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Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT Nick's Two-Car Detached Vdub Garage

Workspaces sized between 265 and 485 squarefeet.
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nicholam77

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Jeez Nick, not sure if I've posted here before but I should have. You've done some really great work on the dust collection mods. Nice cabinet build too. I see you've got yourself a Makita track saw as well. It's easily the favorite tool in my own shop with the long and short track.

Thanks Dennis! I should tell you, your glowing reviews of the Makita during your basement home theater build were a main reason I went with it. :D

I've made heavy use of it and it's a favorite tool of mine as well. In fact, I've spent considerable efforts building out a "system" for it with an MFT-style cutting table.

Haven't been able to stomach shelling out the cash for the long rail yet... debating whether that's worth it or get another 55" and a good self-aligning connector.
 
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nicholam77

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Had some time off today and it turned out to be gorgeous here (80 F ?!?), hard to believe it was snowing a few weeks ago. So I jumped on the opportunity to clean up my car for winter.

GTI Wash and Detail

Last time I washed it (admittedly quite some time ago) my pressure washer broke, and I haven't spent the time to figure it out since. Well... turned out to just be a ruptured O-ring. Got one at the local hardware store and back in business.

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After washing I moved it inside to clay bar.

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If there's anyone who hasn't done it before, it's super easy. I would say it's less effort that a wax or seal. In fact I would say the hardest part about clay barring is not dropping the clay on the ground. :lol: I'm not a "detailer" by any means but I try to clay bar the car before and after winter to maintain the paint.

A favorite tip of mine is to always do the glass as well.

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Overall it was in surprisingly good shape, by far the most contaminants came from the lower halves of the door panels, which are always the worst:

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Yes, that's from one door panel, after a good hand wash!

After they clay bar, normally I use a sealant wax, but I was out so I did a regular wax. Which allegedly doesn't hold up as long, but better than nothing.

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Turned out pretty well! The only bummer of getting it squeaky clean is you notice all the stains / chips / defects. :lol:

I also did a full interior wipe down and glass clean.

Garage Cleanup


I had a little extra time so I tried to do some general clean up in the garage. I've had materials and trash and random **** all over the workbenches, and some sheet goods and this big 4'x8' foam insulation sheet I used for plywood breakdown up against the side wall where my car door opens. I've been meaning to cut it into thirds for awhile, and finally did it!

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Track saw holster works great.

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Moved the pieces and some of the other materials to the shed and finally my car door doesn't bonk every time I get in and out anymore. :lol:
 

jonshonda

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Nice work on the car cleanup! I Did the same this week, but didn't have time to clay my vehicle. I was lazy and just applied the Turtle Wax spray on ceramic coat and wiped it down.

I did notice that the clay bar you had looked fairly small. They make a lot bigger ones that should absorb a lot more debris and reduce the chance for scratches. Another good thing to do is remove the imbedded brake material from the clear coat. They make a product called Iron-X, but its very expensive. I use Mequires all wheel cleaner with excellent results. But I have white vehicles so it's very easy to notice all the little brown spots in the paint.
 

Matias

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Nice work on the golf! Need to do the same, it's always a good to wash and wax before winter, helps a lot to keeping it clean in the snowy period.
 
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nicholam77

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Nice work on the car cleanup! I Did the same this week, but didn't have time to clay my vehicle. I was lazy and just applied the Turtle Wax spray on ceramic coat and wiped it down.

I did notice that the clay bar you had looked fairly small. They make a lot bigger ones that should absorb a lot more debris and reduce the chance for scratches. Another good thing to do is remove the imbedded brake material from the clear coat. They make a product called Iron-X, but its very expensive. I use Mequires all wheel cleaner with excellent results. But I have white vehicles so it's very easy to notice all the little brown spots in the paint.

Thanks! Yeah, I broke off a kinda small piece of clay. Most of the car had minimal debris and I was diligent to reshape it often. But good tip, I'll use a bigger piece next time.

I'll have to check out the Meguiar's all wheel cleaner. My brakes make a ton of dust and the wheels get dirty so fast.

You’re making me pine a bit for another VW in the driveway. Missing my 84 Scirocco and 90 Westfalia a lot these days...

Nice clean up job on the GTI :)

A couple of classics right there!

