riverm48•15d agoMost Upvoted

I used to think pocket hole joinery was a cheap shortcut

For years, I only used dados and dowels for my face frames, thinking pocket holes were for quick fixes and not real cabinets. That changed last month when I had to build a dozen identical base cabinets for a client's garage shop. A friend showed me his Kreg jig setup, and after building one frame in under 15 minutes with perfect alignment, I was sold. It's not for every piece, but it's a solid tool for the right job. What other 'shortcut' methods have you all found to be surprisingly reliable?

3 comments

3 Comments

troy_palmer7615d ago

Man, I gotta disagree on pocket holes for face frames... I tried them on a set of shop cabinets and had nothing but trouble with wood movement. The frames twisted on me after a few seasons. For me, a simple mortise and tenon with glue is still the only way that feels truly permanent.

benflores15d ago

Yeah, wood movement can really mess with pocket screws on wider frames. I've had better luck using them only on narrower rails and sticking with traditional joinery for the stiles.

viola_butler8d ago

Honestly never thought about it that way before, but you're making total sense. I've been a pocket hole guy for years but now I'm second guessing myself after reading your experience. Might have to give mortise and tenon a real shot on my next face frame.