Regular readers of this site will know that when it comes to push sticks I am a big fan of the Micro-Jig GRR-Rippers. However, there certainly are times when your traditional, basic push stick is more convenient or suitable for a particular task. I have quite a few different push sticks in the workshop, some store bought, some shop made. They all only serve one purpose though, and that is to safely push material through a blade while keeping my hands well clear of the cutting edges. The Kreg Tool Company has come out with a push stick with a couple extra additions thrown in, so I thought I'd test one out and see how useful it really is...

The Kreg Multi-Purpose Push Stick
Kreg Tool Company is certainly most well known for their Kreg Pocket Hole Jigs, which we have reviewed on this site previously and are perhaps the best and easiest method for wood joinery using pocket holes. In more recent years they have been expanding their product line to include accessories for other common workshop machines. The Multi-Purpose Push Stick is one of these accessories.

As you can see from the images, the Push Stick sports Kreg's standard blue color and is made of impact resistant plastic, so it wont dent or deform easily if dropped from a workbench or sawing machine. The shape itself is probably nothing new to experienced woodworkers; there are other push sticks on the market with a similar shape.

The barrel grip handle does not feature a smooth smooth or rubber molded grip. This is a good thing in this case as the open ribbed construction actually provides a better grip and less slip than a smooth or rubber molded grip, and when it comes to working with your hands near sharp spinning blades, good slip resistance is vital. The underside of the handle features ridges for easy finger gripping and the size of the barrel handle fits comfortable in the hand. The best thing about this handle however is the pencil holder. Running down the middle of the grip is a cylindrical space to slot your pencil in. It will accommodate most standard sized round pencils.

I don't know how much time I waste in the shop looking for the pencil I put down somewhere during the construction or marking phases, but it would certainly add up to something substantial. Usually I have my tool belt on when I'm working on a larger project but when I don't wear that, pencils seem to disappear into thin air. Ensuring the pencil goes back in the holder on the push stick means I can find it when I need it, and have it close to hand when working with the machinery.

Working down from the handle you can see a measure rule. This is a hardened stainless steel rule with one side offering imperial measurement while the reverse side offers metric, This can act as a depth gauge by extending out from the front edge of the push stick as well as a multi-function rule for marking for mortises, tenons or rebates etc. The rule can slide in and out and locked in place using the locking tab on the back side of the push stick. It can also be removed completely if you wish to use it like a general ruler or small straight edge. The rule measures 6 inches (15cm) long. The grey locking tab works a little like a cam clamp (albeit simplified) to lock and release the rule in place. You may need fingernails to get behind the tab to lever it up however.

Moving on down we see a Kreg logo molded into the push stick (no function) but just lateral to this is a powerful magnetic disc. The purpose of this is storage. You can quickly store the Push Stick to any iron or steel surface (not aluminum). Given that most workshop tools feature steel sheeted bases/cabinets, the magnetic on the Push Stick will readily grab and secure to these surfaces. It attached fine to the outside of my cabinet saw, to the wheel covers on my band saw, to the cabinet or fence of my jointer and to the steel frame cabinet and legs of my router table. Again, this feature allows to tool to be stored right were it will be used, saving you time from retrieving the tool off wall storage or from accessory draws.

And down to the bottom of the Push Stick now we see a flat surface with a protruding notch at the rear. This notch, of course, engages at the back edge of your workpiece to help push it through the blade(s) of your cutting machine. All standard push sticks have this feature, essentially, so that is nothing new.

In Use
Ok so as you can see, we have a Push Stick that is pretty much standard in terms of push stick function, but with a few extra and very handy additions thrown in. The Kreg Push Stick sees the most action in my shop on my Table Saw, Band Saw and Router Table. While Kreg advertise the fact it can be used with the jointer, I find the regular rubber-soled push blocks work much better in this application, although without these the Kreg Push Stick will certainly suffice.

On the table saw I do prefer to use my GRR-Rippers for most thin ripping cuts as these provide the ultimate in safety, but they can be time consuming to set up if you are only making one or two cuts. In these cases, the Kreg Push Stick can be quicker and more practical for the task, although I always advocate use of the safest method possible, within practical constraints of course. But do remember that the Kreg Push Stick does have the included ruler and depth checking features, and this can be handy for double checking marks for tenons or for actually laying them out too, and with the pencil holder in built, you have a pretty handy marking tool for making or altering layout markings right at the machine. The width of the Kreg Stick is 3/8" so you cannot use it to rip thin pieces any smaller than that without the Stick touching the blade, but this is the same with most commercially made push sticks. It you want to cut thinner strips I would recommend a GRR-Ripper (at greater expense however) which will let you safely cut down to 1/4" using a pushing device.

The Push Stick is very handy at the band saw for pushing material through the blade when working with a band saw fence. It can be used upright or at right angles for guiding the last piece of the cut through the blade, again keeping hands and fingers well away from the blades - the primary reason for using push sticks.

On the router table it is great for shaping small or thinner pieces in particular as this is when hands can come dangerously close to the cutting tool. The Push Stick notch provides a safe method of guiding material past the cutter and again can be used at angles for user convenience or to avoid obstructions like cutter guards or dust collection shrouds.

Overall
Let's face it, you can probably make a basic push stick in the shop out of scrap for next to nothing (not counting the cost of your time of course) but for the very reasonable price of US$17.99, the Kreg Push Stick is a durable tool with added features that you will definitely use, and features that would be difficult to incorporate into your own shop-made push stick (not without difficulty or a fair bit of time anyway). As such I feel this Kreg accessory offers pretty good value for money. I certainly use all the features it offers just about every time I pick it up to use it, and for me, that makes it worth every dollar of the asking price.

Available to Order Online through these companies... Click graphic to go to their direct product page for this item

Rockler.com (USA)

Kreg Multi-Purpose Push Stick Add convenience to every cut you make with this push stick. A built-in storage magnet lets you attach it directly to your saw so it’s always accessible. The ergonomic handle provides the best angle fo.. Order from Rockler.com

Amazon.com (USA)

Kreg Push-Stick