This may be a stupid question but please bear with me. I am building what I would essentially call face frames. I have been using biscuits to join the pieces but the gluing and clamping time is taking too long so I thought that I would run down to Lee Valley and buy the Kreg Jig. Does it work well? Does it work well with MDF? What I am doing doesn't have to be overly structurally sound. It just has to stay together and look nice.
I went from using a Castle machine to a Kreg pro set up. I thought that spending $130 on a suitcase of pocketholers was ridiculous. I love it. I think it is faster than the floor model electric version. max
I have used the Kreg pocket hole joiner on wooden face frames and it makes a strong, attractive joint. I have not tried it on MDF because threaded fasteners frequently fail. That's why cam locks and cross dowels are often used on MDF. Maybe I'm too timid...perhaps others have successful first-hand experience.
The "jig" will work just fine. The screws however will probably not hold any better than any other screw in MDF.
The problem with MDF is that it splits rather easily, some brands are worse than others. The Kreg jig works really well, but with MDF you need to be really careful. Maybe even put a C-clamp on the portion that's going to be taking a screw and keep it in place until the glue sets.
-------------- It will work fine. I have used a Trend pocket-hole device very similar to the Kreg with good results on MDF. Just one caveat, stay at least 1/2" away from the edge of the MDF or it may well split. I don't even both with glue. It's messy and unnecessary, and on the end of MDF not probably any use anyway.
Works quite well. A little glue on the joint then screw it together. The resulting joint is stronger than the MDF. Use course thread screws.
There are special; screws for MDF that have tremendous holding power. It is difficult to overdrive them and strip out the mdf. max
I made a planer stand from MDF last weekend. I used a combination if biscuits and pocket holes.
What the poster said below is exactly my experience. If you are close to an edge there can be some splitting. IF I could to it again I would to more biscuits to mdf. That said the biscuit joiner made a terrible mess spewing fine dust.
I love my kreg jig, and it will work with mdf, but it's not the best appllication. I generally avoid buscuits, but if I were to use mdf and be particulary concerned about joint strength, I'd opt for biscuits.
-Steve
biscuits
I have learned a little trick with mdf, if you pre-drill the screw hole just enough to get started into the second piece (this is after you use the jig and the stepped drill bit) I used a bit slighly smaller than the small diameter of the stepped bit. Oh, be sure to use the course threaded kreg screws. Even these may want to strip out so be careful when you seat them.
Steven Do you have a picture of your planer stand? I need to make one and can't decide on a design. max
Sure... I'll post to ABPF tonight. It's shamless ripoff of the vintage unisaw-esque router tables recently posted - only mine is Jet - JTAS white :-)
What everybody else said plus, use coarse screws. Maybe even go to standard screws vs pocket screws so you can go a bit longer too.
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