Kreg-Mini Cheat Sheet

I use my Kreg-Min Pocket Hole Jig quite often but I always forget the settings for different wood thicknesses so I made this little table to look up whenever I'm using my Kreg Mini. There are three measurements that you need. The depth collar adjustment, distance from edge and screw size.
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Kreg Rip-Cut™ Rip Fence Mod

Instructions for modifying the Kreg Rip-Cut™ to attach circular saws using their rip fence slot that otherwise wouldn't fit.

I noticed a lot of links to my plans being posted on Kreg's social media streams and I contacted them to say thanks for being so generous with their links by asking them if the would send me a review sample of their Rip-Cut™. Yeah, twisted logic but as luck would have it they were coming out with a new version and were happy to oblige. I'll be posting a full review later on but I wanted to address a problem I had getting a couple of my saws to work with the Rip-Cut, a cordless circular saw and a worm drive saw, and how I solved it.

The Problem

With a standard sidewinder saw the Rip-Cut worked well but I was hoping to use a couple of my newer saws with it. My Bosch CSW41 Worm Drive Saw and my Milwaukee M18 Fuel 18-Volt Cordless Circular Saw both have narrow shoes (base plates) that don't allow the Base Plate Lock Downs to hold the saw base securely. On the Bosch CSW41 the bevel gauge completely blocks one side where one of the Lock Downs would go. On the Milwaukee Cordless Circular saw I can somewhat get it clamped down but not securely and the back of the saw lifts up off the sled.

Both these saws have magnesium shoes that have a bevel in the front that aids with plunge cuts.  With the Milwaukee M18 the set screw on at least one of the lock downs would be over this bevel and the pressure from the screw over the bevel would make the angle act as a pivot point raising the back of the saw up. Here's how the screws should attach to these types of saws.

If you notice in the picture, the lock down in the back is actually on the edge of the shoe and not the flat part of the base in the middle. If I tightened it down it would put pressure on the part over the bevel. I tried using different combinations of using the 4 available holes for the lock downs. The only one that "worked" was having both lock downs on one side but that didn't give the saw much stability and it would rock a bit side to side on the base.

The Solution

Both my Milwaukee M18 Cordless Circular Saw and Bosch CSW41 Worm Drive Saws come equipped with a slot for a rip guide so I went about making an attachment that would slide into this rip guide slot which I could then bolt it down to the Kreg Rip-Cut Sled Base.

So far it's providing a more stable attachment to the base but the usual disclaimers apply. Know what you're doing and use at your own risk as these modifications were not supplied by either the saw manufacturers or Kreg.

What You'll Need

Components are pretty simple and I was able to pick them all up at a trip to my local Home Depot.  I wound up using longer bolts because I wasn't sure of the exact size needed and used regular nuts instead of wing nuts but the materials list below indicates the more appropriate choices.

Materials

• 1/2 in. 36 in. Plain Steel Flat Bar with 1/8 in. Thick although in hindsight I probably should have bought the aluminum flat bar to avoid any future rust issues. The 1/2" x 1/8" thick was the perfect size for the Milwaukee saw. The Bosch CSW41 accepts a wider rip fence but I was able to get the 1/2" wide flat bar to work.
• #8-32 x 1-1/2 in. Phillips-Slotted Round-Head Machine Screws (6-Pack) 2 per saw
• #8-32 Wing Nut (6 pack) You'll need 2 per saw

Tools

• Drill with 9/64" drill bit
• Hacksaw
• pencil or marker 

Step 1: Cut Flat Bar To Length

The length of the flat bar isn't that critical but it should be at least as long as the width of the Rip-Cut Sled which is 6-1/2". For simplicity I just clamped the flat bar on the sled using the lock downs to mark it before cutting it with a hacksaw. I wound up cutting mine at about 7" to give me some extra room.

Step 2: Mark and Drill First Hole

Lay the flat bar you just cut on the bottom of the sled and mark the location for the first hole. It should lie directly in the middle of the valley between the plastic ribs as indicated by the arrow. I was just eyeballing it which is why I cut the bar a little long.

Step 3: Drill First Hole and Mark Second Location

Drill the first hole and slide one of the bolts into the hole. Place the bar and bolt on the bottom of the sled so the head of the screw is in between the two plastic ribs on one side. #8 screws fit perfectly in this spot which is why I went with them.

With the screw head keeping the bar in place, mark the location for the second hole to be drilled and then drill the hole at your mark.

After you've drilled the hole, make sure you can slide both heads in between the plastic ribs on the bottom of the sled.

Step 4: Place Saw On Sled

Follow the instructions that came with the Rip-Cut as far as positioning the saw on the base. It's important that the blade guide is free to move up and down without any obstruction. Also leave some room on each side for the bolts. Secure the saw with one of the Lock Downs. (With the M18 I was only able to get one screw on the right side.)

