How can we improve your Kreg Experience?

[KregRep]

At Kreg, we make it our top priority is to ensure that our customers get real use out of their Kreg products. The tips and tricks provided in the Kreg Plus Newsletter, Kreg Jig Project Plans, educational videos on YouTube, and the forums found right here on the Kreg Jig Owners Community are all designed to add to your woodworking success.

What we'd like to know from you, is how we can improve...
Do you find the Kreg Jig Owners Community helpful?
Could you have used more detailed instructions with a product?
How was the product packaging and materials included?
Are there any tools you need that we aren't yet offering?
Is it difficult to find accessories at your local store?
Is the newsletter content too simple? Too complex?
What other content would you like to see included in the newsletter?
Were the Kreg Trim Carpentry videos useful to you?

Please use this thread to give the Kreg Family a better idea of what you need in order to advance on your woodworking journey, and to let us know where we're succeeding so far. Thanks!

[Rick Prosser]

I built the Workbench project, and the instruction pictures seem to show the rails with the pocket holes upside down. The rails are shown with the pockets close to the top edge. I figured it out after I had connected the legs and rails.

Good solid work piece once corrected.

[Kim C]

I would like to see more of an assortment of exterior screws available. I have worked with my local hardware store to get an assortment of self tapping exterior screws but they are all star bit. Finding a long star bit driver has been a headache. My local Lowes does sell the Blue-Kote but only in 2 1/2 inch. I need some 1 1/4 inch. And yes, I know I can order what I need but I have yet to want to break down and pay shipping on screws or shell out the $ for 5000 screws at once. (After all I am saving up for the Clamp Trak system!!)
But for now, I have a long list of interior projects to finish up and I am just trying to plan ahead. Exterior projects hopefull to start in April!!!
In regards to available plans... I found that what is available to me both online and with provided DVD's I have enough to keep me busy for years to come. LOL
Also, I have noticed that many woodworking magazines are incorporating pocket hole joinery into their plans. Pretty impressive!
Those that don't... basically I find that if you skip over all the pages of instructions on rabbet joints, etc, and just think in terms of a simple pocket hole joint most plans are easy to convert. Now I just look at the dimensions, make some adjustments on the cut list and it's a simple design! So, a booklet or section of instructions on how to convert designs might be a good addition with the Kreg system.

[Anthony Lanting]

I would like to see the plans that are supposed to be offered on the website. For some reason I keep going in circles and it keeps asking me to login again and again. I noticed that others have this same problem also.

[KregRep]

Chuck Brazie said:

I was making some small drawers with 1/2" pine, I could not get the corner joint results I wanted with the Kreg jig. The 1" screws would usually finish up very close to the outside and a lot of the time show up at the edge. I tried adjusting the depth collar to not drill as deep, and that helped some but the exit of the screw was not near center.I tried a thin metal shim (see picture) and that would center the screw in the wood, but when driven in, the head then was not all the way in the pocket.
It seems like for 1/2" wood maybe a different angle of the jig and a 7/8" screw would work better...

Chuck, working with 1/2" material can be somewhat of a struggle with the standard Kreg Jig. Because of variations in certain 1/2" stock and the simple physics of the joint, it's a very difficult thing to get 100% right all of the time. Because of this, we recently released the Micro Pocket Drill Guide. This guide adapts the Kreg Jig and Kreg Jig Master System to work much more efficiently with 1/2" stock. If you do a lot of 1/2" work, this purchase will probably be worth while. If you work with 1/2" stock infrequently, you can definitely get the standard drill guide to work, it might just take you a bit of trial and error.



Kim C said:

I would like to see more of an assortment of exterior screws available. I have worked with my local hardware store to get an assortment of self tapping exterior screws but they are all star bit. Finding a long star bit driver has been a headache. My local Lowes does sell the Blue-Kote but only in 2 1/2 inch. I need some 1 1/4 inch. And yes, I know I can order what I need but I have yet to want to break down and pay shipping on screws or shell out the $ for 5000 screws at once. (After all I am saving up for the Clamp Trak system!!)
But for now, I have a long list of interior projects to finish up and I am just trying to plan ahead. Exterior projects hopefull to start in April!!! In regards to available plans... I found that what is available to me both online and with provided DVD's I have enough to keep me busy for years to come. LOL Also, I have noticed that many woodworking magazines are incorporating pocket hole joinery into their plans. Pretty impressive!
Those that don't... basically I find that if you skip over all the pages of instructions on rabbet joints, etc, and just think in terms of a simple pocket hole joint most plans are easy to convert. Now I just look at the dimensions, make some adjustments on the cut list and it's a simple design! So, a booklet or section of instructions on how to convert designs might be a good addition with the Kreg system.

