pocket hole wood creep

[Bruce Matasick]

I've used the pocket hole jig a number of times over the last couple of months and like it. However, in most cases, the two pieces of wood being joined creep somewhat as the screw is tightened - even when using the Kreg face clamp. Any suggestions for holding the wood pieces flush?

[Larwyn]

If the edges of the board are square to the face, the ends are cut square, they are all the same thickness and the jig is clamped so that it is perpendicular to the end of the board everything should come out flush and square. Joining boards of a different thickness has presented me with the biggest problems when using pocket hole joinery. However if you cannot run everything through a thickness planner first another thing that works is to individually clamp both boards in position face down on the bench and then run in the screws. At least that way the face is flush. If both sides must be flush, obviously both components must be the same thickness. I'm not sure I understood your problem but hope this is some help.

[Bruce Matasick]

You guys are good, and have given me great ideas for more tools (and maybe even how to get by without them). Thanks for the help.

Phillip said:

I understand what Larwyn is saying and he is correct. Just because the wood parts "seem" the same doesn't make it so. The thickness planer makes a big difference on how well the clamps work.

That said: You can advance the screw a bit so that the point is exiting the pocket a little bit then you clamp and the shift or creep will be less. Sort of like having a sharp tack holding the wood until the screw is in place.

Then again you may have to tell the wife how important a new planer will be and the clamping table is an absolute must, and don't fail to mention how much money new cabinets are going to cost if someone else make them, and . . . This forum has a wealth of rationalizations reasons to help our brother woodworkers stock their shop! :-)

[Robert Sokol]

I had this problem every single time until I got the Klamp Table. It's not the cheapest tool, but it helps me a lot.

If you are skilled enough, there are many creative solutions for DIY clamp tables. I know that I don't have the skill to pull this off with enough precision to make it worth the hassle, so it was well worth it for me to buy the table.

The table not only clamps at the joint, but also allows you to secure each piece at a 90 degree angle against the stop blocks. If you have square cuts, both pieces clamped down square, and a clamp at the joint, I don't see much probability of a bad joint.