Can Kreg pocket holes be on edge instead of face?

[Sean]

I am designing a small shelf set for kids books. I am thinking that most of the pocket holes can be creatively hidden from view.

I am wondering if a pocket hole can be placed on the edge instead of the face? Hard to visualize, but the standard method is to place the wood to drill into the jig so that you are drilling into the face of a board. But, what if you took the drill block out of the jig and placed it along the edge?

I imagine strength would be compromised as it is the corner that does all the support, but these are small shelves.

Thanks,

Sean

[Dan F.]

I think the main problem that you would run into with trying this method is splitting of your wood. Depending on your thickness the pocket hole might take up too much room and cause it to split and not leaving anything strong enough for you to screw through. Plus the front edge would have a pocket hole that you would be able to see unless you build a face frame to cover it. Then you run into the problem of strength as well with only having support on the edges. You might not think that a kids book weighs much, but once you put a few together the weight adds up. If you put your pocket holes on the bottom side of your shelves they would be hidden for the most part and supply all the strength that that you would need. Plus if you wanted to you could always plug the holes making them almost invisible.

[David Nelson]

I have the same question. I almost tried it on a cabinet I built using 3/4" birch-veneer plywood. I wanted to join a vertical piece to a shelf above it using pocket holes in the front and back edge, coming up from below. Then I would conceal the holes using edging tape. But I was also afraid that the vertical plywood piece would split when I tightened the screw. So I came in from the side and had exposed holes (plugged of course.) Has anyone actually tried pocket holes in the edge of plywood? In all of Kreg's helpful literature I have never seen this discussed.

[Robert J Guidry Sr]

I have done this with 5/4 material and 2X material and it worked fine have not tired it on plywood, I would be concerned about that the splitting factor. 1X material, this might work if you keep the hole centered..

[Kerry Werry]

Hmm I think I understand what you are talking about.. I've done this with the Kreg micro jig, the same as the regular Kreg jig but it drills a smaller diameter hole. I was using 3/4" pine at the time. it seemed to work OK.., AS with most of the "different" ideas, I guess you should experiment with scrap wood, that's what I did.. My use was to attach a towel rail to a kitchen cart, or actually attach the tow wooden pieces that the rail slotted into, if that makes sense...

KLW

[David Nelson]

I guess I will just try the experiment. I have several pieces of suitable scrap cabinet-grade plywood (poplar with birch veneer.) After joining I will try overtightening the screw and torquing the joint. I will post my results to the forum.

[Tim E Daniels]

by the time the books are in there, you won't see the holes / plugs anyway...

[pauk d. kingsley]

should work fine you con edge screw planks together for table tops but be sure you hit a wall stud mite want to add nice angle brance for safty