Off Centre

[Sean Redmond]

I am under the impression that when the Kreg screw protrudes from the drilled hole that it should be in the centre.

I was using 19mm/ 3/4in thick wood, I made sure the drill was set to 19mm and also the Kreg Jig was set too 19mm, I used a 1 1/4in/ 31.7mm screw and it protruded out the wood I screwed it into.

Am I doing something wrong?

[David Dean]

Well Sean I got a K-2 but try this frist set you jig to 3/4" now your set collar frist put a nickle on your jig where the drill bit come's out now tition your stop collar see how that does and one other thing I never thought about looking to see if it ever hit center. thats why I got a k-2?

[C James Farwell]

I've been using Kreg jigs for the last 8 months, and I too have noticed that on certain thicknesses of wood, the screw doesn't always come out precisely in the center of the board, even when I've been careful to set the jig and the drill-bit carefully.  And 3/4 inch lumber is where I've seen this the most, I believe.  But when there has been a deviation from the "central-exit-hole" idea, the screw has (I think) always exited at LESS THAN halfway, rather than MORE THAN halfway.  This situation has never bothered me, since it seems like this gives the screw a greater amount of material to thread into the other board, which might allow for a stronger joint.  In fact, when I've noted the deviation from center-line, I've sometimes used a longer screw precisely to give me a strong joint.

I do have a couple of points, though.   First, I can't tell from your photo if your holes are exiting at less than halfway, or more.  If more...well seems like there wouldn't be much room for the screw to bite on the second board, and that would make for weak joints.  Second, I don't think my deviations have ever been as marked as yours -- are you setting your bit with the SHOULDER to the mark, or with the POINT to the mark?  Should be the shoulder.

[Sean Redmond]

Hi, I have been setting from shoulder, I have been extra careful, the hole exit is below centre and therefore coming through the second board by about .05mm, not good.

The red line in photo is centre.

Thanks for reply.

[Jay Boutwell]

Hi Sean, If you are using actual 3/4" material and have the settings on the jig set as marked for 3/4 material you should be getting screw penetration exit  in 3/4" material at about or very near mid way on the bored piece.  If not then I would suspect that it is the drill depth setting being wrong.  This is why I always recommend using a nickel set on the base of the jig and allowing the drill bit tip to set on the nickel and then tighten the stop collar.  It has been my method for setting the drill depth collar on all the jigs from the K-2 K-3 and K4 and had always worked well for me. 

The other cause may be from wood chips being under the piece when you clamp it in the jig to bore it.  I

have written several posts on this subject.  One such is on page 30 of my discussions and dated Aug 20, 2011.

If your 1 1/4 inch screw if penetrating all the way through the piece you are screwing into then the bit is boring too deep.  The depth of the bore is causing the screw to penetrate the material as it depth also changes the location of where the screw exits the bored piece as well.  If too deep it will not come out exact in the center of the bored piece and if not bored deep enough it also will not exit in the center and the screw will not be long enough to provide a strong joint because of not going deep enough into the non bored piece.  I hope this will help you with your problem.

[Jay Boutwell]

Hi Sean, I had trouble finding the post so here  is the content.  It shows you a photo of how I use the nickel.

this is from one of my posting about setting the bit to a kreg jig.  This is the method I use and it has never failed me.    Refer to my post in April 2011 for more and it was in reply to splitting face frame joints.

 

I started using the kreg jig at the start of it introduction on to the market, having one of the first jigs sold which was the K2 model.  At that time there was no build in guages and or other devices for setting the depth collar on the drill bit.  To make it easy and simple the use of a American coin the nickel was the best method I could find to set the depth collar.  I had two reasons for this as it kept the drill bit from hitting the base on the jig but also prevented the bit from exiting the hole on the piece that you were going to attach the drilled piece to.  The exiting of the screw left a small dimple at the exit and was a protrussion that prevented a tight connection of the wood.  I have multiple jigs now and still use this method as an assurance to proper setting of the bit.  I have about 20 years building cabinets and custom wood work as a profession and this method  of setting the bit has never failed me .  Ref  to photo.  If you do not have the type with a base on it similar to the one below it will not apply and you will have to refer to the instruction sheet that came with the jig.  hope this answers your question.

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[Gary roofner]

I had this problem yesterday myself for the first time . The thing that was different was the fact it was the first time I had used my k3 frame with my k4 drill guide . I was told they are interchangeable. It was 3/4 material. I had used with 2 x 4 no problem. I guess I'll have to go to the nickel setup. I have some more joints to make so I'll try nickel method. It's probably the first I used it to secure a top through the apron . 