Those wheels on a Golf are just a timeless look. I love it.

Thanks! I've loved many of the iconic BBS from a far for a long time. I wanted to spring for CH-R or CH but in the end went CO to save money. My one gripe is I find them very annoying to clean.

Nice work on the golf! Need to do the same, it's always a good to wash and wax before winter, helps a lot to keeping it clean in the snowy period.

Agreed. And they salt the **** out of the roads here so it's nice to have a little extra protection.

:beer:
 
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nicholam77

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Parents' Medicine Cabinet - part 4 - installation

Just a little update, I went over to my parents' house this weekend and helped get the medicine cabinet installed and mirror hung.

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My dad had finished it with General Finishes High Performance Water-Based Topcoat Satin, and it turned out real nice.

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There's two additional shelves missing, but you get the idea.

Hanging the mirror was a PITA. Mr. Roboto - I forgot to take a close up of the hinges but they are just normal **** hinges.

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Because the mirror sits on top of the face frame and overhangs it slightly on all sides, it gives it a nice "floating" effect.

I think it turned out pretty nice and they were able to preserve the mirror that my dad made the cherry frame for about 25 yrs ago.

:thumbup:
 
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nicholam77

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Re-coating the fence

The rest of the weekend included a lot of yard work, and with favorable weather I decided to re-oil the long section of property-dividing fence my neighbor originally put in. I meant to do it when we had the rest of our yard fenced in and the gates built, but I ran out of steam.

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Feels good to check that off the to-do list.

:beer:
 

loganb

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Re-coating the fence

The rest of the weekend included a lot of yard work, and with favorable weather I decided to re-oil the long section of property-dividing fence my neighbor originally put in. I meant to do it when we had the rest of our yard fenced in and the gates built, but I ran out of steam.

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Feels good to check that off the to-do list.

[emoji481]
That fence looks awesome! Mind sharing what product you used? I just got my fence installed last week so will need to do something similar next year

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jonshonda

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I'll have to check out the Meguiar's all wheel cleaner. My brakes make a ton of dust and the wheels get dirty so fast.

Not just for your wheels, but your paint as well. There are a ton of embedded iron deposits from your brakes in the clearcoat of your paint. It is really to easy to see when you spray the wheel cleaner on your paint, and you see the purple liquid forming everywhere.
 

Matias

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Not just for your wheels, but your paint as well. There are a ton of embedded iron deposits from your brakes in the clearcoat of your paint. It is really to easy to see when you spray the wheel cleaner on your paint, and you see the purple liquid forming everywhere.

I agree with this :thumbup:

I use ValetPRO's Dragon's Breath, but any iron remover probably works the same. It's just so satisfying seeing that purple liquid forming so you know it's working. On some really dirty wheels, I tried normal washing, and then used the iron remover. You could see the areas where the iron remover had been on, and the normal soap hadn't done anything.
 
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nicholam77

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That fence looks awesome! Mind sharing what product you used? I just got my fence installed last week so will need to do something similar next year

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Thanks! No problem, it's Behr Transparent Waterproofing Wood Finish Clear.

Despite being labeled "clear", it's still an oil-based finish and definitely imparts a yellow-orange color. Depending on the cedar board it can pick it up as more brown or more yellow. This fades a bit after initial application. It is not a stain so it doesn't really hide knots and stuff like that but I am happy with it. Seems to last about ~2 yrs where I live with generous application. There's probably higher quality stuff out there but the price is livable at $30 a gallon. If you're not into the "clear" they have plenty of other semi-transparent or solid color versions with stain.

Not just for your wheels, but your paint as well. There are a ton of embedded iron deposits from your brakes in the clearcoat of your paint. It is really to easy to see when you spray the wheel cleaner on your paint, and you see the purple liquid forming everywhere.

Gotcha. I'm sure there's plenty there in the paint, like I mentioned dusty brakes. I'll pick some up to try out!

I agree with this :thumbup:

I use ValetPRO's Dragon's Breath, but any iron remover probably works the same. It's just so satisfying seeing that purple liquid forming so you know it's working. On some really dirty wheels, I tried normal washing, and then used the iron remover. You could see the areas where the iron remover had been on, and the normal soap hadn't done anything.

