Canadian Woodworking Magazine eNewsletter

When we reviewed the Kreg K2000 Pro Pack a few years back (Canadian Woodworking, October/November 2001, Issue #14) we really liked it. While not a traditional tool associated with fine furniture making, it has earned a solid reputation in cabinet making.

You can use pocket hole joinery to significantly speed up the construction of a wide range of joinery operations, while reducing production costs. Joinery operations include:

Aprons
Beveled edges
Cabinet joinery
Curves
Decks
Edge Banding
Edge Joinery
Face Frames
Picture Frames
Stairs
Window Jams

Pocket hole joinery is a replacement for other joinery methods such as dowels, biscuits, and mortise & tenon. Carcasses joined with glue and pocket hole screws are exceptionally strong and rigid. The self-tapping auger point on the screw eliminates pre-drilling, while the screws cut very aggressively, and you don't have to pre-drill entry holes.

You wouldn’t think that a stellar product like the K2000 needs improvement. However, the K3 Master System is packed with loads of innovative new features.

There are ten components to the K3 kit:

Benchtop base (with clamping pad, handle and brass index pin)
Drill guide block
Dust collection shroud
Material support/stop
3/8" step drill bit
3" and 6" #2 magnetized square drive bits
Depth collar (the allan wrench for the collar is housed on the Benchtop base)
Portable base (with brass pin)
Face clamp
Storage box (with instruction booklet and a sample of self-tapping screws)

The blue body parts, comprised of glass-filled nylon plastic, are very durable, and will withstand years of rigorous shop use.

You can also send the drill bits back to Kreg for re-sharpening at a nominal $7 cost. This is good value, considering that the drills retail for around $20.

You can insert the drill guide block into either the bench top, or portable base. If you do most of your woodworking in a shop, then the most convenient thing to do is mount the bench top base on a piece of ply. This makes it easy to attach the K3 to your workbench, store it when not in use, as well as adding stability and accuracy to the jig in use. Switching to the portable base takes a few seconds. Pop it in your toolbox and head off to the job site.

On each side of the bench top and portable base are drill collar depth adjustment scales, which let you quickly set the drilling depth for the material you’re going to drill.

The drill guide block has zinc plated, case hardened steel inserts that will give years of drilling accuracy (they’re warranted for life). You use 2 screws per joint for stock up to 3 3/4" wide, and one screw every 6" on wider stock. The 3 holes in the guide block are 9/16" and 7/8" apart.

On the side of the guide block is a scale (from 1/2" to 1 1/2" in 1/8" increments that shows you where the screw will exit the stock. Generally, you want the screw to exit from the middle of the stock thickness. However, you can offset the exit point of the screw. That covers just about all of the stock thicknesses you’ll likely encounter in most workshops.

a with a front clamp; a portable base, which you can take to the job site; a dust collection shroud that fits on the bench top base, and connects to a shop vacuum hose; a support stop that is used in conjunction with the bench top base to make repeat cuts or to provide support for long stock; and a drill guide block, with 3 drilling holes aligned at 15°.

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Specifications:

Kreg K3 Master System
$162
Kreg Tool Company
House of Tools
Lee Valley Tools
R&D Bandsaws