Working with 1/2" thick wood

[John Ekholm]

I'm new to Kreg pocket hole fastening and I'm trying to build a simple 90 deg. butt jointed frame with 1/2" thick white oak.

When I join the frame using the recommended 1" long fine thread screws there is a noticeable bulge on the face of the frame where the screws have set. It appears that the screws are much too close below the finished face of the frame.

I've rechecked all the settings for the 1/2" material and seem to have it right.

Any suggestions on what to do?

[David Dean]

Well are you useing a Microjig and if so you'll have to use two nickle's and a dime to set your stop callor and go slowset your drill at 7 or 8 . oh some pic's would help on projects like this so poeple can help you batter.

[Onno Kok]

Yes, a picture of where it is bulging would be helpful. You can post it directly into this discussion, or in your gallery and let us know it's there. If I understand correctly where you are getting the bulge, you may have over driven the screws in. For driving the screws are you using a drill or a driver with a clutch?

Onno

[Ken Darga]

John, 

By what you've described, or I understand what you've written---

the screw has gone too far---

nearly exiting the back side of your work piece---

which has resulted in the ''bulge''.

Back off on the drill stop (shorten the drilling depth).

Recheck your settings, then recheck them again---akin to measuring twice and cutting once.

Also, read the instruction manual a couple-three times, become totally familiar with the tools,

make practice pieces, before proceeding to the final build.

[KregCS]

John,

 

I was curious if your material is a true 1/2" thick.  If it is a little bit undersized it can change the placement of the screw causing it to almost come through like you are referring to.  The best solution is to either adjust your depth collar a little bit or you can try using our 3/4" screws for this application. 

[Jay Boutwell]

John all the members below are correct in what they are saying.  Usually the bulge in the wood is the end of the screw being very close to the surface.  In addition to this something I have found in all the years that I have been driving screws is that sometimes if you are not careful the screw does not follow the direct line of the pilot hole and will take a course of travel out of the pilot hole that runs it near the surface.  This is because the screws are very good at cutting their own path and just a little bit of a angle of the driver will allow the screw to bore out of the pilot hole and cut its own direction towards the surface.  In this case it is usually tipping the driver to far upwards and pointing the screw down towards the outer surface of the receiving piece. 

What I am trying to say is that the screw enters the pilot hole and because of the driver angle will bore out of the side of the pilot hole and cuts its own thread in a wrong angle resulting it the screw coming very close to the surface making the bulge.

[Ken Darga]

Jay,

The air nailers are notorious for the fastener exiting the finished side of a work-piece.

A nail/brad/staple, when following the grain, can exit the work-piece.

[Jay Boutwell]

Yes they are and that is a reason I try to use nails that is cut like a chisel and shoot the nail across the grain. This  forces the nail to cut the grain rather that seperating the grain.  This seems to help trememdously when using nail brads.  When I do this I seldom will get a nail through the wrong side of the material.

Ken Darga said:

Jay,

The air nailers are notorious for the fastener exiting the finished side of a work-piece.

A nail/brad/staple, when following the grain, can exit the work-piece.

[Jens Jensen]

David isnt two dimes same as two nickles and a dime

David Dean said:

Well are you useing a Microjig and if so you'll have to use two nickle's and a dime to set your stop callor and go slowset your drill at 7 or 8 . oh some pic's would help on projects like this so poeple can help you batter.

[David Dean]

no the two dime's are thicker but that was the only way to stop blowing out my egde's and and going thow the other side what Kreg hasnt said but the pan head scerws will suck down in to the seacnd hole if you dont be careful it's not hardwood you are working with.

Jens Jensen said:

David isnt two dimes same as two nickles and a dime

David Dean said:

Well are you useing a Microjig and if so you'll have to use two nickle's and a dime to set your stop callor and go slowset your drill at 7 or 8 . oh some pic's would help on projects like this so poeple can help you batter.

[Ken Darga]

The washerless screw heads

 

will penetrate beyond the bottom of the hole, in ''soft woods''.

During installation in soft woods, use a ''low torque''.

This low torque style/type power tool, primarily used for small fasteners. 

 

or a small ratcheting screwdriver

,      ,  

or the like.

[John Ekholm]

Many thanks to everyone who's responded to my question.

I'm going to give it another try this weekend and I'll let you know the outcome.

This blog is great for beginners like me.

John

[Rick]

John, you are pushing the lower limits of pocket hole technology.  1/2" wood (which is really 7/16" or 12 mm) is difficult to do well.  I did a lot of experimenting, and gave up on it.  What did work for me nicely (building large drawer boxes) was going thru 1/2" ply into 3/4" ply.  It turned out to be a good compromise.

John Ekholm said:

Many thanks to everyone who's responded to my question.

I'm going to give it another try this weekend and I'll let you know the outcome.

This blog is great for beginners like me.

John