
- Tools
-
Hardware
- Drawer Slides
-
Hinges
- Cabinet Hinges
- Furniture Hinges
- Box Hinges
- Specialty Hinges
- European Hinges
- Semi-Concealed Hinges
- Partial Wrap Hinges
- Demountable Hinges
- No-Mortise Hinges
- Butt Hinges
- Piano Hinges
- Quadrant Hinges
- Lid Support Hinges
- Small Box Hinges
- Pivot Hinges
- Sewing Machine Hinges
- Butler Tray Hinges
- Glass Door Hinges
- Concealed Hinges
- Hinge Accessories
- Hinge Installation Bits
-
Knobs and Pulls
- Kitchen & Bath Knobs and Pulls
- Furniture Knobs and Pulls
- Black Knobs and Pulls
- Brass Knobs and Pulls
- Bronze Knobs and Pulls
- Chrome Knobs and Pulls
- Color Knobs and Pulls
- Copper Knobs and Pulls
- Glass/Ceramic Knobs and Pulls
- Iron Knobs and Pulls
- Nickel Knobs and Pulls
- Pewter Knobs and Pulls
- Rust Knobs and Pulls
- Stainless Steel Knobs and Pulls
- White Knobs and Pulls
- Wood Knobs and Pulls
- Fasteners
- Lighting
- Bed Hardware
- Project Hardware
- Storage & Organization
- Supplies
- Only @ Rockler
- New Products
- Deals
- Outlet
-
Quick Order
- Home /
- Woodworking Jigs /
- Joinery Jigs /
- Rockler 3/8'' Beadlock® Basic Starter Kit
Overview
Create rock-solid mortise and tenon joints with just your hand drill and this Beadlock® Kit. Ribbed tenon design prevents racking and increases the amount of precious face-grain glue surface. The result is an extremely strong, totally concealed joint. Included shim set allows you to mortise a variety of stock thicknesses, as well as to offset your mortises.
Features:
- Patented system overlaps drill bit holes precisely to accept a special Beadlock® loose tenon
- Mortises in curved and tapered parts are simple
- For narrow material, rip the tenon stock down to fewer "beads"
- It's also ideal for reinforcing glass panel cabinet doors
- Includes four .060" shims, two .030" shims, 3/8" HSS Drill Bit and a molded plastic case with added space for the optional accessory kits
- All Accessory Kits include corresponding guide block, HSS drill bit and shim set
What's included
(1) Anodized Drill Plate
(1) 3/8" HSS Drill Bit
(1) 3/8" Drill Block
(4) 0.060" Shims
(2) 0.030" Shims
(1) 3/8" HSS Drill Bit
(1) 3/8" Drill Block
(4) 0.060" Shims
(2) 0.030" Shims
Technical Details
- Beveled cutout in the drill plate allows you to precisely align the jig with your reference marks
- Handles stock thicknesses of 3/4" and up
- Includes all necessary hardware for cutting 3/8" joints (Tenon stock sold separately)
- Storage case is molded with additional spacing for optional 1/4" and 1/2" drill block sizes (#38088 and #34985, sold separately)
- Brand: Beadlock
- Weight (lbs): 1.7000
Product Warnings

Technical Downloads
Related Articles
Frequently Bought Together
Questions and Answers
Do not include HTML, links, references to other stores, pricing or contact info.
My question is about:

If your question is about more than one item, click + to add them.

Browse 7 questions
Browse 7 questions
and 60 answers
Why did you choose this?
Rockler Store
I want to try it out, never used this type of connector before
Lawrence H
on Mar 24, 2018
just going to try it out
Jeff V
on Mar 7, 2018
Trying this product as an alternative to the $1000 Festool Domino
Luigi S
on Feb 12, 2018
Watched the video and read reviews..can't wait to try this out on a project
Patricia S. P
on Feb 9, 2018
want to try this system rather than all the set up and work to cut tenon and mortise jpoints
Ronald W
on Jan 7, 2018
Borrowed this from a friend and found it easy to use and it produced a great joint. Much easier than the several other options I have used.
Robert M
on Dec 17, 2017
to be able to join wood and have a strong joint
Lamar M
on Dec 1, 2017
This company has excellent products and its tools provide perfect solutions to our jobs
B.MAIL-CRONOEXPRESS - P
on Oct 11, 2017
Recommended by Sawdust Girl
Planning to make doors in bathroom
Planning to make doors in bathroom
Jim O J
on Aug 7, 2017
gift
kelly L
on Jun 17, 2017
I like the simplicty and sturdiness.
vinnie g
on Mar 28, 2017
for dowel joinery
RAFAEL R
on Feb 27, 2017
Project I am working on
Frederick J
on Feb 12, 2017
Awesome tool. A great easy and inexpensive way to make a corner joint that is strong and square.
JOHN S
on Dec 26, 2016
past success with Rockler Products
Blair A
on Oct 1, 2016
Looks like an easier process for mortise and tenon joinery.
Matt E
on Sep 26, 2016
wanted to try and compare to mortise and tendon. Wow so much faster and easier . This and pocket holes wonder what you will come up with next
David D
on Aug 25, 2016
Joinery, try something new
DICK O
on Jul 24, 2016
only option
Jay A
on Jun 29, 2016
one won't work well without the other.
