Kreg has come out with new Multipurpose Project Blocks to help woodworkers better support their work, model KFS-Puck.
The new Kreg project blocks are puck-shaped work supports, with a twist – literally. Each is equipped with a retractable painting point that can be extended or retracted with a twist of the block.
The blocks can lift workpieces 1-1/2″ above the work surface, for tasks and applications such as finishing, routing, and sanding.
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They each feature a grippy surface on both sides to prevent slipping.
Woodworking pucks and blocks like these are often used to elevate a workpiece for tasks where you need clearance below, such as for edge routing.
The 1-1/2″ lift height also allows for clamps to be placed on the underside of your work.
The painting points extend with a twist and lock in place. The smaller surface area of the points helps to prevent sticking.
Unlike other woodworking support pucks, the Kreg Multipurpose Project Blocks provide 2-in-1 functionality without the need for additional add-ons or accessories.
The pucks have a non-rolling hexagonal shape, and set of 4 can support up to 200 lbs.
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Price: 4 for $19-20
Discussion
There are a lot of different woodworking support block and painting elevator solutions out there these days.
It looks like the biggest selling point here is the quick conversion between work support blocks and painting/staining/finishing supports.
These look competitive for anyone looking to buy their first set of workbench pucks.
If wood-finishing is your primary goal, “Painter’s Pyramids” and similar work supports cost much less. For work support, I like Rockler Bench Cookies, especially as they can be accessorized as needed.
David
Painters pyramids are often a bit tricky to not tip over (yes, maybe that’s my problem, but it annoys me when I use them) – these look like they’d be more stable, and that’d be a welcome benefit. I couldn’t find information on how much they weigh – I’d actually like some with a bit of heft to them in addition to the grippy surface. But as a bench cookie + painter’s pyramid combo, I could see a use for them.
MM
The combo design seems neat at first, but I’m not sure that I like it. I’d be concerned about accidentally dripping paint or varnish onto the grippy pads of the pucks if I were to use them as “painter’s pyramids”. That seems like it would be a huge cleanup hassle, and simply wiping the paint off would likely interfere with how grippy the pads are.
I’ll stick with using lumber offcuts, or if I need painting supports, drive a nail through a piece of scrap. These feel more like a “solution in search of a problem” to me.
Jared
Just for another option, Lee Valley sells some very affordable grip discs for sticking on actual hockey pucks (and the hockey pucks too).
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/workshop/workbenches/benchtop-accessories/101913-grip-discs-for-bench-pucks?item=88K5901
John
Hockey pucks. I have dozens of them. They’ve supported wood, steel whatever for paint, varnish etc. Use wax paper or parchment paper for non stick. Indestructable, easy to clean.
fred
Before there were painter’s pyramids , I always used small scrap blocks of plywood with a long drywall screw protruding up through the center. Not much to worry about if some paint drips on them. These Kreg ones – might be a bit harder to clean up if paint drips on the foam rings.
MoogleMan3
To this day that’s still what I use, Fred. I tried painter’s pyramids but they moved around too much/stuck to the workpieces.
Perry
Same here. Cheap, easy, and disposable
King duck
Never really used painters pyramids before but if I find the need that is what I will do thanks for the excellent tip.
Matt E.
Biggest advantage to the 2-in1 nature of these, is no having to keep track of more stuff. Painters pyramids are the sort of thing I’d buy and then promptly lose somewhere in my garage/workshop.
If I went with the Rocklers, I’d need to dedicate a small case to all the accessories. One more tool case taking up storage and a thing to unpack for a project.
For the type of person tackling a handful of projects a year, these seem like a decent stocking stuffer to put on a wishlist
N. Berg
There is actually at least one other 2-in-1 product like this already: Milescraft TriGrips. They are only half the price of the Kreg ones; $9 for 4, or $3 each, depending one where you get them.
They don’t have any fancy retractable point, instead they’re just a triangle with the painting support point on one corner so you can just stand them upright. They’re probably not as stable as the Kreg ones when using the points, but if that’s less of a priority you could save some money.
Stuart
True.
Craftsman offered similar a while ago, but I wasn’t aware Milescraft now offers them too.
https://toolguyd.com/craftsman-trigrips-work-supports-bench-cookies/
JoeM
Uh… am I blanking out here, or does anyone else seem to have a faint memory of Kreg having work support pucks in the past? As in, these are more of an upgraded form with the painter points? Anybody?
Listen, I love painter’s pyramids. I have a friend of mine who paints various wargaming models as a hobby, and I’m just trying to contact him to get his most recent address so I can buy a set, with turntable, from Lee Valley to be sent to him direct. I’ve found plenty of tricks to take advantage of them, including using dowels to slide into the holes to act as a secondary frame to mount things higher up. But, let’s not mince words here. These are Kreg work supports we’re talking about.
Kreg has been making their money off ready-made jigs, and work surface shortcuts, for as long as they’ve existed. A bit of plastic, and the odd metal insert, something you’d think would cost them pennies to make, they sell for $50-$100. But, this isn’t a complaint, it’s kinda my point here. Kreg is… Kreg. They charge so much because they know their products are worth it. I don’t own a single Kreg product, but I know this is just a fact we live with. Sure, you can go for something cheaper. It’s almost a Stereotype for my fellow Canadians, but yes… Some of us go to Canadian Tire, and buy 4, 6, 10, and once, long ago, packs of 50 Hockey pucks they had in the sports section. Mind you, I don’t know if they still have the 50 pack, I haven’t been inside a CT physical store in a very long time. But Hockey Pucks up here are… well they’re as cheap as dirt. It’s actually difficult to make a bad one, so if there’s a cheap brand selling at CT, woodworkers, metal workers, you name it… they buy them for work supports. And yes… I do know one family of guys I grew up with, I call them my Brothers these days, who have gone on to have families of their own, and those hockey puck work supports also end up actual hockey pucks as they teach their kids to play the game. It’s fun to see them teach all their many daughters to play, but those Hockey Pucks come in very handy in both cases.
But, to the topic: Yeah… I could go out and buy a 10 pack of NHL-Standard Hockey Pucks for… I think it’s $5 CAD? I could cut scrap wood into pyramid shapes and use them like painter’s pyramids, or use painter’s pyramids themselves. Could buy any of the alternatives to these Kreg pucks… but I can’t set aside a natural trust of Kreg products to say “Not worth it”… Of course they’ll be worth it, they’re from Kreg. Do I need Kreg-level quality for what I do? I’m not so sure there. But it is certainly a nice design they’ve come up with.
Though… It’s going to bug me all day, thinking about where, if anywhere, I’ve seen Kreg work support pucks in the past… I’m almost positive these are not the first pucks they’ve made. If I’m wrong, I can accept that, it just seems like they’re rather familiar…
Nathan
so I love my bench cookies. I like this idea but one issue is shown in their picture – when on the paint point method you the top isn’t covered.
this is where the bench cookie paint points are awesome – it’s a plastic shell that covered the top of the cookie. so any paint drips are kepts off the top grippy surface.
One issue with the bench cookies (either brand) is they height – I do wish they made them 1-1/2 high. but the rockler ones do have threaded inserts – I didn’t buy they stand offs I made my own with 5/16 threaded rod (I think that was the size).
anyway neat it exists but the bench cookie is better and no I’ve not had an issue with them rolling away.
Fred D.
There is a similar 3D printed cookie when you pull out a chip in the puck just enough to unlock a piece in the center that spins and reveals a point. Prints in place as one piece. Genius and costs pennies to print