[Gary roofner]

I thought of one thing the lumber was reclaimed from another project so maybe it shrank in my case. I'll take my micrometer and check for shrinkage.

[Sean Redmond]

I shall try on a piece of scrape and let you know.
Thanks for info.

Jay Boutwell said:

Hi Sean, I had trouble finding the post so here  is the content.  It shows you a photo of how I use the nickel.

this is from one of my posting about setting the bit to a kreg jig.  This is the method I use and it has never failed me.    Refer to my post in April 2011 for more and it was in reply to splitting face frame joints.

 

I started using the kreg jig at the start of it introduction on to the market, having one of the first jigs sold which was the K2 model.  At that time there was no build in guages and or other devices for setting the depth collar on the drill bit.  To make it easy and simple the use of a American coin the nickel was the best method I could find to set the depth collar.  I had two reasons for this as it kept the drill bit from hitting the base on the jig but also prevented the bit from exiting the hole on the piece that you were going to attach the drilled piece to.  The exiting of the screw left a small dimple at the exit and was a protrussion that prevented a tight connection of the wood.  I have multiple jigs now and still use this method as an assurance to proper setting of the bit.  I have about 20 years building cabinets and custom wood work as a profession and this method  of setting the bit has never failed me .  Ref  to photo.  If you do not have the type with a base on it similar to the one below it will not apply and you will have to refer to the instruction sheet that came with the jig.  hope this answers your question.

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[Sean Redmond]

C James Farwell said:

I've been using Kreg jigs for the last 8 months, and I too have noticed that on certain thicknesses of wood, the screw doesn't always come out precisely in the center of the board, even when I've been careful to set the jig and the drill-bit carefully.  And 3/4 inch lumber is where I've seen this the most, I believe.  But when there has been a deviation from the "central-exit-hole" idea, the screw has (I think) always exited at LESS THAN halfway, rather than MORE THAN halfway.  This situation has never bothered me, since it seems like this gives the screw a greater amount of material to thread into the other board, which might allow for a stronger joint.  In fact, when I've noted the deviation from center-line, I've sometimes used a longer screw precisely to give me a strong joint.

I do have a couple of points, though.   First, I can't tell from your photo if your holes are exiting at less than halfway, or more.  If more...well seems like there wouldn't be much room for the screw to bite on the second board, and that would make for weak joints.  Second, I don't think my deviations have ever been as marked as yours -- are you setting your bit with the SHOULDER to the mark, or with the POINT to the mark?  Should be the shoulder.

Hi, I have been setting from shoulder, I have been extra careful, the hole exit is below centre and therefore coming through the second board by about .05mm, not good.

Thanks for reply.

[Gary roofner]

In my case the drill bit passed the nickel test.  Micrometer readings were .758 .760 inches.  I'm guess if you are put pocket holes through an apron into a top you are very close coming through the top or in my case the tip  of the screw shows through. The top is .75 and shoulder that the screw sets maybe .5 So .75 + .5 = 1.25 So if you are fastening a top through an apron made out of 3/4 inch stock  and using 1 1/4 inch screws you better test. It does come out very close to nickel test if you use the marking on the drill guide block .

Gary roofner said:

I had this problem yesterday myself for the first time . The thing that was different was the fact it was the first time I had used my k3 frame with my k4 drill guide . I was told they are interchangeable. It was 3/4 material. I had used with 2 x 4 no problem. I guess I'll have to go to the nickel setup. I have some more joints to make so I'll try nickel method. It's probably the first I used it to secure a top through the apron . 

[David Dean]

Gray this my sound wried but for tops and edge's where you use a round over bit I use a nickle and dime its batter to be safe than sorry.

Gary roofner said:

In my case the drill bit passed the nickel test.  Micrometer readings were .758 .760 inches.  I'm guess if you are put pocket holes through an apron into a top you are very close coming through the top or in my case the tip  of the screw shows through. The top is .75 and shoulder that the screw sets maybe .5 So .75 + .5 = 1.25 So if you are fastening a top through an apron made out of 3/4 inch stock  and using 1 1/4 inch screws you better test. It does come out very close to nickel test if you use the marking on the drill guide block .

Gary roofner said:

I had this problem yesterday myself for the first time . The thing that was different was the fact it was the first time I had used my k3 frame with my k4 drill guide . I was told they are interchangeable. It was 3/4 material. I had used with 2 x 4 no problem. I guess I'll have to go to the nickel setup. I have some more joints to make so I'll try nickel method. It's probably the first I used it to secure a top through the apron .