Pocket hole pre fit?

[Erin Stringer]

I'm working on a changing table that will have 3 shelves on it and would like to do a "dry run" before I paint it. Are the Kreg pocket hole joints "re-useable"? Can they be broken down and re-set more than once or is it better to do it once and be done. I want to make sure my shelves are going to fit between the legs tightly so I would like to assemble the carcass and then measure and cut the shelves to fit. Once they are fitted I will disassemble and paint the separate pieces, then re-assemble with glue.

Any thoughts on this approach? I am always looking for suggestions and experience.

[Jim Becker]

On one of my face frames in the kitchen project I did "temporarily" put on the end stiles one at a time as they had to be scribed to fit inside the "fabulous fake fireplace". I had no problems going back with the glue and screws afterward, but suspect you don't want to do the process more than once or twice to avoid any potential damage to the screw holes across the joint. You might do your temporary assembly with only some of the screws...leaving the rest "virgin" for the final assembly.

[Jamie Buxton]

Erin ---
The first time you run a wood screw into a piece of wood, it cuts its own threads in the hole. If you take it out and put it back in several times it may be cutting new threads each time it goes in, and eventually it will wear out the hole. However, if you're careful you can avoid this. When you're re-inserting the screw, you can often find the original threads to run the screw into. That way, you don't cut new threads to wear out the hole. To find the original threads, put the screw into the hole with just a slight pressure pushing it into the hole. Then rotate it backwards, like you were unscrewing it. Most of the time, you'll feel it screw out toward you, and then jump forward into the hole. It jumps forward because it has found the original threads cut into the hole. Then you can go ahead and screw it home.

Jamie

[Dan Gill]

I second Jim's suggestion of using only some of the holes for a dry fit. I took some of the face frames apart for "adjustments" when making my kitchen cabinets, and had no difficulty putting things back together again. But the screws do tend to pull up material from the piece they are driven into, and will eventually begin to slip. But the ability to disassemble is one of the nice features of pocket hole joinery.

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Erin,

Do you have the Right Angle Clamp (RAC) for the Kreg? I put and extra hole in the ends for the clamp any way. You could switch the screw hole and the clamp hole on the test run and the final assenbly.

I highly recommed at least one RAC I plan on getting a second one. They really help when working by yourself.

[Chris Padilla]

Along with all the great suggestions above, be sure to put the screws in by hand and not with a drill. Or, at least do the final tightening by hand and not with a drill. Even a drill with a clutch could spin out the screws if you aren't careful.

One trick you can do if you slip up a screw hole is to shove a couple of toothpicks in there to get the threads some extra material to bite into. Worse case, you glue in the toothpicks or a small dowel to regain the hole.

[Jeremy Bracey]

I have done this before and found that it works best if you use the fine thread screw on the first run and the course on the second. You seem to remove some material and loosen up a bit when you remove the screw.


All of my experience with this has been in red oak. Next time, I might try using a shorter screw on the first run and the correct, longer screw on the second attempt.

[Erin Stringer]

I totally forgot about the Right angle clamp that Kreg makes. This will be the perfect application for it. I only wish I would have read the reply before I went to Woodcraft today. I guess I will have to go back (darn...).

My high school band instructor taught us the "back out the threads until the pop" trick after a kid trashed the valve threads on his trumpet. Thats a lesson I haven't forgotten. Although I hadn't thought about applying it to woodworking. I will have to give that a try.

Thanks for all the tips, I hope to have the finished picture ready to post in another week or so.