Slide the flat bar through the slot for the rip fence so that the holes line up in the center of the ribs and tighten it down making sure that the bar is pressed firmly toward the front of the saw. This is especially important if the bar is narrower than the slot as is the case with my worm drive saw.

Please forgive the angle of the drill in the next photo. I haven't mastered holding a drill in my left hand while trying to take a picture at an awkward angle. Drill a hole through the holes in the bar so that they land in the middle of the ribs, just make sure you hold the drill bit straight up and down. If necessary, just mark the location and drill the holes after you remove the saw if it prevents you from getting the drill straight.

Repeat this process for other saws you might want to use with the Rip Cut.

Step 5: Secure the saw with bolts and Wing Nuts

Slide the bolts in from underneath the sled, making sure the heads of the bolts do not stick out past the ribs of the sled base.

As I mentioned previously, you'll want to use shorter bolts and wing nuts for quick removal but this is what the end product looks like with my Bosch CSW41 Worm Drive Saw on the Kreg Rip-Cut

With the Milwaukee M18 Cordless saw, there's a part of the blade guard that sticks out too much to get the saw far enough to the right to get both bolts on but even just one bolt provides sufficient stability combined with the full force of 1 lock down and partial force from the other.

Now I can use the Kreg Rip-Cut with my two favorite saws and I'll be posting a full review soon with some details on the changes.

Tips For Making Cabinets Square With A Circular Saw

Reader question on how to get square cabinets when cutting plywood with a circular saw and what to do when your cabinets aren't square. A lot of good information on how to buy a circular saw for cutting plywood too.

A couple of days ago I received the following email from Catherine regarding cabinets that aren't square.

Hi,

I just found your site and love it. I'm new to woodworking and want to know what tools you use keep boxes square? I see a lot of 90 degree clamps out there and wonder if you recommend any of them? Also, what do you do if your project isn't square? How can you adjust it? Say a cabinet or bookcase for example.

Thank you, Catherine

In a follow up email I found out she's cutting her plywood with a circular saw and guide with pocket screw joinery. Since this is how I also cut my plywood I'm very familiar with the problems. There are four main problems that can cause your cabinets to not be square. In this article I'll discuss what causes cabinets to not be square as well as how to prevent them. At the end I'll discuss what to do when things don't line up square.

I had planned to write a separate guide on how to buy a circular saw but Catherine's question brings up a lot of the points I wanted to address so I'm including that here.
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How To Cut Plywood With A Circular Saw

Getting accurate, straight cuts on full sheets of plywood or MDF can be an expensive proposition. The best way to do it is with a good, heavy table saw. If you're limited on space you can also use a plunge cut track saw like the Dewalt or Festool but those aren't cheap either. A cheaper option is something like the Kreg Rip-Cut Circular Saw Guide but it is limited to only 24" cuts. If you already own a circular saw this simple to make zero-clearance circular saw guide will help you make accurate rip and cross cuts in full 4' x 8' sheets of plywood.

Since this circular saw cutting jig gets placed up against the cut line, it makes it much faster than other cutting guides that require you to offset the guide some distance from the line. The design also helps prevent splintering and tear out of the thin plywood veneer. Also see my new post for tips on cutting plywood square with a circular saw.
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Which Kreg Pocket Hole Jig To Buy

Almost all woodworking projects require joining two pieces of wood together. There are a number of different joints that can be used to create a strong connection between 2 pieces of wood but the easiest and most affordable way for the DIYer is to use pocket hole joints. Kreg makes the most popular pocket hole jig on the market.

Kreg makes a number of different pocket hole jigs that range in price from very cheap, to somewhat expensive. This post will help you decide which Kreg jig to buy.

Why Pocket Hole Joints?

Pocket screw joinery is the best option for the do-it-yourselfer because pocket screws create very strong joints and don't require you to have a lot of special or expensive tools that you won't use frequently.

Dowels, biscuits, half lap joints, dovetaills, and so on are time consuming and sometimes require specialty tools. If you're not a full time carpenter and just like to build things from time to time because it not only saves money but it's fun, it's important to not spend a lot of money on tools that will collect dust. All you need are butt joints which are easy to cut even on a small budget. See my post on how to make square cuts. Getting perfectly square cuts will ensure a straight project and strong joints.

You don't need dozens of clamps! The screws will hold the work pieces together. Clamps aren't cheap and even small projects wind up needing more clamps than I have. I built a number of euro style cabinets to make a built-in desk and I don't own a single expensive, long bar clamp!

How Strong Are Pocket Hole Joints?

Pretty strong from my experience. I haven't done any formal testing but the first thing I built with my Kreg Mini when I got it was a pair of panel carriers to move some drywall and plywood down to my basement. We were moving 2 sheets at a time, about 104 lbs, down the stairs. About half the time using the top handle with the pocket hole joint. About 2,000 lbs of drywall and plywood was moved this way. That was about 3 years ago and I've used them a few times since and they haven't failed. Cabinets, desks, and all other projects I built with Kreg pocket holes have been very sturdy too.