Thomas D
on Apr 17, 2016
lost my other one while moving across country
William C
on Jan 30, 2016
Seemed like a lower cost alternative to the "pro" kit. Think I can do all I need to with this one.
John W
on Jan 2, 2016
Building a table with aprons almost 8 feet long.
Would be difficult to make a tenon.
Would be difficult to make a tenon.
Gary Manney G
on Dec 25, 2015
easy way to do joints
ts B
on Nov 1, 2015
looks easy to make tenons
william k
on Sep 5, 2015
I want to try it out, never used this type of connector before
Lawrence H
on Mar 24, 2018
to start
BARBARA T
on Mar 9, 2018
just going to try it out
Jeff V
on Mar 7, 2018
I do not have one so I thought I would try it.
Charles S
on Feb 12, 2018
Trying this product as an alternative to the $1000 Festool Domino
Luigi S
on Feb 12, 2018
Looks like a great product can't wait to try it.
Richard L
on Feb 11, 2018
Watched the video and read reviews..can't wait to try this out on a project
Patricia S. P
on Feb 9, 2018
Building frame
Anthony C
on Feb 5, 2018
want to try this system rather than all the set up and work to cut tenon and mortise jpoints
Ronald W
on Jan 7, 2018
Works for my project.
Zach J
on Dec 20, 2017
Borrowed this from a friend and found it easy to use and it produced a great joint. Much easier than the several other options I have used.
Robert M
on Dec 17, 2017
As rarely as I would need to do loose tenon joinery, this should meet my needs very well.
Tom H
on Dec 4, 2017
to be able to join wood and have a strong joint
Lamar M
on Dec 1, 2017
For the option
Curtis T
on Oct 22, 2017
This company has excellent products and its tools provide perfect solutions to our jobs
B.MAIL-CRONOEXPRESS - P
on Oct 11, 2017
I need it for a project
Lee
on Sep 17, 2017
Recommended by Sawdust Girl
Planning to make doors in bathroom
Planning to make doors in bathroom
Jim O J
on Aug 7, 2017
need a basic mortise & tenon jig for a small project - this looks like it will work, based on the videos
Doug P
on Jul 13, 2017
gift
kelly L
on Jun 17, 2017
Making a dresser with some loose tenon joinery.
Scott W
on Apr 6, 2017
I like the simplicty and sturdiness.
vinnie g
on Mar 28, 2017
Looks like it makes things a lot easier.
Ronald B
on Mar 9, 2017
for dowel joinery
RAFAEL R
on Feb 27, 2017
It was new, and highly recommended. Worked great.
Tedd F
on Feb 23, 2017
Project I am working on
Frederick J
on Feb 12, 2017
easy to use
Ivan D
on Jan 14, 2017
Awesome tool. A great easy and inexpensive way to make a corner joint that is strong and square.
JOHN S
on Dec 26, 2016
to make easy tenons
kelly L
on Nov 30, 2016
past success with Rockler Products
Blair A
on Oct 1, 2016
to make tight joints
charles g
on Sep 29, 2016
Looks like an easier process for mortise and tenon joinery.
Matt E
on Sep 26, 2016
Basic setup for joinery
Jerry M
on Sep 12, 2016
wanted to try and compare to mortise and tendon. Wow so much faster and easier . This and pocket holes wonder what you will come up with next
David D
on Aug 25, 2016
So simple but so true.
We watched it being used on Youtube and what this kit can do is exactly what we need.
We watched it being used on Youtube and what this kit can do is exactly what we need.
Sharon C
on Aug 23, 2016
Joinery, try something new
DICK O
on Jul 24, 2016
To make a door
John P
on Jul 16, 2016
only option
Jay A
on Jun 29, 2016
Likewise big mistake!
Richard H
on May 23, 2016
one won't work well without the other.
Thomas D
on Apr 17, 2016
I think the 3/8 size will be sufficient for most projects. I also like the idea of a quick and effective tenon. Looking forward to using it.
Gary G
on Feb 8, 2016
lost my other one while moving across country
William C
on Jan 30, 2016
Try something new.
Charles C
on Jan 13, 2016
Seemed like a lower cost alternative to the "pro" kit. Think I can do all I need to with this one.
John W
on Jan 2, 2016
Hoping that these will help our Scouts and students with their chess board projects. Instead of focusing on pocket holes - our projects can also add the option of mortise and tenon joinery.
John H
on Jan 1, 2016
Building a table with aprons almost 8 feet long.
Would be difficult to make a tenon.
Would be difficult to make a tenon.
Gary Manney G
on Dec 25, 2015
I used a borrowed beadlock system to build bed frames form my kids. I am now working on new projects, and decided I need to own my own. The joints were easy to make, clean, and very strong.
Russell M
on Dec 6, 2015
easy way to do joints
ts B
on Nov 1, 2015
I'm expanding my repertoire of joining techniques that don't require better tools than I have (or can afford) nor years of experience and consummate skill, which I don't have, either. This Beadlock system looks to be about my speed. I want to check it out.
John A
on Oct 15, 2015
looks easy to make tenons
william k
on Sep 5, 2015
future project
Tom N
on Aug 7, 2015
to start
BARBARA T
on Mar 9, 2018
I do not have one so I thought I would try it.
Charles S
on Feb 12, 2018
Looks like a great product can't wait to try it.
