So far, my review of the Kreg Beaded Face Frame System, has only been
positive. I am not changing that at all. But there are a few things I want to
improve...mainly in the area of "zero defects." You know, make a perfect
face frame each and every time. That seems like a good target.
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Last week I ran some
stock through the thickness planer to mill all pieces to exactly 1.5". It worked but
not an efficient way I want to do as standard practice.
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Today, Elena has set up a
multifunction table to get 1.5" width each and every time. This is a method I have
used many times. The large white area is really a piece of white melamine particle core
board.
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She places two 1 1/2" spacers next
to the right edge of the white melamine board.
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With the guide rail down
and locked, we can use a hammer to tap on the spacer until the edge of it is aligned with
the edge of the guide rail.
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Then, we tighten the two clamps that are securing the white melamine
board.
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Now,
Elena simply places raw stock under the guide rail and butting against the white
melamine and makes her cut.
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She checks the width of the new cut. One and a half
inches exactly.
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It
doesn't take long for her to cut a number of accurate frame pieces.
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Next
check is one of notch bit height. We want 1/4" exactly. Kreg includes a very useful
template jig to check this height.
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I like the Wixey height
gauge so that I can visually see any bit movement. I have a couple of 000's to go
here. That is pretty accurate, but we can get it to .250 exactly. The bit height
needs to be 1/4" no matter how you measure it. The thumbwheel on this lift
allows for easy adjustments in the thousandths.
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Now this is where the Kreg
template excels. Once the cut is made, it is easy to check the notching depth, If it
doesn't indicate exactly 1/4" depth, I change the bit height until I get the exact
cut. How tight the joint is depends on several steps — this being one.
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