Off Square, Screw walks the wood

[Gentry]

No matter how tight, I clamp the wood the screws walk the joint off square.  I use three Kreg clamps, tighted as tight as I can get them.  My depth setting, cuts and lumber is all spot on perfect, until I add the Kreg screws. Please help!  Getting really mad and ready to throw it in the trash.

[Nick B]

Are you using the correct depth setting on the jig? The correct thread screw? Fine for hardwoods and coarse for softwoods? The correct length screw?

[Gentry]

Yes, I have the correct depth, check the collar at the start of every build and then during.  I have this nice depth chart posted in my shop. 

[KregCS]

I was curious as to application you are using the jig for. If you could let me know if it is a 90 degree joint, joining two pieces side by side or whatever you are doing I would be able to better assist you. 

[Gentry]

The application is a 90 degree angle in a cabinet with birch plywood or when joining 2x2 out of pine for a chair.  It doesn't matter where or what, it causes a pivot.

[Ken Darga]

Gentry,

Are you using ''two'' screws at the joint?

If only a single screw is used, the object may pivoting---

assuming you're attaching a 2x2 to the chair member at a 90 degree angle.

Adequate clamping pressure is needed, so as to keep the adjoining surfaces in the same plane,

while installing the screws.

[Jay Boutwell]

Not sure if I understand this correctly about the walking off square.  What comes to mind is that maybe your cutting of the material in not square.  In order for the material to be 90 degrees and square in both directions it must be cut square in both the verticle and the horizonal directions.  In a butt joint that is 90 degrees it should show square with a accurate square and should also lie flat on a flat surface.  The least amount of unaccurate cuts will cause one or both directions to be out of square and will become more pronounced when the pocket screw tightens the joint.

It would aid in solving the problem if you could post a photo of the joints and the problem.

[KregCS]

 

Due to the severe angle the screw is going in at, the receiving piece will naturally want to move while driving your screws.  This is why adequate clamping pressure is key to getting your joint as close to flush as possible.  A good tip is to apply the majority of your clamping pressure on the piece that you are screwing into since this is the piece that is moving and making your pieces not flush.  Unfortunately the two pieces will not be 100% flush so there will be a little bit of sanding involved but they should be close to flush.  Following this you should see much better results.

[Gentry]

Oh well so I am really wasting quality lumber by sanding it to square??? A dowel joiner puts the holes and joining lumber exactly where I want them.  Gonna go back to that.  Light sanding required!!! What ever.  Stupid Kreg jig has caused a lot of frustration.  Will not use it on something that really needs to BE square.      

" Unfortunately the two pieces will not be 100% flush so there will be a little bit of sanding involved but they should be close to flush."

Raspberries to you!!!  Its going in the trash!!

[David Dean]

Well now that you are trashing your jig could I ask a few gusetions like you I to worked under my grandfather and he used dowel jointer and he lived by it to. Is it a kitchen chair you are building and again like my grandfather said you dont build chair's with screws you use dowl pens becouse you aways have that one preson who has to lean back on the back two legs and thats where the dowl pen come's in.A dont throw away your jig I can show you how to get around that.And I use only Oak

[Gentry]

My fault has been getting roped into a website that shows all these beautiful plans, made with a Kreg jig.  The chair I am referring to is the angle back chair on this website.  The design is by Ana White.  I figured if she can make all these great things so fast, so can I.  Well, I learned the old school way.  Dowels, handmade jigs, glue, time & patience.

I see in your pictures you are using extra bar clamps. For the items I need to finish, I will do that.  When looking at other members photos I noticed that there is evidence of a slight tip out on some of the joints. Its not significant but it bugs me.  

Thank you for the feed back.  

 

[Jens Jensen]

Ill buy the jig so it wont be a burden to you

[Gentry]

LOL