but it is consistent enough in that direction to say that the jig has
a slight offset from one side to the other.
Overall I will be using this for now, it is better then my old method. I do need to work on a fix for the !" set back though.
Also, drilling a little slower and paying attention to staying perpendicular to the work piece helps with tear out issues.
-I have also noted a slight but notable offset of the holes. The jig does a good job of
| Manufacturer | Kreg Tool Inc |
|---|---|
| Part Number | KMA3200 |
| Item Weight | 10.9 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 4.25 x 2 x 8 inches |
| Item model number | KMA3200 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | 8 in. |
| Color | Blue |
| Style | Drilling Jig |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Included Components | KREG KMA3200 Shelf Pin Drilling Jig |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Warranty Description | Steel Drill Guide has a lifetime warranty |