Nice. Next weekend might be time to swap to winter wheels so I'm going to try and pick some up soon for that process.
 

bdbecker

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Nice work - that medicine cabinet couldn't have come out better.

...I think it turned out pretty nice and they were able to preserve the mirror that my dad made the cherry frame for about 25 yrs ago...

That is a neat story.
 
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nicholam77

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3D Printed Parallel Guides

I had some 3D printed parts made by a friend for free, quite some time ago, that can be used with Incra TT+ for DIY parallel guides.

They can be found on Thingiverse here.

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I had previously bought a 48" length of Incra TT+ to use for the track saw fence, but it didn't work out, so I decided to cut it into two 24" pieces to repurpose for the parallel guides.

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All that's needed is some some standard 1/4-20 hardware.

My Incra tracks are missing their Lexan scales so I need to order some new ones. But I'm thinking of making a "parallel guide setting jig" instead of relying on scales anyways.

I haven't tested on any cuts yet, but my gut feeling is these semi-crude 3D printed parts will work just fine.

Parallel Guide Wall Hanger

I saw a sweet parallel guide wall hanger in Vertigo Cycles thread and quickly whipped up something similar (but no way near as nice!) with some maple scraps.

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I intended to include some magnets but forgot aluminum isn't very magnetic.

Kaizen Foam For Drills

So I've had my two Bosch 12v drills and random bits, as well as oscillating mutli-tool in this Sys-1 for quite some time, with no organization:

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I've also had a T-Loc Kaizen insert on my bench taking up space. Last night I finally decided to give the oscillating multi-tool the boot and put something more official together for the drills:

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Turned out alright, but man do I hate working with Kaizen!

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Now the contents actually reflect the label and it's a bit tidier. I think I'll add some sort of recessed plastic box to hold some drill bits and accessories.

Lastly, obligatory "look my bench is clean again" photo:

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Wonder how long it will last this time. 20min? 30min? :lol:

:beer:
 
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Mr. Roboto

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Hanging the mirror was a PITA. Mr. Roboto - I forgot to take a close up of the hinges but they are just normal **** hinges.

That's OK, I can see enough to tell what's going on. Looks awesome! Now I can see why you needed to custom make something there. That sure is a tough corner, especially to get a vanity in. Very cool that your dad made the mirror, and it's mounted on the box you made. It looks awesome for a 25 year old piece.

The fence looks great too. I bet you're glad to get that one checked off the list before the snow starts falling.
 
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nicholam77

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I know what you mean!! Your place looks great though!

Thanks!

That's OK, I can see enough to tell what's going on. Looks awesome! Now I can see why you needed to custom make something there. That sure is a tough corner, especially to get a vanity in. Very cool that your dad made the mirror, and it's mounted on the box you made. It looks awesome for a 25 year old piece.

The fence looks great too. I bet you're glad to get that one checked off the list before the snow starts falling.

Yeah, it's an oddly shaped bathroom. It's fairly ergonomic in real life, but some tight angles. Needless to say the vanity was custom, too, and that's the only thing the are retaining for their remodel.

Got the fence done not a day too soon:

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:beer:
 
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bj383ss

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Oh man and here it is 83* today. I had to break my shorts back out. Sunday though the high is going to be 70*. Austinites will be getting out their winter gear. :D

Bret
 
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nicholam77

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MFT Extension Wings

A new project to share. Part of my MFT design intention was to accept extension wings loosely based on Timothy Wilmots' design.

I tried to build entirely out of materials on hand. I started by ripping some 3/4" plywood on the table saw. This will make the frames.

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Then I crosscut it to length with the MFT. No real reason other than I wanted to practice setting it up, for which I got a new implement to test - the Woodpecker's MFT Square:

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Because I don't rely on the hole pattern in any way, I need a reliable method to square the fence to the guide rail, every single time I use it. I've found bigger really is better for this. (We're talking squares here for any of you with their minds in the gutter). :D

I figured I will use it often, and having a large reliable square will be very helpful. It's 3/4" solid phenolic so very dimensionally stable, which is super important in my space with the drastic temperature and humidity swings.

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After all the pieces are dimensioned they got pocket holes:

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Every time I do pocket holes I swear I'm gonna cough up for a big boi K4 or K5 jig, and then later can't stomach the $100-$130. Someday...