Richard L
on Feb 11, 2018
Building frame
Anthony C
on Feb 5, 2018
Works for my project.
Zach J
on Dec 20, 2017
As rarely as I would need to do loose tenon joinery, this should meet my needs very well.
Tom H
on Dec 4, 2017
For the option
Curtis T
on Oct 22, 2017
I need it for a project
Lee
on Sep 17, 2017
need a basic mortise & tenon jig for a small project - this looks like it will work, based on the videos
Doug P
on Jul 13, 2017
Making a dresser with some loose tenon joinery.
Scott W
on Apr 6, 2017
Looks like it makes things a lot easier.
Ronald B
on Mar 9, 2017
It was new, and highly recommended. Worked great.
Tedd F
on Feb 23, 2017
easy to use
Ivan D
on Jan 14, 2017
to make easy tenons
kelly L
on Nov 30, 2016
to make tight joints
charles g
on Sep 29, 2016
Basic setup for joinery
Jerry M
on Sep 12, 2016
So simple but so true.
We watched it being used on Youtube and what this kit can do is exactly what we need.
We watched it being used on Youtube and what this kit can do is exactly what we need.
Sharon C
on Aug 23, 2016
To make a door
John P
on Jul 16, 2016
Likewise big mistake!
Richard H
on May 23, 2016
I think the 3/8 size will be sufficient for most projects. I also like the idea of a quick and effective tenon. Looking forward to using it.
Gary G
on Feb 8, 2016
Try something new.
Charles C
on Jan 13, 2016
Hoping that these will help our Scouts and students with their chess board projects. Instead of focusing on pocket holes - our projects can also add the option of mortise and tenon joinery.
John H
on Jan 1, 2016
I used a borrowed beadlock system to build bed frames form my kids. I am now working on new projects, and decided I need to own my own. The joints were easy to make, clean, and very strong.
Russell M
on Dec 6, 2015
I'm expanding my repertoire of joining techniques that don't require better tools than I have (or can afford) nor years of experience and consummate skill, which I don't have, either. This Beadlock system looks to be about my speed. I want to check it out.
John A
on Oct 15, 2015
future project
Tom N
on Aug 7, 2015
How do you make a beadlock mortise on the face of a wide board? For example you wish to cut a mortise 2 inches in on a 10 inch board.
Lawrence K
on Feb 8, 2017
Has anyone cut the tab off that prevents you from using drill bit collars? issues?
Bob D
on May 13, 2017
Does it come in a case like it is shows in the video?
Derrick T
on May 16, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Mine did come in a case as shown in the video. Case has space for both of the other sizes.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- Christopher M on May 18, 2017
- Purchased on Aug 25, 2015
BEST ANSWER: Mine did come in a case as shown in the video. Case has space for both of the other sizes.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- Christopher M on May 18, 2017
- Purchased on Aug 25, 2015
Yes the black plastic case holds one size of this jig. The parts snap tightly into place. The jig is easy to use and the tenons provide more strength than wooden biscuits.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- DAVID F on May 17, 2017
- Purchased on Jul 31, 2015
Vote for the best answer above!
What about through mortises how's it look after?
Butch S
on May 19, 2015
BEST ANSWER: You could do through tenons, but I don't think it would look good. The tenon material has a ribbed shape.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- Mark R on Jun 20, 2015
- Purchased on Apr 3, 2015
BEST ANSWER: You could do through tenons, but I don't think it would look good. The tenon material has a ribbed shape.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- Mark R on Jun 20, 2015
- Purchased on Apr 3, 2015
I haven't had a chance to use it yet.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- George P on May 20, 2015
- Purchased on Jan 26, 2015
Vote for the best answer above!
Can you use the 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch beadlock accessories with the 3/8 inch basic kit?
George K
on Feb 24, 2018
BEST ANSWER: No, the 3/8” kit includes a 3/8” drill bit and 3/8” guides only
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- Mike Z on Feb 24, 2018
- Purchased on Mar 4, 2016
BEST ANSWER: No, the 3/8” kit includes a 3/8” drill bit and 3/8” guides only
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- Mike Z on Feb 24, 2018
- Purchased on Mar 4, 2016
Vote for the best answer above!
i'm making interior closet doors from 5/4 " x 3" wide clear ponderosa pine . for 36" wide doors . ideally ,what length should my tenons extend into each mortise , looking to confirm that the 3/8" thick tenons are adequate .or suggest otherwise ? the doors will have rather light weight panels also . any carpenters here built interior doors using the 3/8" beadlock system ? i've got 30 years experience. thank you .
w g
on Dec 11, 2016
BEST ANSWER: Beadlock system is terrific. Strong and fast. Tenons should be at least an inch long.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- Charles B on Dec 12, 2016
- Purchased on Jan 23, 2015
BEST ANSWER: Beadlock system is terrific. Strong and fast. Tenons should be at least an inch long.
- Reply
- Inaccurate
- Charles B on Dec 12, 2016
- Purchased on Jan 23, 2015
Vote for the best answer above!
Reviews
3.9 / 5.0
67 Reviews
5 Stars
4 Stars
3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Stars
26
21
11
4
5
Great Tool. Rockler makes the best. Helps me get things done in my shop.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Nice alternative to mortise and tenon
Easy to use, and set up. Should last a long time
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Great investment if you’re a woodworker on a budget
Other than clamping it down with one hand, this makes joinery super simple and almost impossible to miss your marks. Other than the loose tenon joinery, the beadlock tool also works great for a panel glue up if you don’t have a biscuit joiner.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Beadlock is great.
