How can we improve your Kreg Experience?

[KregRep]

At Kreg, we make it our top priority is to ensure that our customers get real use out of their Kreg products. The tips and tricks provided in the Kreg Plus Newsletter, Kreg Jig Project Plans, educational videos on YouTube, and the forums found right here on the Kreg Jig Owners Community are all designed to add to your woodworking success.

What we'd like to know from you, is how we can improve...
Do you find the Kreg Jig Owners Community helpful?
Could you have used more detailed instructions with a product?
How was the product packaging and materials included?
Are there any tools you need that we aren't yet offering?
Is it difficult to find accessories at your local store?
Is the newsletter content too simple? Too complex?
What other content would you like to see included in the newsletter?
Were the Kreg Trim Carpentry videos useful to you?

Please use this thread to give the Kreg Family a better idea of what you need in order to advance on your woodworking journey, and to let us know where we're succeeding so far. Thanks!

[Nathan H]

Accurate project plans would be great! As you may recall from my discussions on the toy box I was a bit concerned that as a newbie I was screwing things up but it turned out to be the plans. As a novice accurate plans would give me the confidence to go ahead and learn these things. I enjoyed the layout of the plans I downloaded from the web but when I ordered the ones on the CD (PCD V9.03), they seemed a lot more daunting to me so it currently sits on the shelf while I try my hand at some more basic projects.

I also found the Work bench video a great idea and very very useful before I built mine, so a video for the major plans would be wonderful.

I've ben ordering a lot of my recent Kreg items on line as my local Lowes have a limited selection and usually at a higher price. I would certainly by things there is the price and availability were better.

[Hal Jones]

A couple of things I would like to see. Our local Lowe's is carrying Kreg products, however, I have asked them to carry the 90 degree clamp without any success. I ended up getting a Bessey 90 and it will work, but I did want the option of having the right angle clamp from Kreg.
The project plans are nice and I would like to see more of those made available. The videos are nice, but in the shop printable tips work better.

[Rosemarie Wood]

I also would like to see some simple plans, especially small boxes or clocks etc. I enjoy making gifts for my friends and family. I don't have much room for large projects but I do love to use my kreg. I just made a small project for my church using the kreg. It came out great. I realize the wood has to be a certain size, by small I mean something I can carry without much trouble.
Thanks
Rosemarie

[John Frankforther]

Project plans like a cabinet would be nice if you could have a video that took you step by step from start to finish. I have seen lots of plans on line and I have an idea how to change it but it would be nice to see it done step by step. Most sites show you a few pictures and discribe what they did but sometimes leave out some important step. This would be a good way to show potential customers how easy it is to use your products. You could add in a section about the different screws offered and where you would use them on your project. Some may find this much detail boring but to us others it would be grand.

Maybe also add a section on adding doors and drawers to a project. How to measure and build the drawers and mount the drawer slides for a cabinet.

I am planning on building a new entertainment stand for our future flat screen tv but I'm not quite sure how to take the plans I have seen and convert over to the Kreg system and make it work.

Thanks for listening

John

[Michael Hritz]

I have an older Kreg system without a lot of the cool updates like the dust collection port & the front-mounted clamp handle. I have used it extensively for 5+ years to make cabinets, tables, bookcases, etc. It works just like it did out of the box.

Has Kreg ever considered developing a narrower screw & bit for use in thinner stock, like 5/8"? A precision jig for this kind of small-scale work would be great.

Thanks, Santa!

[John Six]

correct allen key for the locking collar would have been nice but I'll find one :)

great tool

[mark cramer]

Just bought my Kreg jig home from the store today. I've never used one, but I saw a pocket jig in action the other day, and knew I had to have one of these. Very pleased to see it is made in the USA, very annoyed to see a Chinese made knockoff on the shelf right next to it for the same price. I hate glue ups, and I'm immediately seeing how this tool will eliminate them for most of the projects I do. One thing I didn't like when I opened the box: I don't take my tools on the go that often anymore, but I appreciate a tool case having a specific spot for all the parts that came with it, in this case the allen wrench, drill bit, driver, etc. need a specific spot in the case so they're not just rolling around in there, wether it's in my truck or tucked under my workbench, so I can see at a glance I have everything when the case is opened up. Alot of my cased tools have spots reserved for accessories I can buy later, too. Just a thought, folks, I'm still a very happy customer, and looking forward to putting this bad boy to work

[Robert Sokol]

I have had the Jr. for a couple of years & just picked up the K3 Master System yesterday along with the Klamp Table & some extras. These are great tools overall. A few things that would make it even better in my opinion...