Just an aside, the Makita saw depth scale is in metric, and I always forget the metric equivalent for common plywood thicknesses. This time I broke out my label maker and added a cheat code to the inside of the Systainer case:

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Next are the folding legs, for which I found some long pine boards. I used biscuits and glue to laminate them together for extra thickness and stability.

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What's that saying about clamps again? :D

I've been slowly adding to my collection of Bessey F-clamps, here I used every last one.

Tidied the legs up on the table saw and cut them to rough length:

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After some layout I drilled some through holes and Forstner recesses for carriage bolts and nuts:

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And attached to the frames (which have since been pocket screwed together):

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Finally, the legs receive a cross brace for which I used dowels:

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I've probably said this before, but I like dowels for joinery, I just don't like any of my doweling jigs. They never seem to give perfect results.

Here's where things get silly. To attach to the MFT T-track I needed to place two 1/4 20" hex bolts at just the right spot to make the surfaces flush. I tried drilling by hand and it was off. So I unscrewed one of the frame stretchers and placed the hole assembly on the drill press.

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And used the wrong size drill bit. :mad:

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Too many holes later I think I'm finally done. This is the basic configuration, providing extra workspace and off cut support for long stock.

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But the main reason I made them is for this configuration:

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It's not quite 96", but the idea is throw the insulation foam on top to support a full 4'x8' sheet of plywood for breakdown.

They will get 1/4" MDF tops, still deciding if I should give them the holey-pattern treatment:

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They are not quite finished, I still need to add stops for the legs, adjustable feet for the legs, some magnets so the legs stay folded, and some french cleats so I can hand them on the wall.

But overall their footprint is small:

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:beer:
 

bdbecker

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...Every time I do pocket holes I swear I'm gonna cough up for a big boi K4 or K5 jig, and then later can't stomach the $100-$130. Someday...

Just an aside, the Makita saw depth scale is in metric, and I always forget the metric equivalent for common plywood thicknesses. This time I broke out my label maker and added a cheat code to the inside of the Systainer case:

IMG-0314.jpg
...

Bad news, good news...

3/4"=19.05mm

The K4 is on sale for $80 from Kreg.
https://www.kregtool.com/shop/gifts/tools/kreg-pocket-hole-jig-k4/K4.html
 

loganb

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That's a great looking set of extensions! Will be watching to see if you give them the holey treatment as I have a rolling assy table I have debated doing the same thing too now that I have a MFT
Bad news, good news...

3/4"=19.05mm

The K4 is on sale for $80 from Kreg.
https://www.kregtool.com/shop/gifts/tools/kreg-pocket-hole-jig-k4/K4.html
I believe he's including the rail thickness so the 23mm is the setting on the depth stop to cut thru the 3/4" while on the rail.

I'm also new to the tracksaw world and have been bouncing between sheet thicknesses and struggled with this as well...though I was thinking to put the sticker on the actual saw not the case

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WunTon

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Looks like a nice usable solution for sure! I have the Kreg K4 and if I were to buy again I would buy the K5 for one simple reason, clamp handle placement! The K4 is great in every way except that the clamp handle is on the back and the couple of times I have used it to pocket hole larger sheets of ply I've found it very cumbersome to reach around the sheet to engage the clamp. I'm 6' 4" so my reach isn't the problem and I have never not been able to make it work but having the handle on the front like the K5 sure would be nice so someday when I feel the urge to invest in a new one I will go with the K5.
 

Unruh

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I really like using dowels as well. I have a biscuit joiner, but I like dowels better. I saw Woodpeckers sold a doweling jig as a one time tool and it was like $700! I’d buy a Festool Domino before spending $700 on a doweling jig. I’ve been checking out the Shop Fox D4116 - Auto-Centering Doweling Jig for around $50.
 

Denwood

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Looks like a great combination of setup speed vs work area on those extensions. It's tough when you need to park and work in the same space.

I have an EV coming this week so over winter I'll be in the same boat.
 

Trapps

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Looks great, Nick! :bowdown:

If you haven't already, consider setting those legs on some scrap when in storage mode until you finish the hanging cleats. Even if it is dry in there, there can be moisture where warm wood meets cold concrete.
 
