In addition to discussing possible pocket hole mistakes, i also touched on wood is a living thing and that seasonal changes cause movement. While most of us probably use it for face frames, or similar applications, pocket hole joinery can be used in lots of other applications. Pocket screws have a wide washer head to prevent screwing too far into the joint and cracking the wood. When a pocket screw is driven through an angled pocket hole it draws the two pieces of wood together tightly. Luckily, you can order wood plugs in just about any species to fill these odd holes you just glue them in and sand them flush. The pocket holes make a strong joint, but it doesnt take into account the wood. Oct 27, 2018 link to playlist of all pocket hole videos i have made including subjects like my super pocket hole joinery and cross dowel pocket holes. Pockethole joinery, or pocketscrew joinery, involves drilling a hole at an angle usually 15. Kreg in itself is a not so great pocket hole method they sort of make what should be a quick easy ff joint and turn it into a pita. Jay bates website has an entire category of projects hes built using pocket hole joinery, ranging from a jewelry cabinet to a bunk bed to a bar stool. Yes i use glue, but not nearly as much as i used to before i discovered kreg.
To accomplish this, first apply glue in the bottom underneath hole of the breadboard. Its so easy to use and it gives you great professional results. Screws alone make a plentystrong pocket hole joint, but adding glue helps prevent a joint from opening up due to seasonal shrinking and swelling. As with many types of joints, pocket hole joinery is strong enough in many applications. To hold a miter joint tight, drill a pair of pocket holes oppo. We glue our face frames with pocket screws and also glue them to the cabinet carcass i am not talking about a dot of glue we keep a damp rag handy and glue our joints liberally with titebond yellow glue. Pocket hole joints dont require wood glue, but that doesnt mean you shouldnt use glue when assembling your furniture projects. The pocket screw system is so easy to use that even a novice woodworker can make strong, tight joints on the first try. Glue doesnt make these pocket holes stronger youtube.
Glue squeezeout soaks into the fibers of raw wood, leaving blemishes when you later apply the finish. However consider this if you glue the face frames on the box and use pocketholes to put the face frame on, since you are glueing it all together at once with no overspill of glue on the front of the face frame from the joints. Every joint leaves behind a long, oblong hole that looks bad when its prominent, like on cabinet doors. While many people are using just screws for pocket hole joinery these days, the tried and true method of adding glue to the screws still holds up best according to our expert. One screw is driven into each apron and one into the leg. And usually, thats not a problemyou just substitute another form of joinery, say biscuits or dowels, in place of the pocket screws. This is a such a versatile way of putting wood together. Dec 02, 2016 here are some considerations from the pros about when to use pocket hole joinery. I find it difficult to drill two pocket holes into 2x2s, so i drill one hole and use glue on the joints to help hold it in place. Pockethole joints provide the perfect combination of speed and strength for this job. Thats a pretty respectable amount of force, almost approaching the glue. I usually make sure that i have two holes close together where i plan to clamp each end, in the middle depending on distances. I love my pocket hole jig, but my pieces always moved out of alignment when using pocket hole joinery on my diy projects.
This isnt so with pocket hole joints, as the fastener acts as an internal clamp that obviates the glueup. Mcfeelys pocket hole screws are heattreated making our screws tough enough to drive into red oak without a pilot hole, we dont recommend it. The folks at kreg tool company sent us their kreg jig to test and evaluate. Nov 30, 2010 kreg jigs are a system of jigs used for creating efficient, strong pocket hole joints used for a number of woodworking applications such as cabinet face frames, picture frames, furniture, wood panels and even repairs. I also did a pg job using poplar face frames 2 years ago and to date, none of the face frame joints have cracked. Joinery easy joinery with pocket screws wood crafters resource. I might be able to use both dadoes and pocket holes, but that might be overkill. What should the spacing be for the pocket holes on the longer pieces.
