Kreg Jig System Differences

[Rick Stewart]

I am considering purchasing a Kreg jig system.  I noticed that there is a Kreg K4MS Jig System and also a Kreg K3MS Jig System available at online sites such as Amazon.com.  I am wondering what the differences are between the two systems other than perhaps the K4MS is the latest or newer model.  Thanks!

[Scott Bastian]

I have owned 2 Kreg systems, the origional ( I guess its a K1) and now a K3.  Ihave to say without doubt, the K3 is the way to go.  Just as you have mentioned, the K3 handles all of its business on one side of the board you mount in it to drill.  I experianced the reach around syndrom on my K1 frequently, and I quickly learned the advantages of clamping and drilling on the same side.  I use my Kreg to build cabinets that include pocket holes on the carcase to mount the face frame to it. Now the face frame can be done on any of the jigs with no real trouble, but..... the carcase is usually 16-24" of pannel and is EASALY put in to a K3 and drilled.  If you put it in a K1-2 and K4 all requireing you reach to the back side of the pannel to clamp this becomes very cumbersom and slow. 

 

OK now for the K4 solution..... you have to take take your bench tool apart and use the vise-grip type clamp with it in a housing then you can lay the carcase pannel on a table and clamp the jig to an edge and then go to the other side to drill it or reach over a little awkward and drill it.  All in All this is still much slower than just using a K3.

 

Well I was at the Wood Show in October here in Los Angles with a friend who has seen me use my K3.  He was set to buy a new Kreg jig and had been waiting for the show. So we go there and just as mentioned before, Kreg has discontinued the K3 and was only touting the K4 system and its trinkets.

 

I was told the K3 was discontinued due to a light clamping issue.  I have to admit the K3 does not lock onto your drilling stock as firm as a K1,2 or K4...... BUT I have never had it slip out or move!

 

 

KREG I HOPE YOU ARE LISTENING!!!!!   YOU NEED TO KEEP THE K3 DESIGN AND SUPPORT IT!!!!!!!!

[Frank Gardecki]

If history repeats, than K5 has to be around the corner and its going to have that one little thing that the K3 and K4 does not have, just my guess.

Scott Bastian said:

I have owned 2 Kreg systems, the origional ( I guess its a K1) and now a K3.  Ihave to say without doubt, the K3 is the way to go.  Just as you have mentioned, the K3 handles all of its business on one side of the board you mount in it to drill.  I experianced the reach around syndrom on my K1 frequently, and I quickly learned the advantages of clamping and drilling on the same side.  I use my Kreg to build cabinets that include pocket holes on the carcase to mount the face frame to it. Now the face frame can be done on any of the jigs with no real trouble, but..... the carcase is usually 16-24" of pannel and is EASALY put in to a K3 and drilled.  If you put it in a K1-2 and K4 all requireing you reach to the back side of the pannel to clamp this becomes very cumbersom and slow. 

 

OK now for the K4 solution..... you have to take take your bench tool apart and use the vise-grip type clamp with it in a housing then you can lay the carcase pannel on a table and clamp the jig to an edge and then go to the other side to drill it or reach over a little awkward and drill it.  All in All this is still much slower than just using a K3.

 

Well I was at the Wood Show in October here in Los Angles with a friend who has seen me use my K3.  He was set to buy a new Kreg jig and had been waiting for the show. So we go there and just as mentioned before, Kreg has discontinued the K3 and was only touting the K4 system and its trinkets.

 

I was told the K3 was discontinued due to a light clamping issue.  I have to admit the K3 does not lock onto your drilling stock as firm as a K1,2 or K4...... BUT I have never had it slip out or move!

 

 

KREG I HOPE YOU ARE LISTENING!!!!!   YOU NEED TO KEEP THE K3 DESIGN AND SUPPORT IT!!!!!!!!

[Terry Welty]

Rockler has the K3MS system on sale today for $139.  Free Shipping and you get a free $25 gift certificate...  States, "While supply last!"

 

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11410

[Chris Dykman]

I got the K3 about three years ago and it worked great - saw the K4 some time later and thought to myself that it might be awkward to reach over the material to clamp.  

Yesterday, while changing the clamp width on my K3, when I backed off the nut - the whole metal assembly came out of the fiberglass housing - it goes back in but you can't back off the nut ---- and you're stuck with that setting.  In looking at the K3 and K4 together, it appears the K4's clamping assembly is all metal and rear handle links directly to the clamp, as opposed to the K3's metal in a fiberglass housing with linkages to the front mounted handle.

So maybe this is why they went from a front to rear mounted handle for the clamp.

[John Schaben]

Good observation Chris, thanks for sharing. I also picked up a K3 about the same time but mine hasn't really seen heavy use. I'm kind of abiguous about the the K4 as I have yet to use pockets in large panels....

Chris Dykman said:

I got the K3 about three years ago and it worked great - saw the K4 some time later and thought to myself that it might be awkward to reach over the material to clamp.  