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nicholam77

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Bad news, good news...

3/4"=19.05mm

The K4 is on sale for $80 from Kreg.
https://www.kregtool.com/shop/gifts/tools/kreg-pocket-hole-jig-k4/K4.html

I saw that on sale when I was at Home Depot! Very tempting, but for the reason Wunton states below I wonder if I'd regret the clamp position. The discount sure makes it more tempting though.

That's a great looking set of extensions! Will be watching to see if you give them the holey treatment as I have a rolling assy table I have debated doing the same thing too now that I have a MFTI believe he's including the rail thickness so the 23mm is the setting on the depth stop to cut thru the 3/4" while on the rail.

I'm also new to the tracksaw world and have been bouncing between sheet thicknesses and struggled with this as well...though I was thinking to put the sticker on the actual saw not the case

This is correct, the 23mm accounts for the rail thickness as well as the teeth protruding into the backing material slightly. The scale on the Makita saw does not account for the rail, which is 99% of the time where you'd use it. :lol: I also find the locking knob kind of annoying.

This is one design area the Festool as a leg up -- it's depth setting has an "easy-set" indexing system instead of a knob you have to tighten, AND it references the depth with or without the rail simultaneously so you can choose and only have to think about material thickness. Much better design in my opinion.

Sticker on the saw would work as well :D

Looks like a nice usable solution for sure! I have the Kreg K4 and if I were to buy again I would buy the K5 for one simple reason, clamp handle placement! The K4 is great in every way except that the clamp handle is on the back and the couple of times I have used it to pocket hole larger sheets of ply I've found it very cumbersome to reach around the sheet to engage the clamp. I'm 6' 4" so my reach isn't the problem and I have never not been able to make it work but having the handle on the front like the K5 sure would be nice so someday when I feel the urge to invest in a new one I will go with the K5.

Good feedback, that was my main question about K4 vs. K5. I've seen K4's come up for decent price used but I always come back to... why did they put the clamp on the back?! I would undoubtedly be using it on some larger sheet panels.

I really like using dowels as well. I have a biscuit joiner, but I like dowels better. I saw Woodpeckers sold a doweling jig as a one time tool and it was like $700! I’d buy a Festool Domino before spending $700 on a doweling jig. I’ve been checking out the Shop Fox D4116 - Auto-Centering Doweling Jig for around $50.

$700 is crazy! I've been looking at something like the JessEm, but have also been thinking about a shop-made solution involving a router. I have one like the Shop Fox style, and it works ok for centered dowels to edge join boards, but doesn't give a lot of flexibility for dowel placement, or alternate joints like right-angle or mid-panel joints.

If you're interested in a K4 or K5, also look at the Armor Tool pocket hole jig.

https://armor-tool.com/product/auto-jig-pocket-hole-system/

The price has gone up since I bought one and they are currently out of stock. However, they routinely run 15-20% off sales or buy it and get some screws for free. Sign up for their email list. I went from a Kreg R3 to this and it's fantastic.

I don't doubt it, I have the R3 as well, but man that is even more expensive than the Kreg!

Looks like a great combination of setup speed vs work area on those extensions. It's tough when you need to park and work in the same space.

I have an EV coming this week so over winter I'll be in the same boat.

It's totally tough, but something I haven't been willing to give up on. Winter *****. Looking forward to the EV!

Looks great, Nick! :bowdown:

If you haven't already, consider setting those legs on some scrap when in storage mode until you finish the hanging cleats. Even if it is dry in there, there can be moisture where warm wood meets cold concrete.

Good idea!
 

Colin Len

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Thanks for your reply in my garage thread. I hadn't seen yours so just took a few minutes to poke around. Dude, fantastic work! I barely scratched the surface on what you've got in here but I love it and will have to come back and check it out more :)
 
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nicholam77

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Thanks for your reply in my garage thread. I hadn't seen yours so just took a few minutes to poke around. Dude, fantastic work! I barely scratched the surface on what you've got in here but I love it and will have to come back and check it out more :)

Thank you and thanks for stopping by!

:beer:

Fantastic photos and photo quality! :thumbup:

_

Thanks Squankum!
 
