Kreg

I don't have a Kreg but Norm did mention on one of his shows that he clamps a block on the face side of the joint to prevent slipping. I've also seen him use those wide jaw vise grip clamps across the joint while screwing.

Pretty much as always, the thread would rather push away initially. Pays to clamp things in position, though if you've got the right bits, the slick shank should draw at the end.

Wish I had a penny for all of the times I thought I could hand-hold the two pieces together and ended up backing the screw out and getting a clamp. A good habit to clamp dry no matter what kind of fastener.

You must use something or a clamp to hold the pieces together where you want them to stay.

Thanks for the comments guys. I should have added that I get good results with the clamps but in most cases for me the clamps are not practical. I was hoping someone might have a way around this.

Thanks

Welllllll you did not mention your application. I often will use pocket hole screws when adding a stud to a wall and will use a spacer between the new stud and an existing stud opposite the side with the pocket holes. This spacer will prevent any creep. Basically some type of stop behind the piece you are fastening in place.

I find that in cases where clamping is a problem, running a long (6") skinny drillbit (3/32") in advance, helps quite a bit. Then I don't tighten the screw to full torque, but do the last twist by hand whilst (there's that word 'whilst' again) tapping things in place with a small dead-blow hammer.

I often put cleats between cabinets where the dishwasher will attach later as granite doesn't take screws worth a hoot. Pocket holes are perfect for that application and small dead-blow hammers, for that fine tuning, are my friend.

Clamps are just the "easy" way. The misalignment "jump" is due to the parts not being held firmly together while the screw starts in the screwed-to part.

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

Clamps. If you can't clamp, try biscuits for alignment.

Belt and suspender type eh?

Mark (sixoneeight) = 618

I do that where ever possible also. The biscuits eliminate the need to clamp the screws and the screws eliminate the need to clamp the biscuits; so it is not much more work, but the result is much stronger than either alone.

I built a vanity with mortise and tenons *and* pocket screws. The M&T provided alignment and strength, the screws let me take it apart for shipping. After it was fitted to the room it was going in, *then* we glued it. The screws held it together while the glue dried.

It's a useful combination sometimes.

A couple of notes on pocket holes screws...

(1) Clamp when you can (2) If you can not clamp... hand drive the screws

Power driving the screws creates too much torque and is difficult to keep the joint tight.

It looks good on TV when old Norm drives them screws home but after driving a metric assload of screws, the hand driving will be much more precise.

I keep a ratching screwdriver just for this purpose.

Make sure you use the correct screw for the material.

(1) Coarse screws for soft wood and plywood. (2) Fine threads for hardwood.

Joe Bemier wrote:

What is the conversion factor for that?

AL / 25.4 = inches AL X 25.4 = Metric

RayV wrote:

Not sure if, by "foreward" you mean that the faces go out of alignment or the position shifts along the edge of the piece to which you're attaching an end grain part.

There are two types of vise-grip clamps that solve these problems. One has flat, round, pivoting jaws. If the two parts are the same thickness it prevents face misalignment. The other one has a flat, round pivoting head and a blunt end "pin". The "pin" goes into one of the pocket holes (assuming there are two on the end grain piece) and the swivel jaw goes on the outside edge of the other piece. Keeps the parts from slipping "up and down". Using both locks everything in postion.

charlie b

When I bought the Kreg 3 master system a few months back, I also made sure to buy the right angle clamp you're talking about for locking the pieces in position when fastening them down. It's not an indispensable clamp for the Kreg system, but definitely a very useful one.

Thanks for the comments, guys. There are some solutions in there for certain!

Received the promotion below.

I have no need but some of you may find it useful.

Lew

Lew - was that supposed to be a link?

I went to PriceCutter and looked at the Kreg equipment but didn't see any kind of promos.

Just wondering.

Robert