If its a permanent type project, ill use a little glue, but it really is a decision i make at the time. Once the sizing has dried id then glue and clamp the joint together, when dry, drill pocket holes and screw tight. Jigs and machines were created, automatic machines were installed and special screws were designed just to make use of this joint. And yes, the short aprons are glued and pocket hole screwed across the grain of the panel. Should joinery use just pocket screws, glue or both on end. For some methods, such as screws or nails, gluing the joint is probably not a good choice because you end up with a crossgrain glue joint. Im using kreg brand self tapping screws and i have the joints clamped nice and tight. This time, it went up to 140 pounds before it failed, with the rail splitting around the pocket holes. Now, thats easy for me to say, but i know that you may not own a pockethole jig. I wonder if using pocket hole joinery along with glue might be a stonger way to assemble the carcass by the carcass i mean just the box itself and the joint i am refering to is the one that joins the base and top to the sides. Gluing and screwing the joints together prevents gaps from forming as wood shrinks and expands with temperature and. If there are gaps or the joint slides together too easily, then the glue wont hold. For panels, place the first pocket hole roughly 2 from the edge or end of the panel, and then every 6 after that.
For panel joints, put one hole about every 68 inches. I used glue as well as screws because i figured id have a stronger table in the end. To glue a dowel in an outer hole one with an elongated tongue hole, you need to be careful to not glue the dowel to the tongue. I have used pocket screws in the past when i could get away with it. I would think pocket hole screws would be the strongest but i still glue the joint when i use them. Ive shared in many of the pocket hole posts that im a big advocate of using wood glue with pocket hole joinery. The choice is going to be driven primarily by how the piece will be used. Dec 29, 2018 most pocket joints are made by screwing into the face or the edge of the board rather than the end grain because the screw will grab better. By the time you get to amount of force needd to get joint failure in a pocket screw joint your beyond the hope of an end grain glue joint saving you. Self tapping pocket screws are used for pocket hole joints. This adds even more strength and stability to the legs at each of the corners.
Once pocket hole screws break the joints, theres no way that you can fix it. Since its introduction a few years ago, it spawned a new industry all by itself. This isnt so with pocket hole joints, as the fastener acts as an internal clamp that obviates the glue up. When using pocket holes to make edge joints i would recommend using a quality wood glue in addition to the pocket screws. One mistake in creating pocket hole screws may ruin the hole, so you may have to start from scratch again. There are so many places you can use pocket hole joints and screws. The stop collar can easily be set to accurately drill the correct depth hole in various thicknesses of wood. Your best option is pocket holes and, for added strength, i would probably put 4 pocket screws at the end of each board. That way i can clamp in one hole and then screw close to it. I started gluing them and havent had it happen anymore. Here are four popular joints that could crack over time.
Most pocket joints are made by screwing into the face or the edge of the board rather than the end grain because the screw will grab better. Dec 15, 2019 the second board had four screws and failed at 520 lbs. Aug 09, 2017 making up a homemade wood bondo filler type paste using saw dust and wood glue. Even with the knot hole making sample one fail somewhat early, glue still held over 33% more force before failing. Homemade bondo wood glue saw dust filler matthias wandel trick. Its better to stick down masking tape along both edges of the joint before gluing. Depending on the application, you may need a glue that dries within seconds, the next time, you may need 10 minutes to get the parts assembled. The big advantage of box joints is the amount of gluing. And, dont forget to use glue when making pocket hole joints. As ive gained confidence in the holding power of the pocket hole screw, ive greatly decreased my use of glue. Pocket hole joinery can come in real handy when you need to pull a miter joint together.
Some wood workers remove the pocket hole screws, after the glue setsup, and reuse the screws. You might back it off a little, set it for a thinner board to give yourself more room screwing into the board that youre joining. Pockethole joinery, or pocketscrew joinery, involves drilling a hole at an angle. There are even some joints you may want to take apart later. There are some applications, where using the kreg pocket hole joinery is more suitable over using external clamps, while the adhesive is drying. Now i see some people use pocket screws without glue. For several years i didnt, and then started doing painted cabinets and had paint cracks at the joint, and unevenness. The ultimate guide to pocket holes will show you everything you need to know about this simple joinery technique, from proper placement to the correct screws for the job. Pocket screws are generally more expensive, but they are needed for a tight, strong joint. After the hole has been drilled, its easy to drive the selftapping pocket hole screws in. Pocket screws are easy to use and allow anyone to make awesome projects with very little experience. Ziprs are made for cabinet assembly but not joinery. How to use a kreg jig for pocket hole drilling, screwing. For the strongest joints possible, we recommend spacing pocket holes evenly across your workpiece.
