Kreg Pocket screw jig and MDF
 

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

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 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.

"TB" wrote in message
om...
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.

"TB" wrote in message
om...
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.

The "jig" will work just fine. The screws however will probably not hold
any better than any other screw in MDF.

Does it work well? Does it work well with 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.

"TB" wrote in message
om...
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.
--------------
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.

"TB" wrote in message
om...
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.

There are special; screws for MDF that have tremendous holding power. It is
difficult to overdrive them and strip out the mdf.
max

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.

"TB" wrote in message
om...
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 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

"mp" wrote in message
...
Does it work well? Does it work well with 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.

TB wrote:
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 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

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

"mp" wrote in message
...
Does it work well? Does it work well with 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.

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
:-)

"max" wrote in message
...
Steven
Do you have a picture of your planer stand? I need to make one and can't
decide on a design.
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

"mp" wrote in message
...
Does it work well? Does it work well with 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.

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.