Birdhunter
Member
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2012
- Messages
- 4,147
I volunteered to replace drawer and cabinet fronts on a bunch of IKEA kitchen units. I didn't like the existing hinges as they are just a friction fit with no screws holding them in place.
I bought a Jig-It tool from Rockler. It is well made with one exception, the part that holds the Fostner 35mm drill bit does not fit onto the template that attaches to the cabinet front. It is an injection molded item that has a series of "bumps" molded into the inner circumference. They interfere with the raised portion of the template. Because of the interference, the drill isn't held perpendicular to the wood. It can easily tilt. I called Rockler and spoke to a technical rep. He said this was a known problem and I needed to sand off a portion of the bumps until the two pieces fit. I really didn't like having to fix what looks like a manufacturing problem.
I called the Rockler store and filled them in on the problem. They said they would take the jig back even if I worked on the bumps. I tried the recommended fix without success.
I took the jig back to the Rockler store. They tested 3-4 new units. All had the same problem. They gave me a refund. They handled the problem exactly as I had hoped they would. They even gave my pup a dog biscuit. Good people.
I ended up ordering the Kreg jig. It was about 1/3 the price of the Rockler jig. It worked perfectly on the test piece. Their Kreg jig can also drill the holes for the two hinge screws. The Rockler jig lacks this feature. Not a big deal, but the lack surprised me. The Rockler jig has a nice built in clamp whereas the Kreg jig requires two separate clamps.
If I had a lot of hinges to install, I'd order the Blum jig. But, the Kreg jig is adequate for the limited number of hinges I need to do.
I bought a Jig-It tool from Rockler. It is well made with one exception, the part that holds the Fostner 35mm drill bit does not fit onto the template that attaches to the cabinet front. It is an injection molded item that has a series of "bumps" molded into the inner circumference. They interfere with the raised portion of the template. Because of the interference, the drill isn't held perpendicular to the wood. It can easily tilt. I called Rockler and spoke to a technical rep. He said this was a known problem and I needed to sand off a portion of the bumps until the two pieces fit. I really didn't like having to fix what looks like a manufacturing problem.
I called the Rockler store and filled them in on the problem. They said they would take the jig back even if I worked on the bumps. I tried the recommended fix without success.
I took the jig back to the Rockler store. They tested 3-4 new units. All had the same problem. They gave me a refund. They handled the problem exactly as I had hoped they would. They even gave my pup a dog biscuit. Good people.
I ended up ordering the Kreg jig. It was about 1/3 the price of the Rockler jig. It worked perfectly on the test piece. Their Kreg jig can also drill the holes for the two hinge screws. The Rockler jig lacks this feature. Not a big deal, but the lack surprised me. The Rockler jig has a nice built in clamp whereas the Kreg jig requires two separate clamps.
If I had a lot of hinges to install, I'd order the Blum jig. But, the Kreg jig is adequate for the limited number of hinges I need to do.