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nicholam77

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Some little bits:

I received some replacement Incra "Lexan" scales for my 3D printed parallel guides:

IMG-0409.jpg


Now they are complete and ready to test.

I also cut my MFT fence extrusion :scared:

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The reason being, so part of it can continue under the rail all the way to the kerf line for full work piece support. The official MFT/3 fence is thin enough to go under the rail, and after using the setup I see why. Skinnier work pieces really need that extra support to hold them square.

To make the cut I used a brand new 80-tooth aluminum blade, just the cheapest I could find on Amazon, raised to full height in the table saw. It was a ****-puckering maneuver for sure, being a stop cut with full blade height. But, aluminum is soft, and the new blade cut through the extrusion like butter.

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In the above example previously that plywood would have only had ~2" of fence support. Not accurate at all. Now it is supported all the way to the kerf and I can actually just hold it in place with the tiny amount that is not under the rail. So much better.

I was able to cut the low part of the extrusion to be 7/16" tall, so just under 1/2" to accommodate 1/2" stock. I can also easily cut 1/4" stock by placing a 1/4" spacer underneath (like MDF or hardboard) to total 1/2" height and clear the fence.

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I've been meaning to do this for a long time, and am super happy with the improvement. One step closer to my ideal setup.

This morning I swapped over to winter wheels on the GTI. In the process I cleaned the summer wheels... these pics are for you jonshonda and Matias:

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IMG-0419.jpg
 

jake28

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Location
SF, CA
Fwiw, I haves K5 and have built a dozen cabinet boxes with it and am totally underwhelmed. I’d get the K4 for a single reason: I despise the plastic clamping system on the K5.

The lever is in the right spot vs. the K4, but the K5 has a ratcheting plastic piece for adjustment. I found with fast and repeated use (aka, hungry and hamfisted), it slips when just slightly over tightened.

I really want to like Kreg: they build smart and cohesive tool systems, but they need to stop building in blue plastic and make set up a lot more intuitive.

I’m going to order one of these:

https://masscaproducts.com/product...-bit-hex-key-screws-square-driver-stop-collar

[mention]nicholam77 [/mention] if you want my Kreg set up on the cheap as a small thank you for everything I’ve learned from this thread, shoot me a DM.
 
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nicholam77

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 18, 2016
Messages
2,659
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Fwiw, I haves K5 and have built a dozen cabinet boxes with it and am totally underwhelmed. I’d get the K4 for a single reason: I despise the plastic clamping system on the K5.

The lever is in the right spot vs. the K4, but the K5 has a ratcheting plastic piece for adjustment. I found with fast and repeated use (aka, hungry and hamfisted), it slips when just slightly over tightened.

I really want to like Kreg: they build smart and cohesive tool systems, but they need to stop building in blue plastic and make set up a lot more intuitive.

I’m going to order one of these:

https://masscaproducts.com/product...-bit-hex-key-screws-square-driver-stop-collar

[mention]nicholam77 [/mention] if you want my Kreg set up on the cheap as a small thank you for everything I’ve learned from this thread, shoot me a DM.

Very interesting! I did not even notice that design difference. I guess I just assumed it worked well, but you have a great point there. Nevertheless, I sent you a DM. :D

Hadn't seen the Massca option, that really does look much nicer than the Kreg, that's for sharing!
 

loganb

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Dec 29, 2011
Messages
5,534
Location
Omaha, NE
Fwiw, I haves K5 and have built a dozen cabinet boxes with it and am totally underwhelmed. I’d get the K4 for a single reason: I despise the plastic clamping system on the K5.

The lever is in the right spot vs. the K4, but the K5 has a ratcheting plastic piece for adjustment. I found with fast and repeated use (aka, hungry and hamfisted), it slips when just slightly over tightened.

I really want to like Kreg: they build smart and cohesive tool systems, but they need to stop building in blue plastic and make set up a lot more intuitive.

I’m going to order one of these:

https://masscaproducts.com/product...-bit-hex-key-screws-square-driver-stop-collar

[mention]nicholam77 [/mention] if you want my Kreg set up on the cheap as a small thank you for everything I’ve learned from this thread, shoot me a DM.
Thanks for the recommendation for the alternate to the Kreg! That looks much nicer and is now on the Xmas list...was very hard to not buy it myself :)

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