Yesterday, while changing the clamp width on my K3, when I backed off the nut - the whole metal assembly came out of the fiberglass housing - it goes back in but you can't back off the nut ---- and you're stuck with that setting.  In looking at the K3 and K4 together, it appears the K4's clamping assembly is all metal and rear handle links directly to the clamp, as opposed to the K3's metal in a fiberglass housing with linkages to the front mounted handle.

So maybe this is why they went from a front to rear mounted handle for the clamp.

[Larwyn]

My K2 and K2000 are still going strong, as well as the Rocket and Mini jig.  No need to replace them yet!

[Frank Gardecki]

Welcome to the world of plastic cancer and shabby strength we live for.

John Schaben said:

Good observation Chris, thanks for sharing. I also picked up a K3 about the same time but mine hasn't really seen heavy use. I'm kind of abiguous about the the K4 as I have yet to use pockets in large panels....

Chris Dykman said:

I got the K3 about three years ago and it worked great - saw the K4 some time later and thought to myself that it might be awkward to reach over the material to clamp.  

Yesterday, while changing the clamp width on my K3, when I backed off the nut - the whole metal assembly came out of the fiberglass housing - it goes back in but you can't back off the nut ---- and you're stuck with that setting.  In looking at the K3 and K4 together, it appears the K4's clamping assembly is all metal and rear handle links directly to the clamp, as opposed to the K3's metal in a fiberglass housing with linkages to the front mounted handle.

So maybe this is why they went from a front to rear mounted handle for the clamp.

[Andy Cox]

Do you know the model #  of the air cylinder. It looks like a Bimba and there are many on eBay for about $20 but I'd like to get one like yours. Kreg told me they would not sell me an air cylinder to upgrade my K-2 like yours.

Thanks,

Andy

 

Jay Boutwell said:

Hi Rick, reading your post about the kreg jig differences.  I have a old K-2 which was aluminum but as far as I can tell from looking at the k-4 that I  also, own it appears to have the same clamp as the one that was on the K-2.  This indicates to me that they did not change the clamp design.  What I did was since I had mounted the K-2 in a permanent position on my bench is added an air cylinder clamp with a foot switch.  In place of using the foot switch on the floor I mounted it up on the bench so that I can activate it with my left knee. 

One of Kregs upgrades to the K-2 was to offer an air clamp to replace the hand operated clamp.  I don't know if they still offer this or not however it appears to be the same air cylinger that they use on their clamp table and other auto clamping boring pocket hole machines.  Actually it would not be that difficult to replace that hand clamp with a universal air clamp as the mounting is not hard to build.  Maybe if enough customers requested it of Kreg Tools that they might offer it as an upgrade.  When clamping up large wide stock it is a great upgrade. 

[Joshua Russell]

You will want a Single Acting, Spring Return 1.5 Inch Bore with a 1 to 1.75 stroke.  Just be warned that this is not as simple as you might think and starts to add up quickly. You will be looking at around 60-100 dollars at the end. Most expensive stuff will be the 3 Way foot valve and the Cylinder. Buy used or Chinese and you can save some money. Best site I found was Ebay but for all the hose, fittings, rubber bumper, cylinder mount and little stuff Frightprops.com was a great site. 

Here is are 2 videos of my R3 turned Pneumatic. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh8cJEHQAaM&index=1&list=UU...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kczsvOHcapE&index=3&list=UU...

[daddywoofdawg]

what is the specs or model # of the clamp cylinder? or size Dia. and stroke length so I may find a universal cylinder. 

Jay Boutwell said:

Hi Rick, reading your post about the kreg jig differences.  I have a old K-2 which was aluminum but as far as I can tell from looking at the k-4 that I  also, own it appears to have the same clamp as the one that was on the K-2.  This indicates to me that they did not change the clamp design.  What I did was since I had mounted the K-2 in a permanent position on my bench is added an air cylinder clamp with a foot switch.  In place of using the foot switch on the floor I mounted it up on the bench so that I can activate it with my left knee. 

One of Kregs upgrades to the K-2 was to offer an air clamp to replace the hand operated clamp.  I don't know if they still offer this or not however it appears to be the same air cylinger that they use on their clamp table and other auto clamping boring pocket hole machines.  Actually it would not be that difficult to replace that hand clamp with a universal air clamp as the mounting is not hard to build.  Maybe if enough customers requested it of Kreg Tools that they might offer it as an upgrade.  When clamping up large wide stock it is a great upgrade. 

[Andy Cox]

After some research I found that we are looking for a Bimba with 171 in the model #. The 17 denotes a 1 1/2" piston and the 1 denotes a 1" stroke. The little bracket that mounts the air cylinder to the jig is a D-241.

Hope this helps anyone looking. Now if I could find the perfect rubber presser foot.

Andy

[Joshua Russell]

One rubber foot. http://www.frightprops.com/pneumatics/cylinder-parts/heavy-duty-rub...
Otherwise a turned down hockey puck would work. Just would need to drill and tap it.