New Members: Please Introduce Yourself!

[KregRep]

Welcome to the Kreg Owners' Community!
 
This thread is the best place to introduce yourself and let other Community members get to know you. Please include your name, where you're from, your experience building with wood, why you joined this Community, and any other interesting facts about yourself. Also, feel free to share links to your blog, personal website, etc.

Once you've introduced yourself, be sure to check out Helpful Tips for New Members.

We hope that you find great use and enjoyment from the Kreg Owners' Community!

-KregRep

[Brian K]

At first I didn't understand that either... very witty!

[Jim W76]

Brian K - welcome to the community.  That's a beautiful cabinet!  I'm a new woodworker and recently joined this forum myself.  I am curious about the guatemalan "oak" plywood panels you used.  I assume it's a plywood veneer of some kind.  Where do you buy it?

[Brian K]

Jim Werner said:

Brian K - welcome to the community.  That's a beautiful cabinet!  I'm a new woodworker and recently joined this forum myself.  I am curious about the guatemalan "oak" plywood panels you used.  I assume it's a plywood veneer of some kind.  Where do you buy it?

 

Hi Jim,

 

Home Depot. I put the Oak in quotes because it sort of looks like oak. Sort of. But HD does call it oak. The very annoying sticker that the manufacturer put on it (hard to remove) proudly proclaims it was made in Guatemala. Tip: I used a putty knife to remove the adhesive and acetone to fully remove the adhesive.

[Bret Stephens]

Hi all my name is Bret and I live in Western WI.  I don't really have a handy bone in my body but am trying.  I just ordered the Kreg master set up and am looking forward to all the projects that I will do.  My wife is already stacking up the projects for me so I am super excited.  Also does anyone know if we can add other peoples projects to our favorites button or is that for stuff we find elsewhere?  thanks

[Brian K]

Bret, I can't help with your favorites question. But you make a statement. You didn't ask, but you sorta did...

I firmly believe that most everyone has the same measure of potential for all basic projects; cabinets, book cases, and the like. If you learn to build a box, you can build most everything, since most everything is pretty much a modified box. Humanity "thinks" in boxes when we build things, we just do. Seating and tables excluded, and some of those are modifed boxes too. All it is is training and then doing to get what one can potentially do into the grey matter and to  get that to travel down to the hands consistently.

The basics:

Transgress here and you'll have nothing but problems.

Everything needs to be cut square (angles correct), everything. Even buildings when you get there. Make it square from the ground up and it makes everything go very easily. Transgress here and you have no foundation to build on whether it's a building or a bookcase.

Good joinery is a must, but that's what got you here. Assemble the squarelt cut joints squarely to maintain the foundation.

Then it's sanding and finishing. Sounds easy and it is if you maintain those few basics.

Of course there's this forum. There are also books that'll teach all of what you need. I saw some on the Kreg site, and of course your home center has an extensive area of printed information. Stick to the basics and don't get ahead of yourself and you'll do fine.

 

The basic workbench (use the video to guide you) (BTW, those video projects would be a great learning tool to get your DIY credentials started) would be a great first project, and you need a good workbench anyway. If you ruin a few parts, they're only 2x4s and they're inexpensive ( I always purchase 10% more than I need for waste, mistakes, and if I don't use it, for miscellaneous projects that one can't foresee). Save the pieces for other projects, they aren't garbage yet. I have news for you, we all make mistakes. The key is to learn to fix them or know when to start over. It also helps to measure twice and cut once, but that'd be on a good day. Somedays it's measure once and cut twice no matter what one does. :-) It helps to have short cuts and scraps to practice with before committing to $6/bd ft hardwood lumber.

Bear in mind too, that a project doesn't need to be completed in a certain amount of time. Unless you place that constraint on yourself (I don't). Take your time, make nothing but correct moves when you know how to do them, get each step correct before moving to the next, and again, you'll do fine.

[Bret Stephens]

Thanks Brian I appreciate that a lot.  I did build a work bench this summer before I knew of the Kreg bit and put a nail through my hand.  But it was a good learning experience.  I know now where NOT to put your hand behind the wood:)  I can't wait to share my first project with you guys/gals.  Have a great day and thanks again!

Brian K said:

Bret, I can't help with your favorites question. But you make a statement. You didn't ask, but you sorta did...

I firmly believe that most everyone has the same measure of potential for all basic projects; cabinets, book cases, and the like. I

[Jay Boutwell]

Brian, this is well said and sums it up very nicely.  I have seen many members of this community continue to grow and excell in turning out some amazing and quality projects.  They did so mainly because they refused to be defeated by thinking, "I can't do it". 
 
Brian K said:

Bret, I can't help with your favorites question. But you make a statement. You didn't ask, but you sorta did...

