Help! Joints not tight!

[jc]

i am a first time user of the kreg jig. tried to drill a few holes with no problem but i had a lot porblem with tightening with the screw. i just couldnt get tight joinery consistently. wonder if it has something to do with the angle of long driver or something about the torque on the electric drill or whatever? the joinery can get quite loose.

[Jens Jensen]

I use corded for drilling and impact cordless (DeWalt) for screws and never ever will it fail.I no most people don't have impact wrench but I use it for engine work and just about everything from 3/8 sockets to wood screws.It all depends on your torque settings and clamping when using gun with settings where as impact don.t use settings just on pressure to clutch

[John R. Allen]

Hi JC,

I always clamp the two workpieces to be joined on the side where the screw enters clamped to the opposite side. That is using a Kreg clamp. They work really well. Sometimes I also clamp the other direction because the torque of the screw going in can throw off the joint since the screw can push the workpieces apart.

I love clamping, it makes everything so much easier. That said, be sure the torque on the screw gun is not higher than it needs to be. The screw gun should stop driving right when the screw is flush. I find it's better a little light and then tighten rather than too strong. You will hear a satisfying bzzzzt! when it's right!

HTH,
John

[Jim Fishburn]

JC, When I started using the Kreg jig system I was afraid that the electric drill that I was using would strip out the screws on my project. I went to a couple of places like Harbor Freight and picked up an inexpensive cordless drill. I use my electric drill on making the pocket holes and the cordless drill on the pocket screws. Medium torque setting works just fine and no loose nor stripped screws. This cordless drill was less than $20.