191
people found this helpful, as of 2023
ranked #173,786 most helpful
out of 571,544,897 reviews
★★☆☆☆
One flaw in production makes this potentially great jig virtually useless.
I have used several Kreg jigs for pocket hole joinery and shelf pin layout. They have served their purpose well. In general, the Concealed Hinge Jig is a fairly well designed jig with lots of room for improvement. Following are some suggestions and one major complaint.
This jig has limited flexibility. The spacer dials (the grey dials) are limited to full millimeter detentes at 3, 4, 5, and 6 millimeters. As another reviewer noted, sometimes precision calls for a half millimeter. I believe Kreg could have solved this problem by making this part more like an infinitely adjustable cam with clear markings on top so that the user could dial in a more precise setting. I also believe that they could have offered a slightly wider range, perhaps starting at 2mm and going up to as much as 9mm. Sometimes, as I do, you need that extra bit of precision or space.
Another limitation is the height of the tripod that holds the forstner bit. This part can be removed and if changed slightly might offer additional flexibility to the tool. As it is now the foot of the tripod with the bit inserted cannot rest on a flat surface because the "nose" of the bit protrudes farther than the foot. If Kreg changed the design only slightly, the tripod could easily be used apart from the remainder of the jig, allowing the tripod to act as a bit holder and used elsewhere and with a wide assortment of bits. This is not a big deal but rather a missed opportunity.
The bigger issue is the forstner bit itself. Out of the box the forstner bit I received is dull to the point of being nearly useless. It started smoking wood on my first use. One of the reasons I chose this product as opposed to other jigs was the fact that the forstner bit was included and fit to the jig. I have used the bit twice now on oak scrap and am hesitant to use it on the oak doors I have built for my cabinets. As I see a similar complaint in another review, I guess that I am not the only cabinet maker that has received a dull bit. My hope is that Kreg not only upgrades quality controls but offers to send a sharp bit to me once they have done so.
