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Rockler 3/8'' Beadlock® Basic Starter Kit

Easily create rock-solid mortise and tenon joints with just a drill and this easy-to-use jig.
Item #
34802
Rating:
78% of 100
(107)

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
(1) Anodized Drill Plate
(1) 3/8" HSS Drill Bit
(1) 3/8" Drill Block
(4) 0.060" Shims
(2) 0.030" Shims
More Information
Brand Beadlock
Weight 1.7000
Tech Spec
  • 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)
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3.9 / 5.0
107 Reviews
5 Stars
4 Stars
3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Star
45
31
14
6
11
Handy tenpn jig
Works well. A cheap man's Festool Domino machine.
March 10, 2020
Purchased
 4 months ago
Woodworking Experience:
Intermediate
Excellent
Strong and easy form of joinery
March 4, 2020
Purchased
 5 months ago
Woodworking Experience:
Intermediate
Great piece of wood working hardware!
March 3, 2020
Purchased
 5 months ago
This system made my work so quick and easy.
Plant stand
Top. Under painter’s tape is a ceramic tile.
Beadlock used where legs attach to base.
December 12, 2019
Purchased
 7 months ago
Woodworking Experience:
Intermediate
Great tool
November 24, 2019
Purchased
 8 months ago
Great, easy to use tool that is quality made
I am very impressed with the Beadlock tool. The basic kit is probably all you will need. It is designed for 3/4 wood, but has shims to allow you to center on wide boards up to 2×4. It is quality made and does a fantasti, easy job. You draw a line after holding the 2 part together and it has an opening to put on that line which ensure alignment. I have not tried on wood where the 2 mating pieces are different in thickness. But this is a lot easier to do than mortise and tendons!
November 9, 2019
Purchased
 8 months ago
Woodworking Experience:
Intermediate
Perfect tool for my projects.
July 19, 2019
Purchased
 1 year ago
Woodworking Experience:
Intermediate
it is easy to get it to work for my projects
June 7, 2019
Purchased
 1 year ago
Woodworking Experience:
Advanced
Great tool
Great tool. Better than spending $1000 on a domino for someone like me. Make sure you use a screw clamp so that the Jag does not move.
Make sure you align the jig and layout marks and use a tight screw clamp (not trigger clamp)
Made this wooden screen door from poplar using the beadlock 3/8 jig and tenons. Great tool.
May 23, 2019
Purchased
 1 year ago
Woodworking Experience:
Intermediate
Simple to use
The kit worked as advertised. I built the end table from Rockler's plan with a slight variation to the top and am well pleased with the result. It is very sturdy. The top is mahogany to match a bookcase I had previously built.
End table with mahogany top. Top has ogee edges instead of the slanted edge in the plan.
End table with mahogany top. Top has ogee edges instead of the slanted edge in the plan.
May 22, 2019
Purchased
 1 year ago
Woodworking Experience:
Beginner
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Browse 12 questions Browse 12 questions and 71 answers
Why did you choose this?
Rockler Store
Can’t wait to try it out
Richard W on Jul 4, 2020
alternative to buying a domino
Scott T on Jun 10, 2020
Can’t wait to try it out
Richard W on Jul 4, 2020
An inexpensive and easy way to make tenons; couldn't use pocket screws - they would be exposed
Bruce D on Jun 27, 2020
alternative to buying a domino
Scott T on Jun 10, 2020
Going to give it a try
Ronald B on Jun 6, 2020
making a better way of doing my projects
Robert M on May 31, 2020
For quick easy and reliable joinery!!
Rick on May 25, 2020
simplicity of use
Thomas D on May 14, 2020
Need this for woodworking projects.
Kathleen F on May 11, 2020
not all my assembly can take advantage of the Kreg pocket screw system.......
ANDREW K on Feb 21, 2020
the price is right and I can use them
James H on Feb 20, 2020
Beginner to mortise joints.
mike m on Feb 13, 2020
Building doors
Ed on Feb 12, 2020
I wanted to try this method
Mick on Feb 4, 2020
Need this to use the other items I bought.
Paul on Jan 25, 2020
Retired and want to try some woodworking. Beadlock system seems a simple way to do joinery
Jim C on Jan 3, 2020
I've had the Pro Kit for over a year and use it regularly on table legs, but run into clamping issues when the stretcher and/or apron board is less than 2.5 inches wide. Roughly half of the board width is under the round clamp head and prone to slip out. Shimming works if you have three hands, but at my age, I don't fight with my tools.
KEN C on Dec 17, 2019
I need an easy way to get started on making tenons.
Alan W on Nov 16, 2019
making bed frame
Peter B on Nov 16, 2019
They looked very sturdy.
Edward D on Nov 16, 2019
as a alternative to festool domino
Gregory M on Nov 4, 2019
Wanted to try another way of joinery
John C on Oct 24, 2019
Easy mortise and tenons
Ron M on Sep 12, 2019
Good reviews
David C on Aug 12, 2019
Easy and efficient way to produce sturdy joinery.
