A counter top you can count on...

[Kerry Drake]

Got to spend quite a bit of time the shop this weekend and made a bit a progress on both of the pending projects.

The Cherry Counter Top for the Built-In

I got out my Kreg Mini and set about drilling 20 pocket holes in the center board of the counter top (10 on each side). I got the Mini free when I ordered on of the Kreg clamps I got, and this thing is a joy to use on big pieces like this and I don't have to take my regular Kreg apart.

These pieces are so long I ended up using biscuits and pocket holes to put it together (the biscuits where really to help keep the pieces aligned over the whole 10' length).

Finally got out the glue and every clamp that I own that would open to 18"...

The I flipped the whole mess over and ran the 20 pocket screws home. This worked really well as the pocket screws actually got some squeeze out from the places the clamps alone did not.

I even managed to get back to the piece about 45 minutes after the glue up to scrape away the squeeze out while it was in the "booger" stage.

Up next for this is a cutting to final size, and then lots and lots of sanding. If I can "bump" into one of my neighbors down the street, he has a 20" planer and maybe I can him to let me make a few passes over the top of this; it would sure make this last step much easier....

The 2nd project is not a Kreg project, but if you want to see it check out my normal BLOG.

[Kerry Drake]

The boards are 1 1/8" thick and I set the Jig for 3/4" thickness. Soooo, the screws should be about 3/8" up from the bottom of the boards, leaving nearly 3/4" of board at the top with no screws. I only need to plane off maybe 1/8" to flatten the top on a planer.

In other words, I think it will be fine.

[Robert J Guidry Sr]

I dont know what thickness boards you are using and what setup you used on your pocket holes, but wouldn't the ends of the screws be dangerously close to run through a planer, especially a few passes.

[Kim C]

That is going to be beautiful!