It's great. I plan to use it a lot and therfore I bought the router bit so I will make my own headlock biscuts and save a lot of money.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
4.8
Easy to use. Very effective. A big time/effort saver!
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Dry good tool to use. Did everything that it was needed for. You can add other sizes to the same kit
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
I used the Beadlock system to build a face frame for a cabinet. It was very easy to use and worked great. I am also going to use it to build the door for the same cabinet.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Nice tool
Very precise tool, excellent quality.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Beadlock
This is a great tool the first time I've used it it was easy and worked great.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
works grate
Saves a hole lot of time& it is just as strong as the real thing,for the price can't beat it. yes i would recommend to a friend
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Well thought out
A very simple method to make floating tenon joints. Assembling the jig caused a few minutes of headscratching before the aha moment occurred. After that I could appreciate the economy of means that went into the design. Some illustrations show everything being held in a parallel clamp. This seems a bit iffy, but any sort of bench vice should produce a stable setup and consistent results. The tenon stock is of good quality.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Great tool.
I absolutely love this tool. It has been great. I don't own a thickness planner or biscuit joiner yet. So I picked this up to help with panel glue ups, and it has worked superbly. Three of these down the length of my panel and the smallest amount of sanding and I have a perfect joint. The learning curve was almost nonexistent it felt so natural to use. The design was perfect and efficient.
I would be out of my mind if an add on was available that being a face drilling jig. As in maybe a large square with a mount for the drill guide block that would allow me to use this for shelves. Instead of rabbit and dado joints.
I would be out of my mind if an add on was available that being a face drilling jig. As in maybe a large square with a mount for the drill guide block that would allow me to use this for shelves. Instead of rabbit and dado joints.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
I bought this to build a...
I bought this to build a Walnut coffee table and a sofa table. About 16 joints in total. All came out perfectly using the 3/8 jig. Alignment was NOT a problem because I used an incra gauge to set up perfect registration. I used two ratchet clamps to hold the jig securely in place and facilitate quick release. Actually, this simple starter unit may be better than the pro in terms of secure clamping versus the small plastic knobs. Just bought the 1/4" add-on jig and quickly built two craftsman style 16x20 picture frames from quarter sawn oak. Another perfect alignment and secure joint without all of the hassle of mortise and tenon joints. Great product!
- Was this review helpful? Yes (7) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
January 24, 2012
- Was this review helpful? Yes (7) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
I bought this to make 4...
I bought this to make 4 chairs and absolutely love it. I promptly cut off the tab so I could use a depth collar. I used 30 joints per chair. So 120 joints later-240 mortises,1,920 drilled holes, everything is dandy with no issues or mistakes. I plan on getting the pro model sometime as I can see using both jigs for unlimited joinery. The joints are rock solid and easy to align after practicing on scrap. I'm just mad I didn't think of this simple jig first.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (14) No (1)
- Flag as Inappropriate
October 14, 2011
- Was this review helpful? Yes (14) No (1)
- Flag as Inappropriate
I purchased the jig along with...
I purchased the jig along with the 1/4 block which I used almost exclusively for my first project. I had no problems with the 1/4 lining up or drilling correctly. Two high chairs with no screws in them whatsoever later, it worked excellent. The only down side is that I put drill stop collars on my bit to get fast, consistent holes. The stop curved top piece of the jig does not have clearance for drill stops for the last holes. I removed a portion of the block to accommodate this. It takes a little more attention especially since I ripped all the stock to five beads instead of seven for this project. Very pleased.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (8) No (1)
- Flag as Inappropriate
December 21, 2010
- Was this review helpful? Yes (8) No (1)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Purchased Beadlock and put it work...
Purchased Beadlock and put it work immediately, worked like it was advertized then I purchased additional kits for it to round out my options to varying wood project. Thank you very good tool.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
March 30, 2009
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Easy to use and set up....
Easy to use and set up. The jig can easily handle much thicker shims to handle thicker stock. I got some extra knobbed bolts the same size but 3 inches long and can now place the jig in anywhere in anything up to 3" thick. The only issue I had was that the 1/2" bit with the assessory kit needs a 1/2" drill. Oh well, now I guess I get a bigger drill for Christmas.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
October 14, 2008
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Worked exactly as advertised the first...
Worked exactly as advertised the first time out of the box. I am planning on using it in an upcoming project that will have about 16 joints to use it on. A real time saver over mortise joints.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
September 23, 2008
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
This is a very simple and...
This is a very simple and effective tool. I received mine today and went right out to the shop to try it out. It worked great right out of the box, making a nice, tight mortise & tenon with 3/8" bead stock. The only thing I added was a flat washer under each of the tightening knobs. This will be a great time-saver.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (8) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
May 7, 2008
- Was this review helpful? Yes (8) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Constructing a 66" X 84" Welsh...