1) Some of the promos show the markings in white. I have 20/15 vision but I immediately see how the white markings would be helpful. As a Band-Aid fix, I could probably run White Out over the surface & wipe it away with an alcohol wipe. The White Out will mostly stay in the recesses.

2) I wish I could adjust the jig without removing the dust collection attachment. Perhaps reshaping it slightly would allow better reach to the set screw.

3) Project plans, plans, plans. I like the plans that are available, but please keep them coming. I see several tools that look cool, but I talk myself out of buying them because I would not use them very often. If more plans were out there, new customers may flock to the tool as they recognize its capabilities. Perhaps push its repair capabilities a bit further. For example, I have about 8 low-end furniture items with dowels, cams, etc. that I could firm up with pocket holes.

Again, it’s a fantastic tool. Thank you for providing an open forum for customers to share thoughts & experiences.

[John P. Stombaugh]

I am a fairly new Kreg user. Shortly after procurring my K3 I stumbled on Woodcraft in Columbus, OH. They are very knowledgeable about their stock, and how to use it. The staff there has been helpful beyond my expectations. They seem to have someone that know about every thing - bools. tools, finishing materials - whatever you need to know.

Phillip said:

Like the others I would like more plans. I bought all your DVD's and the plan CD. My only critique might be the plans need to be alterable. I suspect that most of us like to build and not design or draft. I do have a couple of CAD programs, but most Kreg owners are probably not into the CAD work so much. Maybe a way to alter the common designs like boxes, trunks, bookcases, tables, etc. I also suspect the cut list is the challenge, or at least the drudgery. Like some of the others have said, we have to change the plans we have available. Everything is designed around M&T, or dovetail joints, like they haven't discovered the Kreg pocket screw jig yet. It seems that some plans are designed to sell more tools, or parts rather than help us build more useful projects.

You might want to consider an online magazine? Rockler, Woodcraft, and others have their own mags, perhaps you could have a subscription magazine, or online version that has three or four plans per issue, and covers ways to use the Kreg products in different ways. I bought the K3 for cabinet work and end up using it in a wider variety of ways. I loved the books on cabinet work.

I know that most sales people have no loyalty to much of anything, so to see to it that every DVD or screw, drill bit, or ??? is stocked or available, is not one of their priorities. When I go to Woodcraft, or Rockler store they have very little idea how to use the item much less, know if they are out of stock. If I have to rely on the sales staff to learn about the product I would never have bought it. While there are probably exceptions, the retailers do not seem to know or show much, they seem to fall back on the old time standards.
Phil

[KregRep]

JD said:

Project plans would be great. I'm not the engineering type that can figure out how to convert a 'normal' plan into one that my Kreg can use.

Nathan H said:

Accurate project plans would be great! As you may recall from my discussions on the toy box I was a bit concerned that as a newbie I was screwing things up but it turned out to be the plans. As a novice accurate plans would give me the confidence to go ahead and learn these things. I enjoyed the layout of the plans I downloaded from the web but when I ordered the ones on the CD (PCD V9.03), they seemed a lot more daunting to me so it currently sits on the shelf while I try my hand at some more basic projects

Nathan H said:

I also found the Work bench video a great idea and very very useful before I built mine, so a video for the major plans would be wonderful

Phillip said:

Like the others I would like more plans. I bought all your DVD's and the plan CD. My only critique might be the plans need to be alterable. I suspect that most of us like to build and not design or draft. I do have a couple of CAD programs, but most Kreg owners are probably not into the CAD work so much. Maybe a way to alter the common designs like boxes, trunks, bookcases, tables, etc. I also suspect the cut list is the challenge, or at least the drudgery. Like some of the others have said, we have to change the plans we have available. Everything is designed around M&T, or dovetail joints, like they haven't discovered the Kreg pocket screw jig yet.

The response we've received from our first line of plans has been overwhelmingly positive. We know that plans, especially plans for beginners, are hard to find and what to do the best we can to keep bringing them to you. We consider plans to be an important part of the learning experience. However, as a manufacturing company we’re not as fast at producing these plans as one might hope. Please understand that we’re working hard to bring you more plans in the future.