Great points with the project plans, there are getting to be more and more of them that utilize the Kreg Jig since the magazines are finding that their customers really value getting projects done quickly and easily. For those that don't use the Kreg Jig, it's usually as easy as skipping a few steps (drilling and installing dowels) or reducing the size of the workpiece by a bit (mortise and tenon). Not perfect, but once you've done it a few times... fairly straight-forward.

As for the screw availability... this is always a struggle. We want out dealers to carry the full line so that our customers will be able to find what they want and when they want it... they only want to carry the 4 or 5 which sell the best, so it's a struggle. Thankfully, screws can be found in online dealerships which provide the entire collection of Kreg screws. While this is not optimal, it's a great solution for someone looking for a very specific screw and screw quantity. Many retailers have free shipping if you order over a certain amount of product. If they have a 'shopping cart' type feature, you can save the products you want and then wait to buy until you've reached the 'free shipping' level. Good comments, thank you!





Anthony Lanting said:

I would like to see the plans that are supposed to be offered on the website. For some reason I keep going in circles and it keeps asking me to login again and again. I noticed that others have this same problem also.

Anthony, this is something we're working on fixing. Duly noted, look for a solution sooner rather than later.

[Rod]

How do you make the plastic plugs stay in place?
Rod Buchanan

[NickM]

I bought the Square-Cut (and Multi-Mark) yesterday at Lowes. I haven't had a chance to use either tool yet. Ok, here we go, my thoughts right out of the box:
1) The Square-Cut should be made of the same material the Kreg jig is made of. (If it is, then I apologize.)
2) It doesn't feel substantial. The whole unit should be thicker, more heft. I'm concerned how well Square-Cut will hold up banging around a tool box or roughed up at the a job site, etc. Also, under heavy use, I think the portion of the Squre-Cut where the saw runs along will show wear sooner rather than later. Perhaps reinforcing that part with a denser, smoother material might help.
3) Replace the exisitng screw that locks down the arm with a brass screw (like featured on the Multi-Mark). This allows you one-handed adjustment and eliminates the need for a screwdriver.
That's it. Good night and good day, friends.

[Walter_lars]

I have the KPH R3 and its a bugger to try and mount on the narrow side of a 2X4" because the ears are too small to grab on because of the rounded corners of the 2x4 is there any chance of enlarging the ears or has anybody else run in this problem I surppose I could buy a mini jig but I would only use it for one size of wood

[larry smith]

i have a improvment idea on the 90 degree clamp that my wife purchased for me to share with you,and was wondering how to show pictures of it. larry

[Pat Meeuwissen]

I need the ability to work with 2x4 material and have a K2 which will only work with 1/2 - 3/4 I can only have screws on one side so the drill pockets on both sides will not work. Is there another solution besides buying another $140 tool? Thanks Pat

[Anthony Lanting]

Larry-
To post pictures and learn other great information about this site go to
http://kregjig.ning.com/forum/topics/kreg-community-site-tutorial and spend a few minutes reading the highlights.
It really helped me quite a bit.

larry smith said:

i have a improvment idea on the 90 degree clamp that my wife purchased for me to share with you,and was wondering how to show pictures of it. larry

[Jack Anderson]

I also am a new member but do agree that more detail about how things are done would be great. I really want to learn more about drawers and tracks, etc.

[Walter_lars]

Pat Meeuwissen said:

I need the ability to work with 2x4 material and have a K2 which will only work with 1/2 - 3/4 I can only have screws on one side so the drill pockets on both sides will not work. Is there another solution besides buying another $140 tool? Thanks Pat

Pat the K3 I have works well on the wide side of a 2x4 I paid 39.99 at lowes
also the mini kreg jig is another option
buy it as a bare tool since you already have the drill and driver