Constructing a 66" X 84" Welsh Dresser which has 46 tenons. This tool made it simple, fast and accurate to complete...in about one eight of the time to hand cut mortises and tenons. Very happy to have found it in your online catalog right before I began construction.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
November 23, 2007
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
One more
I bought the tool to help me join 1X5 shelving at the mitre. Like many others my issue involves the alignment of mortise. The pencil line approach does not allow the precision I needed. I am grateful for the razor knife scribe line tip provided by other reviewers. That worked much better but still off by a skosh. As mentioned, I believe the difference to be caused by the tools right hand alignment on one board and left on the opposite board. Overall I give the concept of the headlock a score of 5. I give the execution a 3.5 due to the alignment issue. I would pay more for the tool if it could be engineered to master board alignment. Thank you
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Could have been 5 or 2 Starts - Depending if you forgive
Hello All,
Thank you to those before me as I thought I was crazy on the alignment issues. I was 1/16 on my first two trial runs. then I started to mess around. I thought my stock was off. Finally I was able to get it to line up on the dot. They definitely are 1/32 inch off their machining process. Don't listen to the reps.
Thought I share my technique as some of the other advice didn't fit my application. I had 90 bf of mont cypress, so this was all done on scrap.
so I figured 1/16 off, meant it was 1/32 out of alignment, meant I had to adjust both pieces by 1/32. I found that is if you stay right of the line about 1/32 on each piece, it will line up dead center. If this is a machining issue, then this means that my findings might not work for you.
I just went through 10 joints in 30 minutes or so. All of 10 are spot on center.
I found a solution so I didn't give this product 1/2 starts. But just like any jig I buy or build, you gotta figure out the discrepancy.
I still gave this product a 4 rating. 5 without company error. This jig is slick, quick and will make this outdoor patio set perfect with no metal in it.
I do advise the 3rd cleanup/pass-through - you have to set it to the A slot anyway for the next piece.
Make sure to clamp down tight. keep an eye out on the line, if you see it creep, the board slipped. Quickly put it back and live with the error.
I never liked stop collars, so I enjoy the blockage of the unnecessary sixth holes. going though 100 joints I don't think I would remember to skip that 200 times.
Thank you to those before me as I thought I was crazy on the alignment issues. I was 1/16 on my first two trial runs. then I started to mess around. I thought my stock was off. Finally I was able to get it to line up on the dot. They definitely are 1/32 inch off their machining process. Don't listen to the reps.
Thought I share my technique as some of the other advice didn't fit my application. I had 90 bf of mont cypress, so this was all done on scrap.
so I figured 1/16 off, meant it was 1/32 out of alignment, meant I had to adjust both pieces by 1/32. I found that is if you stay right of the line about 1/32 on each piece, it will line up dead center. If this is a machining issue, then this means that my findings might not work for you.
I just went through 10 joints in 30 minutes or so. All of 10 are spot on center.
I found a solution so I didn't give this product 1/2 starts. But just like any jig I buy or build, you gotta figure out the discrepancy.
I still gave this product a 4 rating. 5 without company error. This jig is slick, quick and will make this outdoor patio set perfect with no metal in it.
I do advise the 3rd cleanup/pass-through - you have to set it to the A slot anyway for the next piece.
Make sure to clamp down tight. keep an eye out on the line, if you see it creep, the board slipped. Quickly put it back and live with the error.
I never liked stop collars, so I enjoy the blockage of the unnecessary sixth holes. going though 100 joints I don't think I would remember to skip that 200 times.



- Was this review helpful? Yes (4) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (4) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Creates a good joint connection using only a drill
Provides a good joint connection using only a drill and clamp. Very simple to use.
Pros: reasonable price, uses basic tools, easy process, good strong joint, would recommend.
Cons: May not provide a exact position ( needed in fine furniture ), but I bought the basic starter kit. The advanced kit would probably be better. I needed to clear the drilled channel with a smaller diameter drill to seat the male
connection.
Pros: reasonable price, uses basic tools, easy process, good strong joint, would recommend.
Cons: May not provide a exact position ( needed in fine furniture ), but I bought the basic starter kit. The advanced kit would probably be better. I needed to clear the drilled channel with a smaller diameter drill to seat the male
connection.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Rock solid joints - needs a minor modification
Bought this about a year ago and though haven't used it a whole lot but from what I can tell the joints it produces are quite strong. Stronger than a traditional mortise and tenon? Not sure, I haven't done any tests. But certainly strong enough for normal service.
I don't have any sort of slot mortising jig but I feel like this is a bit slow in operation compared to something that would use a plunge router, or a dedicated mortising machine. The project I bought this for only needed 16 mortises for 8 joints, now I have something that requires 32 mortises and I'm wishing I had a slot mortising jig. Still, I'm using this because building a versatile jig that won't have to be redone at some point would require time that I currently don't have to spare.
The tenon stock is a little pricey too, which is one of the reasons I wouldn't recommend cutting them much longer than 2 inches. The other reason is that the joints are a bit more forgiving in terms of parts wanting to go together at an angle with shorter tenons, and should still be plenty strong.
I quickly discovered that the alignment is a considerable problem. Luckily I was able to correct this by offsetting my lines on the parts that I hadn't yet bored out the mortises for when I first used it. But I came up with a much better way of aligning it than the instructions would have you do. Just scratch a line dead center down the outside face of the steel drill guide block with a box cutter and mark the center line of your mortises on the face that will actually have the mortise, not the adjacent face. See the attached photo.
Also, do yourself a favor and get a long reach vise grip for clamping the jig to your work piece (also visible in attached photo), it really speeds things up.