Kreg Mini Pocket Hole Jig

The Kreg Mini Kreg Jig Kit only costs around $20 and is a good pocket hole jig to have even if you have more expensive Kreg Jigs because it can get into spaces others can't, like under stairs to make repairs and into tight corners. If you already own another Kreg Jig you can save some money buy just buying the Kreg MKJ Mini Jig by itself without the accessories.

The accessories that come with the Mini Kreg Jig Kit are a special stepped drill bit that makes the pilot hole and pocket hole in one step. The bit comes with a stop collar and an 4mm hex key for adjusting the collar.

The Kreg Jig Mini makes the same pocket holes it's big brothers make. This is the only Kreg Jig I own and I've used it for numerous projects including cabinets for a built in desk. I learned how strong the pocket screws were when I moved dozens of sheets of drywall with my DIY panel carriers.

It's a little slower to use than the other jigs because you have to manually place the jig in the correct spot. Using makeshift spacers made it easier and using the Kreg Face Clamp speeds things up even more. You can get a Vise-Grip Locking C Clamp with Swivel Pads for about half the price but the Kreg Face Clamp has larger pads which will minimize the risk of putting dents in the wood.

Kreg Jr. Pocket Hole Jig

In hindsight, I should have bought the Kreg R3 Jr. Pocket Hole Jig System vs the Kreg Mini. It's only about $20 more than the Kreg Mini Jig but it comes with everything you need including a 3" square driver, some screws, pocket hole plugs as well as a case.

The Kreg Jr is a lot faster to use than the Kreg Mini because it comes with built in guides that can be adjusted for the thickness of material you're working with and the case includes a guide to help you adjust the stop collar on the drill bit.

One of the things that slowed me down a lot was having to stop and change the stop collar. In building my desk I used 3/4" and 1/2" plywood and I'd have to stop and readjust the collar using a tape measure. It was a very clumsy process.

With the Kreg mini I would have to unclamp, move the jig over, position it using the spacers, clamp it back down, drill and repeat. With the Kreg Jr I would have been able to just slide the jig over and not have to spend time realigning the jig. When you're making dozens of pocket holes, those few seconds saved each time really add up. A plastic insert allows you to attach the Kreg Face Clamp to the Kreg Jr Jig which makes repositioning the jig with one hand a snap.

Kreg K4 and K4 Master Pocket Hole Jig

The Kreg Jig K4 and Kreg K4MS Jig Master System are meant more for professionals and the serious DIY'er woodworker. The K4 runs around $100 and the K4MS goes for about $140. The Master System is essentially the same as the K4 with some extra useful accessories such as the face clamp, portable base, 6" square driver (in addition to the 3" driver) and a material support stop. If you're going to buy the K4 instead of the R3, might as well spend the extra $40 because those accessories come in handy.

The K4 and K4MS are more durable than the other systems. Because the drill guide is stationary and the work piece gets clamped to the dril guide you don't get a small point of pressure from the clamp on the plastic drill guide. My Kreg Mini has some dents in it from clamping with a standard C-clamp but is still usable.

If you frequently make pocket holes and have space on your workbench to permanently or temporarily affix the Kreg K4 Jig, you'll save yourself a lot of setup time. Just slide the work piece in the jig and clamp it down with one hand. A dust collection port allows you to hook up your shop vac to keep your work area clean.

Kreg Micro Pocket Hole Jig

The Kreg Jig Micro Drill Guide System makes 25% smaller diameter pocket holes and uses smaller pan head screws which allows you to make pocket holes in thinner stock.

If you frequently use 1/2" plywood or boards to make drawer boxes or picture frames, the Kreg Micro is for you. The Kreg Micro fits into the same bases and accessories that come with the K4 Master system and it can be used on it's own with spacers.

Even though the other Kreg Jigs can make pocket holes for 1/2" stock, many times 1/2" plywood comes in actual thicknesses of less than 1/2" and reducing the size of the pocket hole makes for sturdier construction in thinner pieces.

Kreg Jig HD Pocket Hole Jig

The Kreg Jig HD Starter Kit KJHD is specially designed for thicker stock such as 2x3's, 2x'4's and other 2x dimensional lumber. The holes are 25% bigger which provides up to 50% greater strength. This new Kreg Jig was first released in 2012.

Special screws were developed for the new jig that are larger and have a 3 special coatings to resist corrosion. This is a great jig for outdoor projects such as planter benches, outdoor furniture as well as indoor furniture made of dimensional lumber such as workbenches.

The Kreg HD drill guide can accept the Kreg Face Clamp and fits in the K3 and K4 jigs.