Dropped $80 on a cheap Blum hinge jig and it messed up my whole day

I bought this no-name hinge boring jig off Amazon thinking I'd save some cash for a simple kitchen job, but the alignment guides were off by nearly a millimeter on the first set of doors. Ended up having to scrap two MDF panels and reorder them, which cost me an extra $60 and a day of waiting. Any of you guys use a specific jig that won't break the bank but actually works for production runs?

3 comments

3 Comments

robinp721mo ago

Man, that's a rough way to start a project (and I've been there, it stinks). The $45 Milescraft jig has been solid for me on medium sized jobs, just be sure to clamp it down tight before you drill.

haydenbutler29d agoTop Commenter

Sand it down? Come on man, that's not a fix for a chipped board in a pocket hole jig. You'll just end up with a loose joint and a gap you can't hide. Ask me how I know - I tried the same shortcut on a cabinet face frame and had to rebuild the whole thing. A $45 jig that walks or shifts while you drill is worse than a cheap one that stays put. Spend the money on a self-centering bit and a solid clamp setup instead, you'll save yourself the sanding time.

gavina731mo ago

@robinp72 honestly, a chipped board isn't the end of the world. Just sand it down