Rockler pocket hole clamp question

Rob Keeble

Member
Messages
12,633
Location
GTA Ontario Canada
I see Rockler has a special on these pocket hole clamps. Just thought i would ask if anyone has bought one and used it.

My concern is when the face frame is lying flat on the bench how are you supposed to tighten the Wing nut type threaded clamp part.

Would like to know if its worth useing. I have not got into pocket holes for the very reason of holding the two parts secure before screwing.

In picture form this looks like it does the job. I am looking for first hand experience. Bought enough pictures in my time. Aint doing it no more if i can help it.:D;):)
 
Don thats exactly what i was thinking gimmic :thumb: Now we know why the special deal, they need to move em.

These kinds of things remind me of that old movie, One Born Every Day.
 
I was given one (unsolicited) as a birthday gift a few months back. I used it (more like tried to use it) once and put it away in my drawer full of "nice try gimmicks" wher it's been ever since.

Pretty much just what Don said about it.

And Rob - so far as holding the joint together for assembly - all you need to do is hold the pieces down flat to the bench top. Kreg, in their kits, has a vice-grip type clamp that does it very well, but nearly any regular clamp will work.

Pocket hole joinery is particularly nice for face frames, etc., but I've never liked the idea of putting them where they show, even if they're plugged. Those teardrop shaped plugs just don't do it for me.
 
I'm on the gimmick team. If you need this, you haven't looked around your shop for something else to do the job. Sorry your drawer is just that much more full Jim. Its the thought that counts. We all have something like that ;-)
 
We try tried them in the shop. Big problem is that you have to cut them back in order to use them. Plus they do not hold the boards flat.
 
Cynthia Kreg thing you pointed to is well liked. The Kreg jig you pointed to is a pocket hole drill jig.

This Rockler gimic clamp is to be able to pull two pieces of wood in a face frame together while you drive in the pocket hole screw on the second hole.

As Don made the point it means the wood you use and the number of holes you drill are affected to use it. Wood needs to be wide enough to take two holes and you need to drill two holes to use it.

Kreg kits contain a standard clamp to do this same task you can see it in the Kreg kit picture.
 
Isn't that sort of like the Kreg thing? I thought the Kreg jig for pocket holes was well liked? no?

Cynthia,
The Kreg system works very well, and I've used it a lot over the past fifteen+ years. Since you're planning on building all those cabinets and shelving units, you really ought to look into it further. It can save you a lot of time (and frustration) when building face frames.

The clamp in question is a Rockler item - a $20 plastic 'gimmicky' thing that has a pin that sticks into a kreg hole and spans the joint, supposedly pulling it tight and true. In order to work, the workpiece has to be wide enough to accommodate two kreg holes, and they have to be wide enough to put the clamp in one hole and still have room to drive a screw in the other one. Personally, I don't make my face frames that wide.

Also, the clamp, to work well, needs to have the workpieces right at the edge of the bench so you have room to turn the knob.

IMO, the clamp that Kreg sells - sorta like a vicegrip® - works quite well. It comes as part of the larger kits, but is also sold separately.
 
Top