Milescraft 1333 DowelJig Kit - Self-Centering Handheld Dowel Jig with 3 Metal Bushing Sizes (1/4in, 5/16in, 3/8in) - Complete with all Accessories

This was my first time tackling a wood project that required a lot of dowels, so I picked up this kit. It was affordable, and I trust Milescraft as a brand. At first, it took a little trial and error to figure out exactly how to hold the jig to get the holes positioned where I wanted. That was mostly on me, though. The instructions are clear, and once I got the hang of it, drilling dowel holes became fast and effortless. I did have an accident where the jig fell off my bench just right and two of the positioning pins snapped. I reached out to Milescraft support, and they were fantastic. They quickly offered to replace the jig at no cost, which is the kind of customer service that makes a difference. Overall, this jig made my doweling work much easier and more precise. It’s a solid kit that I would recommend to anyone doing projects with dowels, especially if you value responsive support from the manufacturer.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) This dowel jig kit is a great value and super easy to use. Everything feels solid and well-made, and the self-centering pins make lining things up really simple. The different bushing sizes give you flexibility for different projects, and the included drill bits, depth stops, and glue are a nice bonus. Perfect for DIYers or anyone looking to make strong, clean joints without fancy tools. Highly recommend!

It's pretty cool, and the first time I've ever worked with a dowel jig. There's a little bit of a learning curve and I messed up the very first one I did, but I think I've got it now. You use the jig in a slightly different way depending on if your joining ends, making a 90-degree corner, making a perpendicular joint (like joining a shelf to a vertical side). I find the little metal inserts with the sharp points especially useful (insert the temporarily where your dowel holes are on one piece, and then press that piece onto the piece you want to join it to and the sharp tips will mark where you need to drill the next holes.) At this reasonable price, I'm not complaining, but it would be nicer if some of these pieces were metal instead of plastic. Negatives: It annoys me that the case requires you to disassemble everything in order to get the jog back in - tempts you to just throw away the case altogether. Can't even keep the depth-stoppers on the drill bits. The drill bits did the job but seemed a bit dull - the wood I was using was pretty soft and I felt the bit should have done the job with half the effort. And one of the depth stoppers came loose and almost caused me to mess up, but I caught it in time, so I don't fully trust them and check them often. For occasional use and at this price, I think it deserves 4 stars. Had it been priced any higher, it would probably get 3.

Simple but works perfectly! I use it all the time.

The kit comes with easy to follow instructions and truly provides virtually everything you might need to make several dowel joints. Just add a drill and clamps and you're all set. The distance fence is not particularly heavy duty, but it functions just fine and is certainly adequate for most jobs. I have only rudimentary carpentry skills and was able to quickly edge join a couple of excess hickory boards to make a decorative shelf. Total time involved, including reading instructions was about 30 minutes from start to clamping. The centering function is simple and accurate, the depth collars fit and work well enough and the final result looks professionally done. Great value and function for the home handyperson!

Concept is great, and all the videos show it performing flawlessly. I, however, could never get the handle to stay in place so the drilled holes were in a predictable, and repeatably, place. Out of 15 attempts, 1 aligned properly, 4 (edge attempts) chewed the wood to uselessness, and the remaining were "random" screw ups. I'm sure it's a matter of practice, but I screwed up 15 boards trying to do it once, and after the 15th attempt I couldn't determine what I was doing incorrectly, so I had no idea what to correct ... and gave up.

Excellent quality, my only disappointment is that it’s made in China like so many tools these days. Milescraft should support US manufacturing, even if it does make it more expensive

Has everything needed to get started. Don't expect perfection from this kit and it'll serve you well. I like that it's a simple twist of the handle to self-center on a board. It's a little challenging to position it, but if you insert the drill into the guide, then slowly lower into position, you can get very close. The marking pins are a little tight in the hole, but not a realy issue. The drill bits are ok, and the collars hold very well if you tighten them correctly. The drill bits are good enough to get started. Like I said, align your expectations and this kit works well.

Exactly what I needed to numerous jobs I want to do.

Muy buen producto. Hasta el momento lo he usado para algunos trabajos en casa, y me ha funcionado muy bien. Es un buen kit para iniciar y aprender carpintería

Excelente, facilita mucho el trabajo y es muy preciso

Si necesitan unir dos tablas ya sea en esquina o en plano para hacer un tablero, es el juego que necesitan, además está muy completo y está contenido en un práctico estuche

Muy funcional y práctica. La recomiendo ampliamente.