The Kreg Foreman does what pocket hole jigs do—only faster. It’s a machine, so instead of clamping the stock and wielding a drill each time you make a hole you simply hold the stock against the fence, squeeze the trigger, and pull down the handle (see video below). It’s a little like using a chop saw, but instead of sending a blade down through the material you send a drill bit up through the table at a steep angle to the stock.
An adjustable fence and depth of “plunge” mechanism allow the machine to be used with various length screws and material between 1/2 and 1 1/2 inches thick. The fence is equipped with a scale and pair of adjustable stops that allow you to drill a set distance in from edges. The motor is equipped with a quick release hex chuck that accepts all three sizes of Kreg bits: mini, standard, and HD.
You might think using a machine (Kreg calls this a semi-automatic) would be more complicated than using a jig, but it’s not—the machine is far more intuitive. Except for the drill bit setting jig, everything on the Foreman is attached to it; my older Kreg jigs have all sorts of loose parts to keep track of.
I like using this machine and the only thing that gives me pause about it is the price. At $400 there are a lot of people who will not be able to justify the cost. And that’s okay—not everyone should own every tool. The DB210 is too light duty for daily use in a production shop (you’d want an industrial machine for that). But I could see using it in a small cabinet, small architectural millwork shop, or for fabrication work on the jobsite.
Kreg DB210 Specs
Motor: 110 volt; 5 amps; 2,800 rpm
Drill bits: Kreg mini, standard, and HD
Material: polyurethane base; cast-aluminum top
Clamping capacity: 1/2” to 1 1/2” thick
Weight (by ToTT): 23 pounds
Top: 14” x 23 1/2”
Entire unit (H x L x D): 15” x 19” x 29 1/2”
Warranty: 1 year
Country of origin: Taiwan
Includes: pocket-hole machine, adjustable fence with spring-loaded stops, dust-collection attachment, stepped drill bit and drill guide, drill bit setting block, and owner’s manual
Cost: $400