Pocket hole plugs

[Bobby Hatfield]

Anyone else use plugs for your pocketholes ? I wouldn't have except after I completed the cab boxes the customer wanted the cabinets installed in a different configuration than I had planned, to hide the holes between cabinets with the bad sides of the plywood, now they are plugged and finished and still look bad.

[Glenn Clabo]

Bobby...thanks! I just ordered a bunch of cherry ones and now you got me wondering. Maybe I'll have to be more carefully where I use them? You may have saved me some pain AND money. I never used the system where I needed to hide them.

[Bobby Hatfield]

Glenn, I love them for face frame attachment, best thing since sliced bread, but if I know the side of the cab is going to be exposed I will either not use them on exposed side or contact cement a 1/8" ply over the end (I will also overlap the FF a 1/4" over side), after attaching FF or hide the sides w/holes between cab boxes. They are not really bad if installed before staining and sanding, (makes them more invisiable) I already had stained and sprayed sanding sealer, before assembly. Being on the sides, after installation they are not really noticable unless you look for them.

[Jim Becker]

The problem with filling any kind of hole, including the pocket screw holes is that you really need to match grain direction as well as what I'll call "grain plane". What I see in your pictures is end-grain as well as a plug that is oriented across the grain of the plywood. It might be better to use an inlay technique with some of the same plywood resawn to about 1/8" thick so you can at least get some level of match to the patch, as it were... :D

[Glenn Clabo]

Originally posted by Bobby Hatfield
I already had stained and sprayed sanding sealer, before assembly.

Got it! Shouldn't be prob where/how I'm going to use them. I'll be a little more careful than I had planned...but I'm not going to worry.

[Bobby Hatfield]

Jim, the, looks, problem is not worth taking any more time than plugging up the holes with the plugs made for them. If it was a furniture job I wouldn't use pocket hole screws, at least where they would be seen, these will only be seen because they (customer) changed their mind at the last minute and thats the only free solution I would provide, anything else comes out of their pocket and the budget does not allow overruns, I am already short $600 (38 gallons of sanding sealer and lacquer) on finish I failed to add to the bid.

[Bobby Hatfield]

Glenn, I forgot to say that the plugs ( Kreg supplied) that I got had to be either sawed or sanded off on the end that went in to the hole, I also rounded the edges and after slopping on the glue to the hole and plug, slid the little rascal down into the hole with thumb pressure, except a couple I used the hammer on, holding hammer face parallel to the plywood smacked the plug a little with a pulling action of the hammer toward the hole, put it right in snug, washed off glue, let dry and sand.

[Glenn Clabo]

Bobby,
I got (actually a big surprise gift a year ago Christmas) the whole kit...2000? I seem to remember that the slot in the Mini Kreg Jig can be used for what you used the old hammer on. The system is great...used it today on a pantry in the basement job in oak I'm doin'. But I've never had to use plugs. I'll do some exploring...

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

38 GALLONS? How many cabinets were there?!

KC

[Glenn Clabo]

Originally posted by Kirk (KC) Constable
38 GALLONS? How many cabinets were there?!

KC

Just one...of course it's pretty big don't ya know. :D

Sorry...

[Mike Evertsen]

I use pocket holes from almost every project I don't bother to hide them they are the inside once stained they blend in,,,
I went and look at the amish store they do the same thing,,,,,,

[Rusty Hughes, Indy]

Originally posted by Glenn Clabo
Bobby,
I seem to remember that the slot in the Mini Kreg Jig can be used for what you used the old hammer on.

The indention in the Mini Kreg is really not big enought to get a good grip on the plug to push it in. It is a great idea but if the plug is the least bit obstinate the Mini Kreg will slip right off the plug.

That's my experience anyway.

[Bobby Hatfield]

KC, there were (are) 96 feet of 48" tall by 16" dp. upper cabinets for storage, 3/4" Birch ply. w/ply doors. Almost completed.

[Byron Trantham]

Originally posted by Bobby Hatfield
KC, there were (are) 96 feet of 48" tall by 16" dp. upper cabinets for storage, 3/4" Birch ply. w/ply doors. Almost completed.

Holy Cow! I thought I built a big cabinet. I built some display cabinets for SWMBO about 4 years ago. 72 running feet, 18" deep and 6 1/2' high. All oak, stained and poly. Took 2 1/2 years to finish. I was working full time at that point so I had a couple hours here and a couple hours there. I never kept track of finishing supplies. One gallon here and one gallon there. The seet goods were $2000 so who cared about stain and poly?

I know about "over looking" materials.

[Bobby Hatfield]

Byron, I deleted your display case picture in case my wife happened to want to see what I am looking at, its beautiful. She has plans for me to to build two walls of display for her "look at my stuff", and another wall of book case. I closed the shop and retired December 31, 2002 and opened back up February 28, 2003, short retirement. The retirement jobs awaits me.