Pretty sure I got a good deal...

[Jason Watkins]

   We stopped by our local Lowe's and saw a Kreg Toolboxx Complete System in the Kreg area. It includes the K4 master system, the vac attachment, a work stop, the step and driver bit (both hex shank), a 90 degree clamp, a face clamp, a Kreg Jig Mini, an assortment of 1000 screws & 300 plugs. Plus a handy screw selector chart. 

SIt down, because this was all marked down to

$68! What the whaaaaaaaaat????

 

   Literally the deal to end all deals! The master system alone is $99, and the clamps are $20-$30 apiece. It was the last one, so I snapped it up!

   Of course I had to try it out when I got home, and promptly drilled two holes through the base because I didn't have the stop collar set right, AND I had the step bit chucked into my impact driver, which i ran at full throttle. OOPS!

   Methinks a gentler approach with a more conservative squeeze of the trigger will be in order next time. 

   My impact driver is the kind that has the little hammer mechanism inside, and I wonder if that extra impact on the shank loosed the stop collar? Any ideas?

I've had a kreg jig jr since it was called something else, and have run into several situations where I wished I had the "big jig". I'm glad I waited, it'll be fun to use this! What good deals have you gotten on tools?

[james wilhelm]

WOW !!!!!! what a deal , sounds like some marked on the wrong price , there dumbness is your great deal , HA !!!!

[Lorrie]

It was your Lucky Day!  I'm so jealous. . .  I kept looking at that toolbox and it was too expensive for me.  ($200+)It was never on sale at our Lowes.  I even checked with the employees to see if it was going on sale.  Good Job!  I did get a toolbox (Husky 22" Cantilever) at Home Depot that was the same box as the Kreg Toolbox for only $24.99.  At least that beats the $79 price of the box alone.

[michael evans]

Hi jason adjust the clutch setting on your drill ,a normal battery drill the best impact drills can be a little fierce.Great buy though.

[Jason Watkins]

yea i think i'll stick with the regular drill for drilling, as it has the adjustable clutch. I got a combo set of a drill and impact driver for Christmas, and was hoping to use the impact driver for drilling the pocket holes, which sounds ridiculous now that I think of it. I will try driving the pocket screws with it and see how that goes, and stick with the drill for drilling.

I also forgot to mention there were 2 DVD's in the box as well: "The Pocket Hole Solution to Trim Carpenty" and the "Kreg Skillbuilder" Both seem to be on youtube in their entirety, posted by Kreg I think.

[Ken Darga]

Impact-drivers are very useful and effective tools---however, they're intended for ''specific duty use''.

Impact-drivers are ''too aggressive'' for pocket-hole joinery.

Impact-drivers were initially developed for the automotive industry, for impact-driving lug nuts on wheels, and the like.

Craftsman found a need for an impact-driver for less severe/aggressive duty use; therefore, 

 smaller size duty impact-drills/hammer-drills were developed for drilling-driving into concrete.

These duty-size tools are also effective for driving larger size screws into heavy timbers--- like fastening deck boards using long screws, landscape timbers, and the like.

NOTE: when using impact-drivers, ''impact-duty'' driving tools, bits, sockets, and the like are necessary, so as to stand-up to the hammering action of the tool.  

(hammering action on those little magnetic 2-piece constructed insert tool tips will fail, when hammering action is applied.  Use the ''impact-duty'' tools). 

The ''hammering'' action of the power tool will cause the drill-stop to ''slip'', and 

cause the tool to over-drive/over-torque #6 & #8  screws, resulting in strip-out.

Threaded fasteners and materials have torque-limits. 

A hammer drill-driver, when in the ''hammer-mode'', is very effective for quick material removal, when using an appropriate chiseling or scraping tool.  

Ex: making lap-joints in timbers.  Make saw-kerf cuts, followed by the chiseling out the remaining material.

(Check-out the Bosch BULLDAWG, hammer-drill tool for "EXTREEM" duty use, and the associated accessories.

An SDS shank 1/2'' drill-chuck, is very useful for straight-shank drill bits, chisels, scrapers, and the like).  

[Jason Watkins]

Thanks Ken, wish I would have realized that before I drilled three new holes in the bottom of my jig base! I'm embarrassed to say I did not stop and check after the first one!

[Jay Boutwell]

Jason I never have a problem with any drill for screwing pocket screws and even use a small 3/8 " air powered drill fitted with a bit to set many of my screws.  Since the pocket screw will overdrive its self long before it will break off I never use the clutch settings on a drill.  I watch the joints as they tighten up as well as the screw head seating its self into the pocket hole.  This again is why it is important to have the correct setting on how deep the pocket hole is drilled. 
 
Jason Watkins said:

yea i think i'll stick with the regular drill for drilling, as it has the adjustable clutch. I got a combo set of a drill and impact driver for Christmas, and was hoping to use the impact driver for drilling the pocket holes, which sounds ridiculous now that I think of it. I will try driving the pocket screws with it and see how that goes, and stick with the drill for drilling.

I also forgot to mention there were 2 DVD's in the box as well: "The Pocket Hole Solution to Trim Carpenty" and the "Kreg Skillbuilder" Both seem to be on youtube in their entirety, posted by Kreg I think.

[Fins59]

Great deal.  Somebody must have forgot to put the "1" in front of the $68 (::

I put 2 holes in my K4 also (the outer holes).  They look like they belong there though, so that is good.

I bought a slightly used K3 on CL recently and that one also has 2 holes in it, by previous owner.  So it happens.

I now have 2 drill bits; one with collar set for 3/4" material and the other for 1 1/2" material.  (I have them marked so I don't grab the wrong one).

 

Impact driver story - Last summer a lady had a flat tire with her car in front of my house.  I went out to help.  She said her husband was on the way. She had car jacked up and was having problem with lug nuts.  I got my slightly large cross bar wrench and got all but one off.  Could not get it off, too tight.  I was going to get a cheater pipe to put on end but then her husband showed up with a cordless impact driver.  Lug nut came loose with no problem. (might be handy to carry one of those along on a road trip)

[Jason Watkins]

Wow I didn't know those impact drivers were that powerful! Thanks for the tip Fins! 

My jig flexes a bit when wood is firmly clamped in place. I thought it might be due to the holes I accidentally added, but I watched a couple of the Kreg videos, and their jig flexes slightly when clamping pressure is applied too, just like mine does. So I think it's normal. 

I may still mount it to a piece of plywood though, but then I can't access the bit storage under the jig!

Decisions decisions!

[Scott Aldridge]

I got the same deal when I got my Kreg jig ... with one exception I also got an additional 10% off for being retired military.  Glad I waited as well.

[Jason Watkins]

Awesome Scott!

[Felipe de la Rosa]

I bought my Toolboxx for $209 + $20 shipping at woodcraft.com. Still a good deal.