We’ve been very happy with the feedback we’ve received on our video project plan with Jeff Devlin as well, so hopefully we’ll be able to put some more of these together for you in the future.

Alterable plans are a great idea… made difficult by varying software programs, experience levels, etc. Definitely something we’ll consider though. Thank you.




 
Nathan H said:

I've ben ordering a lot of my recent Kreg items on line as my local Lowes have a limited selection and usually at a higher price. I would certainly by things there is the price and availability were better.

Hal Jones said:

Our local Lowe's is carrying Kreg products, however, I have asked them to carry the 90 degree clamp without any success.

Availability is something we’re always working on. We’ve been very excited to get the Kreg Jig® in Lowe’s, Home Depot, along with thousands of dealers all across the country. In addition, we’ve made the Kreg Jig® and all related components readily available online through sites like Amazon.com. Look for more online solutions in the future along with a larger selection of Kreg products at your local store!
 



Michael Hritz said:

I have an older Kreg system without a lot of the cool updates like the dust collection port & the front-mounted clamp handle. I have used it extensively for 5+ years to make cabinets, tables, bookcases, etc. It works just like it did out of the box.

Has Kreg ever considered developing a narrower screw & bit for use in thinner stock, like 5/8"? A precision jig for this kind of small-scale work would be great.

Thanks, Santa!

Sounds like someone needs a Micro Pocket™ Drill Guide!



 
mark cramer said:

One thing I didn't like when I opened the box: I don't take my tools on the go that often anymore, but I appreciate a tool case having a specific spot for all the parts that came with it, in this case the allen wrench, drill bit, driver, etc. need a specific spot in the case so they're not just rolling around in there, wether it's in my truck or tucked under my workbench, so I can see at a glance I have everything when the case is opened up. Alot of my cased tools have spots reserved for accessories I can buy later, too. Just a thought, folks, I'm still a very happy customer, and looking forward to putting this bad boy to work

Thanks for posting this. We used to offer a complicated blow-molded compartmented case. We made the change to the new case for a variety reasons…

1) Based on feedback from existing K3 customers, the vast majority left their jig out of the case permanently after the first use, causing the large, single-purpose, case to simply take up room in their shop.
2) The new case is smaller, more compact, easier to store.
3) The new case holds every piece of the Kreg Jig, just as the old case did.
4) The new case is free of pre-molded plastic which limits your use of the case to securing the jig. By simply using a pliers to remove the few plastic tabs, the new case can be completely flattened and used to hold almost anything.
5) The new case keeps prices down and prevented us from having to raise the price of the tool. Partly due to this case change, the new K3 comes with many features that the old one did not, including an improved clamp, SkillBuilder DVD, Spacer Block, etc.




Robert Sokol said:

I have had the Jr. for a couple of years & just picked up the K3 Master System yesterday along with the Klamp Table & some extras. These are great tools overall. A few things that would make it even better in my opinion...

1) Some of the promos show the markings in white. I have 20/15 vision but I immediately see how the white markings would be helpful. As a Band-Aid fix, I could probably run White Out over the surface & wipe it away with an alcohol wipe. The White Out will mostly stay in the recesses

Here's the technique I would suggest!
1) Mix equal parts flour and water (2-3 tablespoons should be adequate) into a paste.
2) Carefully rub the paste into the Kreg Jig® markings with your finger.
3) Wipe away the excess paste with a very lightly dampened cloth.
4) The paste mixture will harden over time. Repeat if necessary.

[Kevin]

not sure how much of a suggestion it is, but many cabinet companies among countless other types of companies have "groups" or "libraries" of drawings in the Google SketchUp library..
SketchUp is pretty user friendly and drawings are alterable, you can spin them around and look at them from every angle and as close as you want.
What if Kreg put together maybe 20 or so assorted projects in a SketchUp format? Not that I'm her advertising for Google. Man, is that a joke or what. But I recently found it and really like it. Any of us could access the SketchUp drawings, and say you had a bookcase on there that we liked but wanted it 6" taller and a foot wider. Seems like it would be easy enough to print out the drawing as is or alter it and be able to construct it from there.

Another suggestion: we call this a "community", right? How about a place on here where those of us who could use a little help with a design just ask? Surely there are some of us on here who could throw together a basic drawing for the ones that could use the help?

[Andrew Cargin]

It would be great if you could include metric measurement on the jig as well as the imperial.