MFT3 Pocket Screw Face Frame Setup
- Thread starter Jonathans
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nickao
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- Feb 24, 2008
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I do know a few people that have Mft's and the Kreg table.
I can say the method the Kreg uses on their Clamping Table of pressing one side down firmly on the table may not work so well on the Mft 3. I know on my Mft's they are not as stick flat(until I put additional bracing underneath) as the Kreg tables are.
For me I occasionally use pocket screws, but I use my own contraption that can be used on an mft or your kitchen table if you wanted. I like my Frames lifted so I can get the clamp on both sides. Then I do not have to rely on a table that is dead flat with no movement. I like to see the finished side up and let the clamps make the frames sit flush on the face, rather than using the table surface on the Kreg table to make the frames sit flush. I am always afraid the seams will not be perfect if I can not see them after clamping(but before screwing). With the Kreg Table because the frames are forced to the table you have to hope they were lined up just right.
My contraption is a home brew version of the the pic below from Eurekazone. I use a series of 3/4" x5" x24"-48" plywood pieces on end to set the material on before pocket screwing. I just line the clamps up while working on the face of the frames, clamp and then flip the frames over and pocket screw.
As to your question on how to square up and clamp face frames: There are many ways to square up the face frame clamps and runners( Kreg calls them Clamp tracks) for use on the Mft. When I get in situations like that I use the Qwas dogs and rely on the holes in the Mft to be lined up(which they are) to get me a square corner. There are a ton of posts here on how to square up material, runners and fences with the Qwas and other bench dogs using the Mft holes. In short, just use the CNC accuracy of the Mft holes to square up the clamps and face frames any way you like, the holes are accurate. BUT with face frames I find that if the cutting of the frame ends is accurate the frames self align to square, so having that square corner has never been as issue for me as far as face frames. I just never needed it.
I actually have a few of the larger Kreg clamps attached to my Mft's as pictured below. I routed in the bench clamp inserts on a few of my older Mft's. You can also attach the Kreg Clamps to a Qwas Dog and use the holes to place the Kreg clamp anywhere on the Mft table you like. Attaching runners or clamp tracks using dogs and the Mft holes for alignment is simple as well. I never liked the Kreg Clamps for clamping face frames on my Mft's, but I do use them as general clamps quite a bit on the Mft's and I use the Mft holes religiously for alignment.
I guess one could get used to the Kreg clamping table, but I do not see the need for one. It's kind of small as well. I also do not see the Mft as a replacement for the Kreg table, though the Mft can be used for pocket screwing with little modification.
I can say the method the Kreg uses on their Clamping Table of pressing one side down firmly on the table may not work so well on the Mft 3. I know on my Mft's they are not as stick flat(until I put additional bracing underneath) as the Kreg tables are.
For me I occasionally use pocket screws, but I use my own contraption that can be used on an mft or your kitchen table if you wanted. I like my Frames lifted so I can get the clamp on both sides. Then I do not have to rely on a table that is dead flat with no movement. I like to see the finished side up and let the clamps make the frames sit flush on the face, rather than using the table surface on the Kreg table to make the frames sit flush. I am always afraid the seams will not be perfect if I can not see them after clamping(but before screwing). With the Kreg Table because the frames are forced to the table you have to hope they were lined up just right.
My contraption is a home brew version of the the pic below from Eurekazone. I use a series of 3/4" x5" x24"-48" plywood pieces on end to set the material on before pocket screwing. I just line the clamps up while working on the face of the frames, clamp and then flip the frames over and pocket screw.
As to your question on how to square up and clamp face frames: There are many ways to square up the face frame clamps and runners( Kreg calls them Clamp tracks) for use on the Mft. When I get in situations like that I use the Qwas dogs and rely on the holes in the Mft to be lined up(which they are) to get me a square corner. There are a ton of posts here on how to square up material, runners and fences with the Qwas and other bench dogs using the Mft holes. In short, just use the CNC accuracy of the Mft holes to square up the clamps and face frames any way you like, the holes are accurate. BUT with face frames I find that if the cutting of the frame ends is accurate the frames self align to square, so having that square corner has never been as issue for me as far as face frames. I just never needed it.
I actually have a few of the larger Kreg clamps attached to my Mft's as pictured below. I routed in the bench clamp inserts on a few of my older Mft's. You can also attach the Kreg Clamps to a Qwas Dog and use the holes to place the Kreg clamp anywhere on the Mft table you like. Attaching runners or clamp tracks using dogs and the Mft holes for alignment is simple as well. I never liked the Kreg Clamps for clamping face frames on my Mft's, but I do use them as general clamps quite a bit on the Mft's and I use the Mft holes religiously for alignment.
I guess one could get used to the Kreg clamping table, but I do not see the need for one. It's kind of small as well. I also do not see the Mft as a replacement for the Kreg table, though the Mft can be used for pocket screwing with little modification.