Compliments of fine woodworking keeping tabletops flat. Sometimes hardwoods can crack when using a pocket hole jig. It is sometimes performed by physical therapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, and masseurs in turkish baths. Never overspend on tools again in this followup to my previ. Mortise and tenon, dovetail, and biscuit joints require glueups. For example, there are even tutorials on how to build a workbench using pocket holes. Is using pocket holes and glue an appropriate method for edgejoining the planks together to make the table top. Testing pocket holes against mortise and tenon and dowel joints.
How to fill ugly gaps in woodworking joints using this. Glue is not needed for face frames when pocket holes are used with 2 screws at each joint. How to fill ugly gaps in woodworking joints using this simple trick. Cut a couple pieces of face frame stock about 12 long, pocket hole it, glue it and screw it together. How to prevent pieces from moving when assembling pocket hole joints i finally figured it out. Carve a spirit bird house, step by step how to carve a wood spirit bird house, aka nest box, dremel duration. Place a fair amount of glue into the bottom of the pocket and. But too much water around the joint can weaken the bond. How to prevent pieces from moving when assembling pocket. I think wood glue makes a strong pocket hole joint even stronger, but i believe it can also help to prevent pieces from moving when assembling pocket hole joints. I challange anyone to show me a pocket screw joint that has failed bc it was not glued and prove that the joint wouldnt have failed if it was glued. Dowel joints use two small, round wooden dowels and glue.
Screws alone make a plentystrong pockethole joint, but adding glue helps prevent a joint from opening up due to seasonal shrinking and swelling. Learn about the causes of joint cracking or joint popping, and read about medications used in the treatment of popping joints. Wondering if you know of a way to break apart joints glued with gorilla glue. Learn how to use pocket screw joinery in your woodworking projects. Pocket holes tips and tricks by otb thinker youtube.
Whoever tried to repair this antique dresser drawer let the glue squeeze out all over and didnt clamp the joints so one has set up so far apart the drawer wont fit in the case. Up until now i have used glue on all the joints with pocket holes, because i it was my understanding that the glue is a major player in the structural soundness of the finished project, and that the pocket hole screws acted as clamps while the project dried and also provide structural support as well, obviously. I would consider a pocket hole if it could be done in discretely enough but i fear the way the joints are layed out will now allow that. Dont be put off by projects that call for tight joints or simple cabinet building. Pocket hole joints involve drilling a hole at an angle through one frame piece and guiding a screw through the hole to secure the two pieces together. Flush 90 degree joints in plywood boxes kreg owners. Now that we understand wood movement and why wood cracks, its important when building or designing diy furniture to recognize the types of joints prone to cracking. When it comes to assembling faceframes for cabinets, theres nothing faster than pocket hole joints each joint takes about 90 seconds apiece using a storebought jig.
One reason i use wood glue when assembling pocket hole joints is because. It also allows me to replace a section in case a piece cracks or. For railstile joints, put two holes evenly across the joint, depending on the width of the workpiece. Recommendations so far have been to use glue like this or even gorilla glue. The pocket screw system and the key tools special drill bit the pocket screw drill bit is stepped to simultaneously drill two different diameter holes. What is the correct way to build pocket screw joinery. Glue might strengthen the pocket hole joint, but its not necessary. Remember, joinery can be just as much about taste and opinion as it is about strength and utility. Selftapping screws keep the mating part from splitting. My assumption here is that most of the forces the chair endures are actually below the breaking point of the butt glue joint, but still enough to. If you are happy with the final product and you enjoy using pocket screws, all the power to you.
A screw driven through an oversize shank hole in the pocket joins the top to the apron right while allowing the top to expand and contract. Use the widest 2 holes you can get away with, while keeping the pocket hole centers within 38. Joints that are cut properly should come together smoothly. The cracking of joints, especially knuckles, was long believed to lead to arthritis and other joint problems. Pocket holes are really a ff joint but has been turned into a much over used joint by the advent of kreg jigs. When are pocket holes an appropriate joinery technique. The ultimate guide to pocket holes the handymans daughter. Pocket hole screws give the frame all the strength it needs and then some. From the feedback, i could tell i needed to dive a little deeper into the movement of wood, what causes wood to crack and share some diy furniture construction tips. Drill home to adequate depth, and drive screw to secure joint. Is using pocket holes and glue an appropriate method for edgejoining the planks together to make the. Pocket hole joints dont require wood glue, but that doesnt mean you. The reason i didnt expect glue to make much difference is that screw joints, including pocket hole joints, always yield a bit before reaching maximum strength, whereas glue joints do not yield, but pop open suddenly.