I don't have any sort of slot mortising jig but I feel like this is a bit slow in operation compared to something that would use a plunge router, or a dedicated mortising machine. The project I bought this for only needed 16 mortises for 8 joints, now I have something that requires 32 mortises and I'm wishing I had a slot mortising jig. Still, I'm using this because building a versatile jig that won't have to be redone at some point would require time that I currently don't have to spare.
The tenon stock is a little pricey too, which is one of the reasons I wouldn't recommend cutting them much longer than 2 inches. The other reason is that the joints are a bit more forgiving in terms of parts wanting to go together at an angle with shorter tenons, and should still be plenty strong.
I quickly discovered that the alignment is a considerable problem. Luckily I was able to correct this by offsetting my lines on the parts that I hadn't yet bored out the mortises for when I first used it. But I came up with a much better way of aligning it than the instructions would have you do. Just scratch a line dead center down the outside face of the steel drill guide block with a box cutter and mark the center line of your mortises on the face that will actually have the mortise, not the adjacent face. See the attached photo.
Also, do yourself a favor and get a long reach vise grip for clamping the jig to your work piece (also visible in attached photo), it really speeds things up.

I was getting errors of about 1/16" before I started aligning using this method.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (4) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (4) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Great starter kit!
Great little kit for starting off on loose tenon joinery, a lot of holes to drill, but makes a good strong joint.

The kit with a table top drilled for 1/2" tenons.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Did the trick
To date, I have avoided mortise and tenon joinery as much as possible. This system is a really great alternative. The learning curve is pretty short and the final product works well. The only negative I found was that if you want to use this particular product for joinery in wood greater than 1" thick, you need to do "handstands". Yes it is possible, but tricky. I understand that the Pro package will handle this so maybe if I wasn't so frugal I'd have less to complain about.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
holes have a lot more cleanup needed than I expected. Am wondering if a brad point bit would work better.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Beadlock test run
I am building a couple of bedside tables out of Pecan/HIckory and with 40 joints to go I decided to give Beadlock a try. The 40 joints are finished and here is my assessment:
Pros:
Setback depth accuracy was dead on for all 40 joints.
Ease of use is excellent
The jig is well constructed with metal parts and should last a long time.
I won't use it on every project, but for the price it is a keeper.
Con's
The small locking knobs are hard on the hands!
The lateral adjustment system is not the greatest. There is enough play in the jig that to get the alignment window perpendicular to the drill collars I had to visually line things up and then lock one of the knobs. Doable but a bit of a pain.
The joints are a little inconsistent; one will be very tight and the next one loose - not unusable but looser than I like. Couldn't figure out why the variance.
The mortises were difficult to cut clean - even following their suggestions about double drilling the A position. It is possible that is a result of the Pecan/Hickory which is very fibrous. Perhaps they would be cleaner with different wood?
While the concept is ingenious, the drill bit leaves a scalloped mortise - which is great if everything is perfectly lined up but provides VERY little leeway if you need to shift the workpiece from side to side at all.
The tenon stock is not cheap. My 40 joints will rack up $30 in tenon stock. I asked the sales manager if it was feasible to make my own (with the beadlock router bit) and his response was "I wouldn't even try it".
Conclusion: The salesman at Rockler had no idea how to use the jig so I told him I would give it a try but that I would return it if I didn't like it. Frankly, it exceeded my expectations and, while not perfect, will find a permanent home on my workbench.
Pros:
Setback depth accuracy was dead on for all 40 joints.
Ease of use is excellent
The jig is well constructed with metal parts and should last a long time.
I won't use it on every project, but for the price it is a keeper.
Con's
The small locking knobs are hard on the hands!
The lateral adjustment system is not the greatest. There is enough play in the jig that to get the alignment window perpendicular to the drill collars I had to visually line things up and then lock one of the knobs. Doable but a bit of a pain.
The joints are a little inconsistent; one will be very tight and the next one loose - not unusable but looser than I like. Couldn't figure out why the variance.
The mortises were difficult to cut clean - even following their suggestions about double drilling the A position. It is possible that is a result of the Pecan/Hickory which is very fibrous. Perhaps they would be cleaner with different wood?
While the concept is ingenious, the drill bit leaves a scalloped mortise - which is great if everything is perfectly lined up but provides VERY little leeway if you need to shift the workpiece from side to side at all.
The tenon stock is not cheap. My 40 joints will rack up $30 in tenon stock. I asked the sales manager if it was feasible to make my own (with the beadlock router bit) and his response was "I wouldn't even try it".
Conclusion: The salesman at Rockler had no idea how to use the jig so I told him I would give it a try but that I would return it if I didn't like it. Frankly, it exceeded my expectations and, while not perfect, will find a permanent home on my workbench.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Good Loose-Tenon System
The drilling jig is easy to use, just clamp it all tightly. The tenon material is of good quality, but if you will do a lot of work, you might want to buy the router bit and make your own.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
4 Star after learning curve
First, this is not a precision instrument. And you're not paying for precision. So don't expect lots of bells and whistles. This is a basic jig. The guide edge to line up your register is not perfectly plumb. And for some odd reason, like another reviewer pointed out, it works better drilling from a horizontal plane rather than a vertical plane. I don't understand why, but vertical drilling does not produce evenly spaced holes that line up with the loose tenon. Horizontal drilling produces the hole spacing necessary for the loose tenon. I also found it very annoying I couldn't use my bit stops on this jig, but again...it's not precision and a piece of duct tape worked fine as the stop marker. I'm an experiened woodworker and I needed a learning curve to get the best result. Once I had my "schooling" on scrap, and got the hang of how to place the off plumb register marking, I was fine with the product. If you want precision mortise and tenons, do them the old fashioned way. If you can tolerate a tiny bit of slop, this is the jig for you. I made a bench for the end of our bed, and this was a fast and easy way to create the joints. Once assembled, you'd never know I didn't chisel the joints out by hand.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
May 19, 2014
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Very easy to use, works as...