I firmly believe that most everyone has the same measure of potential for all basic projects; cabinets, book cases, and the like. If you learn to build a box, you can build most everything, since most everything is pretty much a modified box. Humanity "thinks" in boxes when we build things, we just do. Seating and tables excluded, and some of those are modifed boxes too. All it is is training and then doing to get what one can potentially do into the grey matter and to  get that to travel down to the hands consistently.

The basics:

Transgress here and you'll have nothing but problems.

Everything needs to be cut square (angles correct), everything. Even buildings when you get there. Make it square from the ground up and it makes everything go very easily. Transgress here and you have no foundation to build on whether it's a building or a bookcase.

Good joinery is a must, but that's what got you here. Assemble the squarelt cut joints squarely to maintain the foundation.

Then it's sanding and finishing. Sounds easy and it is if you maintain those few basics.

Of course there's this forum. There are also books that'll teach all of what you need. I saw some on the Kreg site, and of course your home center has an extensive area of printed information. Stick to the basics and don't get ahead of yourself and you'll do fine.

 

The basic workbench (use the video to guide you) (BTW, those video projects would be a great learning tool to get your DIY credentials started) would be a great first project, and you need a good workbench anyway. If you ruin a few parts, they're only 2x4s and they're inexpensive ( I always purchase 10% more than I need for waste, mistakes, and if I don't use it, for miscellaneous projects that one can't foresee). Save the pieces for other projects, they aren't garbage yet. I have news for you, we all make mistakes. The key is to learn to fix them or know when to start over. It also helps to measure twice and cut once, but that'd be on a good day. Somedays it's measure once and cut twice no matter what one does. :-) It helps to have short cuts and scraps to practice with before committing to $6/bd ft hardwood lumber.

Bear in mind too, that a project doesn't need to be completed in a certain amount of time. Unless you place that constraint on yourself (I don't). Take your time, make nothing but correct moves when you know how to do them, get each step correct before moving to the next, and again, you'll do fine.

[George Slick]

I am the moose Lodge Governor in June.I have a very large lodge I would like to furnish .

[Michael Moldenhauer]

Hey Brian K, from one retired old fart to another, nice job! I also have just begun to discover what I have been missing without the Kreg Jig for all these years. Welcome to the community, and if you know some one whose looking for a biscuit joiner I have one I would be willing to part with.

Brian K said:

First post...

 

Hi, I'm a retired old fart DIYer from Maine (USA). A neighbor insisted I buy a Kreg jig. He told me I'd love it.

I learned woodworking with wood joints, dowels, clamps and glue. New joinery, to me anyway, are bisquits. Like I said, I'm an old fart. :-)

I just built my first minor project using my Kreg jig (cabinet doors). While I was waiting for it to arrive I built the carcase using bisquits and glue. I finished the carcase and had it in place while I built the doors. I held off on the doors specifically to try the jig. OK, so bisquits are pretty easy, but guess which one is the easiest? OK, so you already know, no fair.

 

All aspects of accurate joinery still apply. A very small amount of experimenting proved that out (What a surprise! Duhhh! (on me)  ), but assuming proper angles the pocket hole joinery works great and produces a good joint.

 

Oh, my neighbor? He was right. I guess old farts can learn new stuff, and not everything new is bad, just most of it. :-))

 

Here's the shave gear cabinet:

 

Red oak for the carcase and door frames, guatemalan "oak" plywood panels. The inside back is also of GO plywood, but it has 2 applications of pickle stain to lighten it substantially.

 

If you haven't figured it out, I use traditional shave gear, soaps, creams, brushes, SE and DE razors and blades. You'll find no cartridges in the house. I also collect razors (some there are over 100 years old and shave great!)and that's what the cabinet is for. I have room to expand the collection. It was wasted wall space, but it isn't wasted any longer.

 

I also have the shop cabinetry in the planning stages now that cabinets are so easy.

 

[Jeffery Long]

Jeff from Columbus, Ohio.  I've used the Kreg jig for about four years on various projects (face frames, built-ins etc)  The Kreg sure beats mortise/Tenon and plain butt joints for my purposes.

[Melanie Williamd]

Omg!! I just got an email my Kreg is in he way!! Getting nervous now ... If its not as easy as the infomercial, I am going to b n a tight spot. Just bought a home his past Zfriday and I need a ton of storage n can't afford to buy!!

[Evelinda Garces]

Hi there, My name is Evelinda I am from Mission, Texas deep south by the mexican border. I have been a working with wood much as a hobby, I occasionally sell some of my things.  I love to smell the just cut sawdust kinda like a fresh cut yard.   I saw an infomercial on tv that caught my attention and researched it and purchased the kreg master kit. Could not wait to use it, I have some Modena Pigeons and their coop needed some changes including doors and some panels to separate the pen area and the kreg jig did what the commercial said it would.  Could not be happier with the product.  Did not even know about this site until now and am not surprised on how people sing the praises of this cool jig. So I decided if I was to find new ways to use it I need to find people that  feel the same way.