Preview: Rockler’s New Pock-It Hole Clamp
By Benjamen Johnson
Several different clamps exist for holding a pocket hole joint together while driving the screws, but they either require you to clamp the workpiece to the table or are large and unwieldly vice-grip like contraptions. Rockler’s new Pock-It Hole clamp is a small, low-profile clamp that only attaches to the workpiece.
Made from aluminum, the clamp is designed to be used with 3/8” pocket holes in 3/4” thick materials. The handle ratchets so you can tighten the clamp when the workpiece is lying flat on a table. The flat jaws applies pressure to the outside of the workpiece and the other adjustable depth jaw applies pressure inside the pocket hole.
Rockler plans to have the clamps in stock by Jan 15th, but if you just can’t contain your excitement you can pre-order them on their site now for $20 a piece.
Pock-It Hole Clamp [Rockler]
December 25th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Pretty cool. I haven’t had too much issue with the standard Kreg clamps but diversity is good in tool-land. Now if they were only $5 cheaper…
December 26th, 2009 at 7:48 am
Take a piece of hard wood, dril a pocket hole in it, glue a 3/8 hardwood dowel into the pocket hole, let it dry. Then when you are ready to use it drop it into the pocket hole in your workpiece and use a regular clamp with it.
December 26th, 2009 at 10:02 am
Kyle- Your process would work for certain applications, but the clamping pressure will be skewed off center (unless you take the time to create a cantilever crib). The real beauty of the Rockler unit is being able to install the screw immediately, then set the piece aside with the clamp in place.
December 27th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Here I was using the screws to do the clamping- what was I thinking!
December 28th, 2009 at 8:11 am
this looked like a good idea until i realized that this is the only type of joint i’ve never used a pocket hole for. the jig wont work for T butt joints, such as for shelving and table tops. bah!
December 28th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
@aaron
For T-Joints we use Universal Clamp’s #76A
http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/uniclamps.htm