Very easy to use, works as advertised.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
December 18, 2010
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Simple! Would be nice if there...
Simple! Would be nice if there was enough room to use a drill collar for depth control, instead of marking the bit. Although this kit on sale is the same price at retail stores, the ones sold at retail stores are without the case, and the case included from Rockler will help with storage when you expand with 1/4" and 1/2" dies and drills.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (10) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
July 21, 2009
- Was this review helpful? Yes (10) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Easy to use right out of...
Easy to use right out of the box. I built a ship's wheel using the 3/8" starter kit. I reduced the width of the tenon stock on my bandsaw by two beads to fit the angles of my curve and then drilled only one hole in "A" and two in "B" to create the mortises. The jig worked well clamped into my bench vise and made the task go quickly.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
July 11, 2009
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Works as advertised, quick and easy.
Works as advertised, quick and easy.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
May 3, 2009
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Tool works very good as intended....
Tool works very good as intended. Two complaints I've had both have to do with the ear on the top. Not sure that this serves much of a purpose if you already know how long your mortise needs to be, it got in my way when I needed to make longer mortises. Also, it doesn't allow you to use a depth collar. Overall very helpful tool though and I will continue to use it.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
April 30, 2009
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Works as advertised, cut two quick...
Works as advertised, cut two quick tests on some scrap in my shop is less than 15 minutes. Quite pleased.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
February 20, 2009
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Great tool for a beginner. Easy...
Great tool for a beginner. Easy to use works well.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
January 30, 2009
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Beadlock is my tool of choice...
Beadlock is my tool of choice when I need a strong wood joint that shows no visible hardware. I use the 1/2 inch beadlock to attach the aprons to the legs on large 6 foot or 7 foot dining tables. My only request then would be for beaded 1/2 inch beadlock stock so I can make even stronger mortise and tenon joints. Cutting off the shoulder that bends over the block would allow one to drill a mortise for beaded 1/2 inch stock.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
November 19, 2008
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
If I had a way to...
If I had a way to do mortise and tenon, these would grade lower. Once I got the hang of marking with an Exacto knife, then lining up the template using my Optivisor, things got good. Two of eight joints on table aprons were 1/16+ high, but hand planed right out. A VERY excellent drill bit is included!The two issues I had: 1) You cannot really get a smooth bottom in the mortise, so you need to go "long." The template will not allow the use of a stop collar; I just used a Sharpie to mark around the bit. 2) Some fit extremely tight; some a little loose. Looser than I wanted to trust wood glue so I used gun bedding epoxy (10-hour setup). Strong as a rock now.Would be really nice if they sold accessory lock knobs with studs an inch longer than stock. I couldn't get the 3/4" apron very deeply set on a 4x4 leg.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
July 6, 2008
- Was this review helpful? Yes (2) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
I'm rebuilding the bottom section of...
I'm rebuilding the bottom section of four section 30 yr old garage doors. I have my holes drilled but haven't glued the joints yet. The only problem was the center line wasn't exact with holes. When the joints were butted the center lines didn't match. When drilling you want to constantly pull the bit back to clean the hole. It works best to drill horizonal. I used air to clean the holes when drilling vertical.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
March 26, 2008
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Straight forward to use, solidly constructed....
Straight forward to use, solidly constructed. I found the tenon stock a hair oversized in the beginning, but by following the directions to feed the drill slowly in the "B" (second) position, and do a second pass in the "A" position, this problem was minimized. When creating multiple tenons (for example, when edge joining a wider board) accurate layout is essential. Due to the scalloped sidewalls of the mortise and the tenon stock, the alignment must be perfect. If the mortise on one of the boards is even the slightest bit off laterally, trimming the edge of one of the tenons won't help since the tenon must match exactly to the mortise.Also, when mortising 3/4" plywood, take extra care to reference off the same face. This jig is designed to center the mortise in 3/4" stock, but plywood is slightly undersized. Don't ask how I know this.Overall I was happy with this product. I can't imagine cutting 32 mortises in a single afternoon, which is what I did this past weekend, without this jig. I will definitely use this product again, but I suspect it will prove most useful for face frames. I also bought the router bit to make additional tenon stock but I haven't had a chance to use it yet (I had a bag of precut tenons that I used first).
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
February 11, 2008
- Was this review helpful? Yes (1) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Tool is really good, but.
