Screws going through second piece

[M Blair]

I've been using pocket holes for some time, but I had a terribly frustrating problem when I was trying to make a simple butt joint today.

I have a 3/4" pine standard board that I am trying to join to another 3/4" pine standard board. I set the depth collar to 3/4" (at the shoulder) and drilled into the primary board. When I used the 1-1/4" coarse Kreg-brand screw to connect the joint, the screw poked through the edge of the secondary piece. It happened several times.

I then put the depth collar about an 1/8" closer to the drill and had the same effect.

The screws are poking through the secondary piece. Could it be possible that the torque on my drill is too high and pushing the screws farther into the pocket hole than they should go? That, the screws are extending the size of the pocket hole?

Anybody have any ideas?

[james wilhelm]

If I understand what you are writing about moving the collar 1/8 " closer to the drill ?  I think that would make the hole deeper if you are moving it towards the drill motor  !! I would move it towards the end of the drill bit and that would keep it from going in to far. Keeping the torque lower will also help , hope this answers  your ???? JIM

[Colyn Luchterhand]

You also need to actually measure the board thickness.  If it's sold to you as a 3/4 inch board, it's actually thinner...meaning that you may be drilling too deep.  And as the other reply states, you will want to move the collar closer to the workpiece, not to the drill.

[Hugh Clare]

If your settings are correct for the actual wood thickness, it's likely that you are applying too much torque to the screw. The screw should be drawn down just enough to close the opening between the work pieces. 

[James Waller]

Like mention above, make sure board is 3/4". I use a lot of 1x boards (1x3, 1x4, 1x8, etc) and although I don't check it everytime, I do sometimes make sure it's 3/4" thick.

Is this a "based" K3 or K4 jig that you are using and not a portable jig?

I presume your guide is also set to 3/4", right?

If you stick your drill bit into the guide with no board in the jig, does it touch the base? If so then stick a couple pennies on the base, push the drill bit (take out of drill) through the hole till it touches the penny, then adjust the collar. Then lay it on the base and see if the collar is at the 3/4" mark.

If you have torque (clutch) adjustments on your drill then start at about setting 2 and adjust till you get a setting that will set the screw and kicks in the clutch that prevents from overdriving the screw.

[Timpala]

I had a similar issue when using true 3/4" plywood. I found that I set the collar based on the end of the setting guide rather than have the collar in the indent made for it. It "looked" right and drilled right through my Kreg base!

I checked my settings and realized what happened. I reset the collar to the correct depth and all worked properly. I did still have one or two screws out of a hundred just tip out the other side of the work. Probably let the drill get away and torque too tight.

Nice tip with the pennies too, thanks.

[M Blair]

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

I'm using what the store calls 1" lumber, which is actually 3/4".

I've experimented with moving the depth collar further down (that is, closer to the end of the drill bit). I'm positive that all the settings are correct.

I'm starting to think that I had the torque up way to high. I think maybe I've been forcing the screw down with the drill. The only reason that might not make sense is because the screws have flat bottoms and not steeped. Anyhow, it sounds like other people have had problems with the high clutch, too.

James, I checked the jig quickly and the drill bit is not even close to touching the base of the jig. I'm going to experiment with the pennies, though. That's a creative idea that makes sense to me. I'll let you know how it works out. Thanks for that tip.

[Ken Darga]

MB,

The instruction manual makes reference to using a ''nickel'' as a spacer---

as well as several posts earlier.

It's a good practice to store the instruction manual with the tools/equipment, and review the instruction manual, prior to using the tools.

This is especially helpful, when the equipment hasn't been used for awhile.

Also, use a ''highlighter'' to mark the pertinent info, such as key words and the like, in the instruction manual.

I use a ''dime'' to set the bit spacing/stop[ collar, when joining 1/2'' stock---

works for me.

M Blair said:

>>>,,, I'm going to experiment with the pennies, though. That's a creative idea that makes sense to me. ..../p>

[Jay Boutwell]

The use of a nickel for setting the stop collar on the drill bit has worked for me since 1990 on the Kreg jigs from the K-2, K-3 and K-4 without problems.  This is in a production shop and many thousands of holes have been drilled in these22 years. The setting with the nickel is checked from time to time to insure that the stop collar is still holding tight.

  Never drilled through a base plate and have had excellent performance in both hardwoods and soft woods of most species as well as plywoods in most of the common used in cabinet building.  This is also includes excellent performance in melamines and particle boards as well.  I have never had the reason to fiddle around with the stop collar adjustment.  If I find a problem with the stop collar not holding to the bit I normally will drill a small indentation  on the bit shank for the set screw to engage and sometimes change the stop collar set screw and or the set screw and the stop collar as one unit, then reset the collar with the nickel method.

I have found it simple, if your screws are penetrating the mating material. the problem is one of these three things:

1. drilling too deep,  2. wrong  length of screw for the material, 3. over driving the screw. 

 

[Stef Nebbioso]

It happened to me to at first .. I now have a Hitachi drill with a speed dial so that I wont exceed the length of the pocket .. I also use a hand tool..  double drive ratchet screw driver from Kobalt  from Lowes. Havent had a problem since. Hope that helped :)

[Patrick D. Winchester]

I use the Kreg jig a lot. I have a K 2000 and a K-3. A guy has to be careful and make sure he is using the correct bit depth and thickness setting for the correct tool.

In addition, I always try to use the Kreg face frame and corner clamps when possible.

I also se the chuck setting of the cordless drill that I am using to drive the screws at about 1/2 torque. If it isn't enough, I then turn it up until I get what I want: a tight joint with the screw bottomed out in the pocket hole. Too much torque on too soft a wood will ALWAYS drive the screw too deep.

[M Blair]

Just to close this discussion out, the problem is that I've had the torque way too high. It's been pushing the screws through the second piece. When I adjust the torque to a lower setting, I do not have this problem.

[Larry Hill]

Thank You  for the info  could you send a photo of how this nickel is used  [e-mail]  Thank YOu

Jay Boutwell said:

The use of a nickel for setting the stop collar on the drill bit has worked for me since 1990 on the Kreg jigs from the K-2, K-3 and K-4 without problems.  This is in a production shop and many thousands of holes have been drilled in these22 years. The setting with the nickel is checked from time to time to insure that the stop collar is still holding tight.

  Never drilled through a base plate and have had excellent performance in both hardwoods and soft woods of most species as well as plywoods in most of the common used in cabinet building.  This is also includes excellent performance in melamines and particle boards as well.  I have never had the reason to fiddle around with the stop collar adjustment.  If I find a problem with the stop collar not holding to the bit I normally will drill a small indentation  on the bit shank for the set screw to engage and sometimes change the stop collar set screw and or the set screw and the stop collar as one unit, then reset the collar with the nickel method.

I have found it simple, if your screws are penetrating the mating material. the problem is one of these three things:

1. drilling too deep,  2. wrong  length of screw for the material, 3. over driving the screw.