Kreg K3 Master Collection

[pelligrini]

I saw that Peachtree has a special on a K3 Master box collection.
http://www.ptreeusa.com/edirect_081712.htm

I didn't know Kreg still made the front clamping jig?

[dbhost]

Wow. Just wow... Even at the discount price that suckers expensive...

Other than maybe some dust collection, how is this better than other competing pocket hole jigs?

[LCHIEN]

That's the super deluxe everything plus kit for $300 - a bit much

The regular kit is $139 which is still not cheap but Kregs quality is pretty good.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...1&site=ROCKLER

A cheaper kit is $100 lacks the clamp and the portable jigs; I use the clamp a lot but not the portable jigs
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...7&site=ROCKLER

Their clamp is $22
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...9&site=ROCKLER
but you might pick up a clone cheaper elsewhere.

When a woodworking magazine rated all the jigs out there some time back, they said all the jigs did the job but they gave the Kreg high marks for user satisfaction and usability. Kind of hard to quantify but low stress kind of thing. You don't have to fight this tool. I find mine pretty enjoyable to use when it fits the bill. Mines a couple of year old and lacks the dust collection which would be nice, but not worth buying a new one for.

The other competitors have all-metal units, which really just means none have the investment or sales volume to invest in expensive molds. The Kreg, despite being plastic, have metal bushings at the wear points so I don't fear it will wear out or break.

[pelligrini]

It's not a great deal, but there is some savings if one purchased all the stuff that is included from other sources.

The thing that really caught my eye was the K3 front clamping jig. I haven't seen those offered in quite a while. The front clamp much easier to operate than the rear clamp.

[dbhost]

I have seen the Kreg jig demoed before. They look nice, but I guess it's the cheapskate in me not wanting to pay that much...

I must admit, I do NOT like my General jig. It does the trick, but is harder to use than it should be, it uses a screw clamp instead of a toggle, and no hardened guides, all aluminum. It's held up to the little use I have given it, but I wouldn't waste my money on it again if I had to do it over again...

[frumper64]

I picked up the Harbor Freight version a year or so ago and have been pretty happy with it. It uses a different angle for the holes in thick material, but that hasn't proven to be a problem so far. It has hardened steel at the wear points and the spacing between holes is adjustable which is nice.

[Cochese]

If you're someone who will do quite a bit of pocket holes, or think you might, I'd recommend the Kreg. Yes, it does cost more money than other alternatives. But this is one of those times where even I will say it's worth it to spend more money. Yes, me. Yes, I am saying to spend more money.

I really like my K3 Master set. I can loan out the portable part of it to anyone and keep the big part safely here in the shop. I bought mine for $100, but I think even at $130 it's a good value. I've never regretted spending the money on it.

I guess if you were starting from scratch, this would be a good value. Interested to see how the HD version works on larger projects, that's about the only aspect that I would buy. I think you can do better in storage options than the included box, and deals on the screws crop up from time to time.

[dbhost]

Okay here's where I get confused with the Kreg jig... What's the diff between say the K3, K4 etc...?

[pelligrini]

I believe the K4 has the lever on the backside, behind the workpiece. The older K3 has it in the front. I seem to recall some patent disputes or something on the lever thing. I wouldn't like the rear lever. I built a base that clamps in my face vice on my bench. Easy setup and use. I need to make some tracks, blocks and spacers to go on the sides that will be level with the bottom of the jig.

I have a K3 Master set and I like it. I don't use it as much as I thought I would when I bought it, but I do like it. I picked up an assorted box of Kreg Screws later. I don't use the Kreg vice-grip style clamp very much. I'd like to get one of the mini jigs now.

[cabinetman]

I have a Kreg kit that was given to me as a gift. After using it, it got stashed away somewhere. I might have pitched it, I can't remember. Some like pocket screws, some don't. I prefer traditional joinery methods. For those places that might benefit from pocket screws, the parts can be clamped and drilled at an angle, called "toe screwing", and fastened. No special jig or screws are needed. It's what was done before the PH systems were introduced. Other methods are called "toe nailing".

