Anybody Ever Built a Pocket Hole Machine?

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
Thinking about building a pocket hole machine. There are two types, drill, based upon Kreg Foreman, and router, similar to Castle 100. I'm leaning towards router based. ShopNotes (issue 42) had such a machine. Woodsmith's weekly tips recently featured this machine. Unfortunately, you have to drill pilot hole for screw using a hand drill. ShaweneeHills Woodworking has a video showing how he built his, which includes drill in machine. Everything is controlled by a single lever, like the old Porter Cable 552 machines. Thinking about building the ShopNote's version, with drill attached. Anybody actually built either type of pocket hole machine?
 
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Skymaster

New User
Jack
Foreman, router based, NO xtra drilling. Use mine all the time for urns, reduces my time to drill by 75%. material 1/2 to 1 1/2. Single stroke, cant beat it for mid level use. IF fully commercial all day long Castle floor model
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
It looks like a hassle to build the jig. A Kreg pocket hole jig is a lot less hassle and works fine for most applications.
 

Skymaster

New User
Jack
Jeff a jig is way too much, depends on how many pocket holes you do. If you are using the hand jig a couple of times per day,every day then really look into the foreman. The time and hassle free drilling is well worth it. It is portable, put it up on a shelf till needed, then for every hour you used to use the hand setup you are done better,more accurately in 15 mins
 

Pop Golden

New User
Pop
I picked up a recon P-C 550 pocket hole machine a good many years ago. It's a swing down router/ clamp with a drill guide for the hole. It's a simple machine and has done everything I've asked. If you can find a used one check it out.
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Pop
 

Phil S

Phil Soper
Staff member
Corporate Member
Bruce, I have a PC550 with all the parts and spare cutters. I moved to a Castle. Make me an offer.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
Bruce, I have a PC550 with all the parts and spare cutters. I moved to a Castle. Make me an offer.
Phil, I'm looking at building a the ShopNotes version, upon which the Castle 100 is based. They both are based upon the old PC pocket hole cutter machine, where one lever controls both pocket cutting and drilling (two separate motors.). Shawenee Hills Woodwoking has a you tube video on how his is built using a HF trim router and right angle drill. I own several Kreg jigs, FYI.
 

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