Kreg Jig Jig II: The pictorial definition of "Jury Rig"

[Greg Guarino]

You guys definitely have me thinking; thinking about how I can do things more efficiently, before I do them.

I made myself a holder for the Kreg Jr. jig last week to avoid having to line up and reclamp the jig with their "face clamp" forty times. I did it in an unusual way, affixing the kreg device to one jaw of a bench vise. This was mostly for lack of a toggle clamp at the moment I decided to do it.

I finally got around to drilling the pocket holes this evening and I have to say the makeshift jig worked like a charm, surely cutting the job down by at least half, more likely 2/3. Except...

[there's always an "except..."]

It turns out that I blocked a small portion of the chip-escape holes when I made the jig. It didn't seem like a lot visually, but the chips built up and caused some slight burning in the first two holes I drilled. I should add that I was also using a more powerful drill than in had in the past..

So, to my makeshift "jig", I added an even more makeshift chip removal "system", shown below. [those with frail constitutions or firmly-held notions about doing things the proper way strongly cautioned :)]

Believe it or not, this worked pretty well. The vents stayed clear, the drilling was easier, and the holes didn't look burned.

The "system", even as hastily conceived as it was, allowed me to speed through the task with confidence. And it has given me ideas for a more permanent jig that I'll eventually build. I wonder now if that's not the usual way such things are done: Rather that try to perfect a device in theory, build a quick first attempt and use the lessons learned to improve the permanent model.

Of course, "temporary" stuff can have a surprisingly long lifespan in my house.

[Swingman]

Ah, the very secret itself ... particularly for those of us without that particular gene that lets you _accurately_ visualize, in minute detail, the whole enchilada in your imagination.

Although I applaud you guys on the results of your efforts, and in particular the satisfaction you're getting out of the process, I do appreciate you justifying my decision of years back to cut to the chase, crowbar the wallet, and let Kreg get all that out of the way in one fell swoop. ;)

[Dave]

On Sun, 24 Feb 2013 12:56:05 -0500, "Mike Marlow"

Ok then. When you *FINALLY* chainsaw open your wallet and buy a Domino, we want to see the Snakewood or Pink Ivory wood accoutrements that you add to your Domino.

[Greg Guarino]

I haven't tried the full Kreg Jig, and if I'd gotten off my butt and ordered a toggle clamp when I intended to, I probably wouldn't have thought of the vise method. But I like it, or at least the new and improved version I envision. I especially like that there would be a nice wide surface to hold the work. Maybe that's unnecessary; that seems likely, given that you've apparently done well with the Kreg Jig for what must be many jobs.

In addition, I am starting to enjoy the "puzzle" aspect of woodworking; that "sense of satisfaction" you mention. I'm now trying to visualize a jig that I could quickly slip onto the movable jaw of the vise. It would hold the kreg unit and provide a surface flush with the front surface of the kreg to hold the work. I've got some ideas about how to make a vacuum port too.

If you need to find me, I'll be perched at the top of the slippery slope. :) Good thing I have so little free time.

[Swingman]

Yep, and I've mentioned in the past that I often get more satisfaction from designing the jig/fixture to make a particular job easier and more repeatable than in doing the project itself, so I feel your pain. :)

This link has just a few of them:

Including my modest, store bought, Kreg-On-A-Plank, about 3/4 of the way through:

What I particularly like about the Kreg is that since Leon discovered the necessary adapter to hook it up to our respective Festool CT22E dust extractors, I no longer have to blow out drill chips, none, nada ... which was the only thing slowing me down when turning out hundreds of face frame rails and intermediate stiles at a time.

(this is my second Kreg master system ... sold the last one to someone here a few years back)