With dowels, glue is a necessity but you may decide only to glue the center or one side of the joint to allow for some movement. I would first want to sand the end grain smooth as possible, to close up the end grain as much as possible, before sizing the end grain for gluing. Woodworking is a job, for which one requires to work with precision and skill. We use two additional joints in the construction of cabinet doors. So drilling pocket holes in the bottom shelf frames of a display stand i recently made didnt present a problem. Mortise and tenon, dovetail, and biscuit joints require glue ups.
Aug 04, 2018 we like to begin driving pocket hole screws with the cordless drill clutch set to 8. I never see people using glue with pocket holes when i watch youtube. A crossgrain joint is a joint where wood is attached perpendicular to each other. Im leaning towards the pocket holes so i wont have to deal.
How much clearanceslop is allowable for a structurally sound pva wood glue joint. Pocket hole joinery heres how i do it complete guide. Could i possibly drill to avoid cracking a pilot hole for a nail and use chair doctor glue. Even though pocket hole joints dont require it, in my opinion, adding glue to a pocket hole joint improves the quality of the joint.
I unscrewed one of the rails, and screwed it against a maple rail and retested. How many pocket holes per board kreg owners community. Its no doubt that in this particular test, glue wins. Remember, the pocket hole jig is setup so the screw exits the center of the board the screw is placed in. Drill holes spaced about 3 inches apart on both sides of the crack or around the perimeter of the hole, using a 38inch masonry drill bit. Failure of glue joints at the ends of tables by purrmaster. The pocket hole jig guides the drill bit at exactly the correct angle. Get my curated list of affordable woodworking tools. A shopmade drillpress jig holds the apron at a suitable angle for drilling the pocket holes with a forstner bit above. Clamp or securely hold your two pieces of wood together and drive a pocket hole screw into a predrilled hole.
Testing pocket holes against mortise and tenon and dowel. Breadboard ends 5 approaches popular woodworking magazine. Pocket hole joints are one of the easiest and strongest joints available to woodworkers. Mistakes with wood can cause your diy furniture to crack. Also, the kreg jig manual suggested you can use glue as well as pocket hole screws. In this video i cover the basics of how to create strong woodworking joints using a pocket hole. The usual solution for this is to clean it off with a wet rag or sponge. If you build cabinets with pockethole screws, should you also glue the joints. Mcfeelys pocket hole joinery pocket hole screws and jigs. Adjust for optimal screw tightness without overtightening. Building cabinets with pocket screws family handyman. If you really want to see if it makes a difference, do what i did. With a few handy tips, you can make your project look professional, even if its your first.
Clamp across a joint whenever possible, see photo below, to avoid the parts creeping out of alignment as you snug up the screws. May 12, 2015 when you are ready to drill, the handy drill guide chart above shows you where to place pocket holes based on material width. Pinpoint your symptoms and signs with medicinenets symptom checker. Drill just through the plaster, and stop when you hit the wood behind. Attach the frame pieces along the bottom so that there is a 23 opening between the top and bottom frame pieces.
Breaking gorilla glue woodworkers guild of america. Here are some considerations from the pros about when to use pocket hole joinery. If you dont hit any wood, circle the hole with a pencil to identify it as a miss. Beginners guide to pocket hole joinery woodworking.
If it takes more than a few light taps with a mallet, the box joints are too tight with no room for glue. I have been using pocket screws and gluing the joints as well. The right way to do breadboard ends for your table projects. Cracking joints is manipulating ones joints to produce a distinct cracking or popping sound. Need to know pocket hole tips for edge joints woodworking. See more ideas about pocket hole, woodworking tips and woodworking joints. Diy furniture to crack for more details about the seasonal movement. Plan for proper pockethole placement kreg tool company. No one glue does it all so knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each type will help you choose the right glue for you. I want to make a table top from some oak planks that i have. Do pocket hole screws allow for proper expansion and contraction in. For the outer 2 holes, the process is a bit more involved.
847 1052 1245 1457 197 938 501 628 474 1363 161 1393 914 878 25 1077 170 190 369 953 1355 1152 180 511 412 310 51 29 96 876 125 816 998 1206 515 195 622 785 1159 753 657 348 728 646 1457