conflicting pocket hole screw side

[Jon Steffen]

I thought if you were joining two pieces, that the screw was supposed to come from the outside of the board and screw to the inside of the next board, like this photo below.
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Why then does KREG have all sorts of photos showing the opposite?
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I thought the first was much stronger than the other.

[mike stenson]

I put the pocket where it isn't seen.

[Jon Steffen]

I put the pocket where it isn't seen.
If its not going to be seen on either side, which would you go with?

[Dick Mahany]

I put the pocket where it isn't seen.

Same here. I've done it both ways depending on the specific project. If I need it completely hidden, I'll use Dominos.

[Mike Kreinhop]

I always drill the pockets like the first image. If the pocket is going to be seen, and I care about the looks, I plug the pocket with 9mm dowel glued in and trimmed flush.

[Jon Steffen]

when building cabinet carcas, how often do you put a screw, every 4 inches, 6 inches?

[mike stenson]

If its not going to be seen on either side, which would you go with?
The easiest to get too.

That's often the outside, but not always.

[glenn bradley]

If its not going to be seen on either side, which would you go with?

In that case I would go from the outside since the screw tip would enter a bit more material but, this could be subjective. I have scarfed long pieces together with pocket holes. They can be a great problem solver when used outside the box (no pun intended).

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Structurally it is stronger when from outside but usually it isn't a issue as most of the times I combined both pocket screws and glue.

I use the face less visible with preference to outside one when both are equally options.

[Jon Steffen]

Structurally it is stronger when from outside but usually it isn't a issue as most of the times I combined both pocket screws and glue.

I use the face less visible with preference to outside one when both are equally options.
when you glue and pocket hole screw, do you also clamp the two pieces together, and leave the clamps on until its dry? Or do you just use the clamps to hold everything in place, then once the pocket hole screws are driven in, you take the clamps off?

Reason i'm asking, I don't yet have an arsenal of clamps in the 24-32" long range. I'm wondering if its totally acceptable to just use 2 clamps to hold the glued boards together, screw it together, then remove clamps and move on to other sides of the carcasses.

[lowell holmes]

I have never tried pocket holes at an angle. My pocket hole jig does not allow
Hmmm.

[Jon Steffen]

I have never tried pocket holes at an angle. My pocket hole jig does not allow
Hmmm.
i'm confused.... I thought pocket holes were always drilled at an angle through the base of a board that's then drilled at an angle through the board below it.....

Does your pocket hole jig drill holes perpendicular to the board face?

[lowell holmes]

I only drill pocket holes on flat surfaces. If I have a joint that is not square I use a wood screw and fill the hole. My pocket holes will have plugs in them and finished smooth.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

when you glue and pocket hole screw, do you also clamp the two pieces together, and leave the clamps on until its dry? Or do you just use the clamps to hold everything in place, then once the pocket hole screws are driven in, you take the clamps off?

Reason i'm asking, I don't yet have an arsenal of clamps in the 24-32" long range. I'm wondering if its totally acceptable to just use 2 clamps to hold the glued boards together, screw it together, then remove clamps and move on to other sides of the carcasses.

If I use pocket screw and glue I did not maintain other clamps after attach the screws. Yes - they are used to save clamps or cope with a small number of clamps.

For my surprise I knew a couple of woodworkers that take off the screws after the glue is set. It is useful to save screws or to avoid some unpleased surprise to find a screw point when finishing the outside...

[Jim Matthews]

It *might* be stronger to fix MDF from the outside of the joint, as shown in the first image.

Pull out resistance of screws comes from the fibers entwined in the screw threads : appropriate predrilling makes a huge difference.

MDF doesn't have long fibers.

[lowell holmes]

My jig is a kreg jig and only drills perpendicular holes. I suppose a jig could be made to attach the jig at 45 degrees.
You could make a 45 degree block and using double sticky tape attach it to a flat surface. I will try that.

[johnny means]

How are the two images "opposite"?

[Jon Steffen]

How are the two images "opposite"?
imagine where the screw tip goes. on the first photo its more towards the middle of the panel, from outside, to inside.

on the 2nd photo, its the opposite, screwed from the inside of the box to the outside, so the screw tip is closer to the edge of the plywood base.

Its thought that the first photo makes a stronger joint.

[Eric Arnsdorff]

I can see some potential for the second image method being "weaker" or cause some splitting. However, I have done them this way and not had any problem. With glue in the joint I suspect a true study of the methods would likely yield the same "strength" results. With the screws only there, it is a small enough difference in strength that if you were relying on that strength then you would be better off using a different method of reinforcing the joint.

My view of it is either is fine and if you're looking for more strength then pick a different joint.

[johnny means]

imagine where the screw tip goes. on the first photo its more towards the middle of the panel, from outside, to inside.

on the 2nd photo, its the opposite, screwed from the inside of the box to the outside, so the screw tip is closer to the edge of the plywood base.

Its thought that the first photo makes a stronger joint.

I can't imagine there is any real rationale for that theory.

[Jon Steffen]

I can't imagine there is any real rationale for that theory.
You're apparently not very imaginitive.

Watch the next 20 seconds of this video. In fact watch the whole video as its quite good.
https://youtu.be/mvO6zaIUO18?t=408

[Jon Steffen]

and another 20 seconds of good video.
https://youtu.be/mvO6zaIUO18?t=100

[johnny means]

You're apparently not very imaginitive.

Watch the next 20 seconds of this video. In fact watch the whole video as its quite good.
https://youtu.be/mvO6zaIUO18?t=408

Must be right because some guy made a YouTube video. :rolleyes:That joint would have failed in a slightly different manner if the pockets had been on the other side. That's generally what happens when you screw a couple of blocks of cheese together.

[mike stenson]

My view of it is either is fine and if you're looking for more strength then pick a different joint.

Mine too... and I don't pre-drill pocket hole screws. That really removes most of the reason I use them (which admittedly isn't often), which is convenience.

[Jon Steffen]

Must be right because some guy made a YouTube video. :rolleyes:That joint would have failed in a slightly different manner if the pockets had been on the other side. That's generally what happens when you screw a couple of blocks of cheese together.
You must be right, because you posted something random on a forum....................:rolleyes:

[lowell holmes]

I re-iterate, I put a dowel pin in the hole with glue and saw it flush with a fine saw. You then paint or varnish as needed.

[Mark W Pugh]

Both ways work. I've never had a problem. If you're building a playground accessory, then maybe it would matter. Most things I build aren't used for athletic/gorilla activity, so it doesn't matter to me.