Kreg cabinet door hinge jig thoughts?

[Ron Citerone]

Hey Folks,

I see a Kreg jig for euro type hinges on line. About $29.00. I am building 2 cabinets out of maple for my cottage with a total of 3 doors so I don't want to spend a lot if I don't need to. If this is good enough I will go with it. Your thoughts appreciated.

https://www.kregtool.com/store/c60/hardware-jigs/p408/concealed-hinge-jig/

[Tom M King]

For three doors, I'd just use a fence (even temporary) on the drill press. That's all I've ever done anyway, but I only built one house full of cabinets a year for a few decades.

[johnny means]

If you're never doing this again, it's not worth buying. You can mark out your hinges with a tape measure. Any specs will be readily available online.

[andy bessette]

Completely unnecessary.

[Doug Garson]

Seems to me you could make your own jig in about 10 minutes using scrap plywood or MDF.

[Von Bickley]

You are only building 3 doors now, but what about the doors you may build in the future. I don't have the Kreg jig but I do have another small jig that works similar. For $29, I would buy it and add it to my tool collection. Never miss a chance to buy more tools.

[Jared Sankovich]

Before I got a hinge drilling/insertion machine, i just used a drill press.

[Lisa Starr]

Drill press with even a temporary fence and 2 stops will be more than sufficient. I do lots of doors and have only gotten a real fence in the last couple of months. This is a time that working in mm will make the setup MUCH easier. There are a couple of pages of Blum instructions that will given you everything you need to know.

[Jamie Buxton]

For me, the trouble with using a drill press is that I'm trying to hold a big door in exactly the right position on that not-very-big table. That takes two hands. I operate the press with my third hand? Instead, I use a shop-built router jig. Put the door on the bench, clamp the jig to it, and bore the hole. Much more manageable.

I haven't used the Kreg jig, but it looks like a reasonable device. For your $30, you not only get the jig, but you also get the bit. The jig positions the hole precisely, and the depth stop ensures you don't go too deep.

[Jon Nuckles]

+1 on the drill press with a fence. I use stop blocks on the fence, but drilling at a marked spot by eye would be more than good enough with Blum hinges; they have a lot of adjustment to make up for any small inaccuracy in height. You do want the distance from the edge and the depth to be pretty spot on, but that is what drill presses excel at.


For me, the trouble with using a drill press is that I'm trying to hold a big door in exactly the right position on that not-very-big table. That takes two hands.

Jamie, that is why you build a woodworking table to put on your drill press!

[Cary Falk]

I have the jig and like it very much. Like mentioned it does come with a carbide tipped bit. That is worth something. I have used a drill press but for big doors it doesn't work well. I would buy the jig again.

[Lisa Starr]

Jamie, I have a fairly large table attached to my DP. Also have it adjacent to my SCMS which can help hold the really long doors.

[Tom M King]

If you already have a set of Forstner bits, I think the 1-3/8" is the same as 35mm. I know one of them is, but should be pretty easy to check.

[joseph f merz]

thinking you maybe better off to make the jig .allows a better understanding of the process [or it did for me] .i have bought at least one jig but have made several ,improving the process as i went along . the one i use now ,and yes it is on the drill press works great. do not believe i use clamps to hold the door .jig is held in place with magnets ,https://www.amazon.com/Magswitch-MagJig-Set-30mm-Forstner/dp/B01B58YX2Q/ref=sr_1_4?hvadid=7005585916&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&keywords=mag+jig&qid=1574110567&sr=8-4 . useful tools that i use on many jigs .i had one hinge tool that was made up to go to jobsights , onsight work . i agree though with others the drill press is faster safer and more accurate then alot of these little jigs .there is a reason your getting this advice .

[Ron Citerone]

Thanks everyone. I will make up my mind soon as I will be purchasing some maple tomorrow and get started in a week or two. I am leaning toward rhe jig since I need a bit either way.

[Bruce Wrenn]

If you already have a set of Forstner bits, I think the 1-3/8" is the same as 35mm. I know one of them is, but should be pretty easy to check.The trouble I found trying to use a 1 3/8" Forstener bit on 5/8" and 3/4" slab doors is center point can leave a dimple on face side doors Using proper inset from tables (Blum,) bore 35MM hole. Then using hinge and a square to get hinge square, then use vix bit to bore screw holes

[Doug Garson]

I think if you use a jig to locate the hole or clamp the door on a drill press table you could file back or completely remove the center point. It's only needed if you are using a center punch hole to locate the bit.

[John Gregory]

I own the jig and love it. I just did 38 doors with it, very repeatable results. One door was 72" x 21", NOT easy on a drill press. Repeat-ability is what we woodworkers strive for, correct? I have done dozens of doors without the jig. I would not do that again!

[Doug Garson]

I own the jig and love it. I just did 38 doors with it, very repeatable results. One door was 72" x 21", NOT easy on a drill press. Repeat-ability is what we woodworkers strive for, correct? I have done dozens of doors without the jig. I would not do that again!
Just curious, does the bit that comes with the jig have a center point like a typical Forstener bit?

[Gary Ragatz]

Just curious, does the bit that comes with the jig have a center point like a typical Forstener bit?

In the video at the site the OP posted a link to, at about the 0:40 mark, they show the bottom of the bit - seems to have no center point.

[John Gregory]

Just curious, does the bit that comes with the jig have a center point like a typical Forstener bit?

Yes it does.

[Doug Garson]

Yes it does.
If you look at the video attached to the OP's first post at about 40 sec as Gary pointed out it is clear the bit has no center point which makes sense since if the bit is guided by the jig there is no need for the center point and as someone else pointed out on thin doors the point can be a problem.
https://youtu.be/YbgkLFRAUxk?t=42

[johnny means]

I routinely drill for euro hinges with nothing but a pencil, combination square, tape measure, and the appropriate forstner bit chucked into a cordless drill. Don't overthink it.
Also, if the point on a forstner is a problem, you've already gone too deep.

[Dan Baginski]

I’ve yet to buy a kreg jig I didn’t like, or end up using on multiple projects. They’re cheap enough and very accurate in my experience. It’s a no brainer for me.

[Doug Garson]

if the point on a forstner is a problem, you've already gone too deep.

While this may be true with standard thickness doors, if, for example you were making doors from thinner stock perhaps to save weight if the door were for a camper or boat, then the point could restrict the thickness of stock you could use.

[andy bessette]

While this may be true with standard thickness doors, if, for example you were making doors from thinner stock perhaps to save weight if the door were for a camper or boat, then the point could restrict the thickness of stock you could use.

There is a minimum thickness for this type of hinge; the door has to be thick enough to hold the hinge mounting screws. Where you require lightweight doors, you build them up with hollow or lightweight cores and thin skins, providing solid framing or hard spots in the areas of hinges and latches.

[johnny means]

Your using the wrong hardware at this point.

[John Gregory]

If you look at the video attached to the OP's first post at about 40 sec as Gary pointed out it is clear the bit has no center point which makes sense since if the bit is guided by the jig there is no need for the center point and as someone else pointed out on thin doors the point can be a problem.
https://youtu.be/YbgkLFRAUxk?t=42

I bought the Kreg bit and mine has a point, needed or not.