Have you ever felt that you couldn’t get your tools in the correct position and got frustrated? Thousands of DIYers who have tools probably feel the same way, even seasoned professionals. But when it comes to working with metal, wood or whichever material, you’ll always want to make sure that your tools are in a stable position so that you can do the job efficiently.
We are going to go in-depth about Kreg Jig K4 and Kreg Jig K5 today because they are tools that will help keep things uniform while you drill in your nails in the spots that it needs to be drilled in.
The new Kreg Jig K5 is packed with features your are sure to appreciate.
View DealWhat is a Jig?
A jig is an open frame or plate that helps hold materials and assist power tools that helps guide it in the right direction while putting in what you need to put in that work area.
Why should I use a jig?
There are various reasons to use a jig, but the main reason is to ensure that you are drilling in the correct place, without having the need of installing permanent brackets on that material. It’s a very handy tool for all DIY’ers who are doing projects on a regular basis.
Now you know what jigs are in general and why you should use one, read on to see everything that you need to know about Kreg K4 and Kreg K5.
About Kreg
A man named Craig Sommerfield founded Kreg in 1986.When Craig was trying to create his kitchen from the home he was building at that time, he had nothing to assist him line his face with the constructing of his cabinet. The facial frame would not look well on his cabinets and the “Craig Jig” was the jig made of aluminum and steel. It was a pocket hole jig that is more widely known today. Today, the company is widely known in the USA, Canada, UK and Australia.
Who should use the Kreg K4 and K5?
The K4 model is definitely for DIY woodworkers because it’s easier to use and tasks such as pocket joinery will be much more efficient. The design will help make all woodworking tasks pretty much effortless. Features such as durable toggle clamp and more makes using this jig extremely easy.
The K5 model was definitely built with professionals in mind. This version has more enhanced features and the design makes it easy for doing all kinds of woodwork. There are a lot of integrated capabilities such as a swiveling dust collector port, which is always handy because keeping a clean work environment while working is very important.
Similarities
The only similarities that Kreg K4 and Kreg K5 have is:
- Both have a clamping system
- Both have the same common goal
Both models have a good clamping system which is always handy.
Both models also have the same goal while you are using it, to stay in place while you are using it to drill a nail or other materials in.
Differences
While both tools have a couple of similarities, they definitely have their differences. Refer to the table below to see their differences.
Kreg K4
- best for DIY woodworking
- includes toggle clamp
- affordable
- best for small spaces
Kreg K5
- best for commercial use
- include dust collector port
- include dust collector port
- expensive, but worth investment for commercial use
- best for larger, bigger projects
Those are the differences between the two models. While they are similar in design, each of them has different functionalities. You’ll need to consider what you’ll need to use one of these for so that you can decide which one you want to get for your next woodworking project.
Kreg Jig K4 Pocket Hole System
The K4 is one of the older versions of the Kreg jig tools. While older, it still packs a few functionalities that’s still useful today. The main functionality of this model is it’s made for drilling pocket holes with ease. Also, as we’ve mentioned earlier, this is the tool that’s more beginner, DIY friendly as it’s extremely easy to use. You’ll want to use this on smaller materials, but it can work on bigger pieces of wood if you need to use it on that.
What’s good is that you can adjust this jig to meet the thickness levels that’s required for whichever pocket hole size you are trying to achieve. There is a face clamp included to help you clamp and keep the material securely in place while drilling pocket holes.
There’s also a drill guide that you can remove to increase mobility when using the tool. It has 3 holes, and it can help you make precise cuts in wood (or other materials) that you are working on. Overall, it’s a very durable tool perfect for DIY’er.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Fast clamping
- Integrated drill guide
Cons
- No dust port
Kreg K5 Pocket-Hole Jig
The Kreg K5 is like the child of the K4, having many more features. It has useful features that professional woodworkers will enjoy using while working. There is a front-mounted handle to make clamping easy and help adjust the cuts. You’ll appreciate the built-in clamping system, something that the K4 does not have.
Another feature that the K5 has is the onboard storage (the wings on the tool), somewhere where you can put your screwdrivers, small power tools and more. This is also another feature that the K4 doesn’t have. It’s always handy to have the tools right there when trying to make precise pocket holes.
The Kreg K5 is bigger in size than the K4, so if portability is something that you want, you may want to stick with the K4.
There’s also a dust collection port, which is always nice to have on any power tools because keeping a clean workspace is fairly important.
The K5 also makes it easy to adjust thickness levels by using the ratcheting mechanism to help position your material in the correct position. The adjustment function slides into place which requires just that you elevate the handle until you hear it in a safe and stable position by two clicks.
Overall, it’s a great tool that any woodworking professional would be happy to have.
The new Kreg Jig K5 is packed with features your are sure to appreciate.
View DealPros
- More innovative than K4
- Dust collection port
- Storage
Cons
- Bigger than Kreg K4
Projects That You Can Use Kreg K4 or Kreg K5 For
Pergola Rafter
Pergolas are a wonderful addition to the backyard. Maybe you’ll want to save the cost of hiring someone to build it, so you decide to do it yourself. It’s clear that you don’t want to use brackets so you can use either a Kreg K4 or K5 to drill two holes at the end of the end of the board. You’ll want to use one hand to hold the jig down firmly or have someone help you as the jig will likely kick out. You’ll do 1” inch on each side of the board, then you’ll use the clamp to hold the board in place. You’ll then put in your screws and repeat on the other side of the board, with the clamp on the other side as well. After that, you’re done using the jig for the rafter.
Wooden Toy Box
For this project, you’ll likely use the Kreg K4 as you’ll be dealing with smaller pieces of wood. You’ll want to set the measurement on the jig, so that it can make the hole precisely. You’ll then want to drill ¾” holes four times (two per side). You will then measure again and mark at least five pocket holes. You’ll want to do this again for another piece of wood for the toybox. You will then use the jigsaw to cut the straight lines and continue until you’re done.
Gobble Gobble Wood Sign
You will likely want to use the Kreg K5 for this project. You’ll want to mark the areas where you will be making holes on the rectangular board and drill 3-4 pocket holes near the longer edge. You can do the same for the other boards, where you’ll use it for connecting at a later time in the project.
Industrial Rolling Cart
For this project, you’ll want to use the smaller Kreg K4. You start by paring up six ⅛ wood pieces into three pairings of the two board shelves. Then you’ll use the jig to start making pocket holes, 4 of them, on the long side of the board, per pair. You’ll repeat the same for the rest of the pairs.
Storage Bench
For this project, you can use either Kreg K4 or Kreg K5. You’ll want to make sure that it’s spaced apart on 4 feet boards, like 6-8 inches. Then you can make your pocket holes and repeat per pair until it’s done.
Verdict
Both Kreg K4 and Kreg K5 are good jigs that are worthy of being in a wood workshop. Both have features that are beneficial to each user. Whether you need something small or something larger, you’ll need to decide which one is best for making pocket holes. Obviously, the Kreg K5 comes with more features and an onboard storage/dust collector.
If we had to pick between the two, we love the Kreg K5 Jig. It has more features, a built-in clamping system, storage and a dust collector. It can help get precise pocket holes, which is what we like, and it lets you adjust the thickness.
Which one do you think is better? The Kreg K4? The Kreg K5? Let us know in the comments, if you want, of your opinion!
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