I find it easy to use after a making a couple of test pieces. The problem I found after drilling the holes. The holes where not cleaned out even if I go back over it. So I found it impossible to seat in the dowel pins. So I have to clean out every hole with a chisel, drilling didn't clear the ridges enough to let the Dowel go down. Now for the dowels. I bought a bag of dowels I found about half too be misshapen I was really not happy about that. They also chipped and cracked because of the grain Direction of the dowels. I would have given it a 4 star but for the stupid dowels. I did get my farms together and they were spot on corners. It took longer then it should have.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Beadlock Basic Starter Kit
In building a free-standing wooden adjustable counter stand for my grandson from plans on Pinterest, I wanted to use something to not have to drill & countersink screws that would not be seen after the structure was built. Also, it was soon obvious that as it was difficult to hold the pieces together to drill the screw holes, so I started searching for alternatives such as dowel pins or a way to do mortise & tenons. I came across the Rockler Beadlock floating tenon system & liked what I saw on a YouTube video on how it worked, so I decided to try it by buying the Basic Starter Kit.
Setup seemed easy enough, but I started seeing the pieces being joined not quite lining up (off about a 16th of an inch from the line seen on the left side of the "D" on the blue aluminum plate) despite considerable effort in making sure all measurements & marks were per the instructions before drilling. Even though everything was clamped very securely, I started to notice the drilling was a going a bit off-center as the drill & chuck were not turning true with a considerable wobble. At times the drilling guide block was also moving despite it being very securely clamped. I started to question if my drill chuck was going bad but in doing other test drills, the chuck was turning true with no wobbles. I'm not sure if the drill bit that came with the kit (a very nice one & sharp!) started to cut into the sides of the drilling block causing the slight off-center wobble. In any event, this caused the mortise cuts to also be slightly off & the pieces ultimately did not fit square, causing the assembled unit sides to be twisted once everything was glued & clamped. Very frustrating.
I also felt the instructions could be a bit better detailed in stating what to set the drill cutting depth at to get the tenon to fit properly. For example, with the 2" tenon, it will be an inch out of each piece to be joined, so to get that depth, the drill bit should be set to cut x" deep given the known thickness of the drill block. It seemed there was some trial & error in determining the correct depth & marking the bit with tape which really didn't work to maintain the proper depth.
Lastly, I feel the blue aluminum plate could be engineered a bit better at the right edge to allow for a drill bit collar to be allen-screwed to the bit. An additional space or cut-out could be there to allow for the collar when the plate is slid over to drill the other holes.
Overall, I think this system is quite ingenious, but noting the problems I experienced, regrettably I felt I had to give it a 3 rating. I'm not sure if others have experienced similar issues but wonder if things would be different if I had bought the Pro Joinery Set instead. Not really doing that much woodworking or plan to, I felt I couldn't justify the cost difference from $30 for the Basic Kit to $140 for the Pro Kit.
Setup seemed easy enough, but I started seeing the pieces being joined not quite lining up (off about a 16th of an inch from the line seen on the left side of the "D" on the blue aluminum plate) despite considerable effort in making sure all measurements & marks were per the instructions before drilling. Even though everything was clamped very securely, I started to notice the drilling was a going a bit off-center as the drill & chuck were not turning true with a considerable wobble. At times the drilling guide block was also moving despite it being very securely clamped. I started to question if my drill chuck was going bad but in doing other test drills, the chuck was turning true with no wobbles. I'm not sure if the drill bit that came with the kit (a very nice one & sharp!) started to cut into the sides of the drilling block causing the slight off-center wobble. In any event, this caused the mortise cuts to also be slightly off & the pieces ultimately did not fit square, causing the assembled unit sides to be twisted once everything was glued & clamped. Very frustrating.
I also felt the instructions could be a bit better detailed in stating what to set the drill cutting depth at to get the tenon to fit properly. For example, with the 2" tenon, it will be an inch out of each piece to be joined, so to get that depth, the drill bit should be set to cut x" deep given the known thickness of the drill block. It seemed there was some trial & error in determining the correct depth & marking the bit with tape which really didn't work to maintain the proper depth.
Lastly, I feel the blue aluminum plate could be engineered a bit better at the right edge to allow for a drill bit collar to be allen-screwed to the bit. An additional space or cut-out could be there to allow for the collar when the plate is slid over to drill the other holes.
Overall, I think this system is quite ingenious, but noting the problems I experienced, regrettably I felt I had to give it a 3 rating. I'm not sure if others have experienced similar issues but wonder if things would be different if I had bought the Pro Joinery Set instead. Not really doing that much woodworking or plan to, I felt I couldn't justify the cost difference from $30 for the Basic Kit to $140 for the Pro Kit.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
Not quite as advertised
Product is made of good material, but I had trouble getting the joint to line up. The only way I could get the joint to line up is, (after I mark the center line) I then (on the rail piece) had to remark a line about 1/16" to the left of the center line ( looking at the piece upright ) and line the center bevel on the jig with the offset line to get the joint to line up.
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
- Was this review helpful? Yes (0) No (0)
- Flag as Inappropriate
More Suggestions
x
Price:
Actual Price:
Our price is lower than the manufacturer's "minimum advertised price." As a result, we cannot show you the price in catalog or the product page.
You have no obligation to purchase the product once you know the price. You can simply remove the item from your cart.
You have no obligation to purchase the product once you know the price. You can simply remove the item from your cart.
Our price is lower than the manufacturer's "minimum advertised price." As a result, we cannot show you the price in catalog or the product page.
You have no obligation to purchase the product once you know the price. You can simply remove the item from your cart.
You have no obligation to purchase the product once you know the price. You can simply remove the item from your cart.