Richard C on Aug 4, 2019
wanted to try this joining system
Dan M on Aug 1, 2019
Making a bench from an old disassembled piano.
Eric S on Jul 26, 2019
Building end table from Rockler plans
Mark B on Apr 23, 2019
This looks as if it would make it a lot easier to create quality joints.
Gregory C on Apr 9, 2019
Wanted to give it a try and see how good it works.
Jake C on Mar 11, 2019
this looks like a simple system for making good strong tenon joints.
Wes S on Jan 4, 2019
Good start to see if we like this method with the add on accessory gives us two sizes.
Pamela M on Dec 29, 2018
gift
Kathleen C on Dec 15, 2018
After looking at other joining methods this system seem the easiest.
James A on Dec 2, 2018
Saw a review in Family Handyman
L. Gene L on Dec 2, 2018
Christmas gift for my son saw it in Familyu Hanhyman Magazine
Beth U on Nov 29, 2018
If the basic system works as I hope, I will spring for the Pro Kit and the router bit to make my own stock, a $206.00 investment!
Bruce D on Nov 28, 2018
The Beadlock Joinery system looked like a very convenient and almost equally strong alternative to using conventional mortice and tenon joinery. It certainly appears to be quite easy to implement.
Gerald B. C on Nov 22, 2018
Building a bed
Austin K on Oct 2, 2018
Looks easier than dowel and stronger than pocket screws.
Blair W on Jul 26, 2018
I'd like to try this type of joiner. Seems easier than other methods.
James B on Jul 16, 2018
want to try it
Al G on Jul 1, 2018
can't afford a domino.
jcoxaccounting j on Jun 21, 2018
gift for my husband
Raelyn D on May 22, 2018
Plan to make a bench and need a secure way to put legs on
Leon H on May 20, 2018
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 on Feb 12, 2018
Looks like a great product can't wait to try it.
Richard L on Feb 11, 2018
An inexpensive and easy way to make tenons; couldn't use pocket screws - they would be exposed
Bruce D on Jun 27, 2020
Going to give it a try
Ronald B on Jun 6, 2020
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
BEST ANSWER: Not with this jig. the beadlock will have to be at one side of the board, not toward the center area. This is design to put a beadlock on a 3/4 thickness. or a beadlock on one side of a wider stock.
Has anyone cut the tab off that prevents you from using drill bit collars? issues?
Bob D on May 13, 2017
Can the 1/2" Beadlock® Pro Accessory Kit ($59.99 each) be used with the Rockler 3/8'' Beadlock® Basic Starter Kit ($29.99
each), Or I'm I stuck buying the Rockler Beadlock® Pro Joinery Kit ($149.99 each) to make 1/2" mortises?
I'm joining some 2x6 cedar for deck railing caps and making mitered joints, but I don't want to blow my deck project budget any more than I already have. Any and all comments and suggestions would be appreciated at this point.
Joe D on May 28, 2018
Rockler 3/8'' Beadlock® Basic Starter Kit
Rockler 3/8'' Beadlock® Basic Starter Kit
Rockler 1/2
Rockler 1/2" Beadlock® Pro Accessory Kit
Rockler Beadlock® Pro Joinery Kit
Rockler Beadlock® Pro Joinery Kit
BEST ANSWER: I bought the Rockler 3/8" Beadlock Basic Starter Kit Item # 34802 ($29.99 each) and the Beadlock 1/2" Accessory Kit Item # 34985 ($27.99 each). They worked great together and the accessory kit pieces store in the starter kit's box.
Can this be set up on a mitred joint?
Danielb on Jul 31, 2018
BEST ANSWER: Yes, provided there is sufficient width of stock to receive the tenon.
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: Yes, 38088 & 34985 ARE designed to work with this Basic Jig (34802); there is space in the case to store them as well and their bits.
Rockler 1/4
Rockler 1/4" Accessory Kit (Guide Block, Drill Bit and Shim Set)
Beadlock® 1/2
Beadlock® 1/2" Accessory Kit
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.
Can this jig be used to join 3/4 in stock to 1.5 inch stock (1 by lumber to 2 by lumber)?
David E on Jul 30, 2019
BEST ANSWER: yes, that's where the shims come into play. I have used it for up to 21/2 inch stock.
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.
Can you use this for breadboard tabletops when using 2x6 type boards? or does the thickness of the wood HAVE to be 3/4"?
samuel on Jun 18, 2020
BEST ANSWER: I have never used it on 2 inch material but I think it would still work.
How easy is it to shim it to get precisely centered on 2x material? Should I just get the pro system instead?
ekill 1 on May 18, 2019
BEST ANSWER: Recommend the pro system upgraded mine to the pro system
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.
Prop 65 WarningWARNING: Cancer & Reproductive Harm - www.P65Warnings.ca.gov

Prop 65 WarningWARNING: Drilling, sawing, sanding or machining wood products can expose you to wood dust, a substance known to the State of California to cause cancer. Avoid inhaling wood dust or use a dust mask or other safeguards for personal protection. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/wood.
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