Fortunately there continues to be marketed jigs and products appealing to those looking for alternative methods.

.

[BeauxTi]

I bought the K3 a few years back - and really love it - it is pretty **** simple and works - always a winning combination - but as I recall, I picked it up for a little less than C note at Lowes. I added the micro jig to work on Stained glass Frames - they have to look good from both sides and have to be able to hold some weight. Not sure I would have popped for it if it would have been $300.

[LCHIEN]

Okay here's where I get confused with the Kreg jig... What's the diff between say the K3, K4 etc...?

Yeah, its kind of confusing. I started with a K2000, then they devalued by a thousand had the K3 which was improved with front clamp and dust collection. Then they had the K4 which altho had a bigger number was actually a step back as it did not have the front clamp but did have dust collection port, both the K3 and K4 were available for a while.

I think the K4 had an improvement where the drilling block was removable from the main jig and could be used separately as a portable jig, a more economical solution (that they charged the same for). The K2000 and K3 kits had a separate jig(s) for portable use. The kit price has been fixed at around $130-140 for a long time as they managed to make it a bit cheaper to manufacture and added minor features.
on the website now they only show the K4, I think, Its kind of not clear what they're selling anymore since this promo has the K3 style jig.

Really not much difference. I think the front clamping is a teensy bit more convenient than reaching behind, but the dust collection is nice if you are making a bunch of joints. I think there's no great advantage between the K3, K4, K2000 jigs.

[Cochese]

Not sure what the exact differences are, but in my K3MS kit I got the removable block (which what I can take with me, etc) and a dust collection port. The port really does help, but if you are using 2.5" vac hose or a 4" collector you'll need an adapter. A Shop Vac standard hose fits it perfectly (1.25" or so).

[LinuxRandal]

If I remember the names correctly, the jig before the K3 and after the metal one, was the K2000. My dad has one of them and after the K3 came out he built a dust port for it. However the front mounting clamp made the K3 a buy for him. The only way I would have a rear mounted one now, is to convert it, via foot lever like a poster by the name of woodentoolcompany did on YouTube. He posts up his videos, and when he gets to a point people stop visiting, he removed them and removes the account.
That makes it a shop device, as it won't be so portable.

The K4 has a spot for a front clamp, for "portability" and back to the rear mounted clamp, due to the lawsuit.
Now, issues I have read/known about with them: I have read one case where the bushings were not glued in properly on one, and spun. Just a slip in manufacturing, no big deal and they corrected it. Now my father has the K3 as well and the nut on the clamp side was pulling the shaft out of the plastic. He tried some various fixes and eventually contacted them and they sent a whole new body. So warranty is good but this IMO could happen to any of them and it might be worse with slick materials where you try to overtighten.

I really don't see this as a bargain price, personally, but I do think this is the better jig of theirs.

[LCHIEN]

The odd thing about the Kreg jig "K" models (2ooo, 3, 4) is that the 3 has improvements over the 2 but the 4 is a bit retrograde.

Here's the apparent explanantion:

I just did some research on the lawsuits and Kreg, there was an inventor who sued them around 2008-2010. So apparently they stopped making the front clamp K3 in favor of the K4. Apparently the lawsuit is now settled so there might be a return of the front clamp version soon (if not now with this K3Master set) (when Linux Randall says that the K4 has a spot for a front clamp I think he meant a mounting clamp to hold the unit to a workbench, not the work holding clamp).

The K3's front clamp handle is probably very important if you are working with larger sheet goods in the clamp... that definately makes reaching the K4 or K2000 rear clamp handle a bear.

Here's a tidbit of info. Craig Sommerfeld, a cabinet maker, designed the original jig and sold it to some others after using it himself. It was then known as "Craig's Jig" which was later coined as Kreg Jig.