Installing Pocket Hole Plugs

[Jerry Golick]

Hi there,

I recently picked up some pine pocket hole plugs for a project I am working on, and was quite surprised to find how challenging they were to install.

In particular the plugs just seem to large to fit easily and so I have resorted to different ways of hammering them in, all of which results in some damage to some part of the plug, which is fairly delicate at the taper.

I believe that Kreg has a jig for this built into their micro pocket hole jig, but I don't have one of those handy. I have also read about using a trim saw to taper them, but this seems like a lot of work.

Does anyone have a suggestion?

Thanks.

[Bruce Page]

Jerry, I wonder if you got a bad batch of plugs, or they’re swollen with humidity. The ones that I have used slipped easily into the hole.

[Jerry Golick]

Hi Bruce,

Thanks for the quick reply.

I suppose it is possible that I have a bad batch, though I bought two boxes and have problems with plugs from both.

What I am wondering about is if it has something to do with quality control. I am using the Blackjack jig and plugs and I wonder if their quality is not quite as good as Kreg.

If your plugs fit it easily, then that does limit the possible reasons for the problem.

Thanks again.

[Bruce Page]

Jerry,
Could be. I bought mine from McFeeleys.
Could you chuck the plug up into your drill press or hand drill and sand them down a little? It might be an option if you don't have too many to do.

[Art Mulder]

I have the kreg jig, and have used kreg plugs. They are snug, but when lubed with glue they slip in with a bit of side-to-side rolling.

Of course, you do know that quite a bit of the plug will protrude from the hole? I used a veritas flush-cutting saw the last time and it was WAY nicer than when I tried to planed them down with my Jack plane. The flushcut saw took them almost flush, and then the ROS did the rest.

best,
...art

[Ben Grunow]

I have found that those plugs vary from batch to batch too. I think the best thing to do is to leave them a little higher than you might want to so the damaged portion is removed (I use a flexible blade pull saw). You dont need to bottom the plug out in the hole.

[Jerry Golick]

Art: Yes, I do know the plugs need to be trimmed. I have a small flexible trim saw that I have been using.

The problem has been setting the plugs. Even with a bit of glue they just seem to need a great deal of force to set in place. The reason I now suspect it may be a quality control issue is every 10th plug or so seems to set easily.

Ben: All other things being equal I think that's the best approach. It just seems strange that it should take so much effort to get them in. I may try plugs from another manufacturer.

Bruce: I really like your idea. Thanks.

[Jim W. White]

I've never used the pine ones ...but I've used a TON of the oak and the black walnut plugs with never an issue with the plug "fitting". Should slide in smoothly when lubed with the yellow wood glue.

If you don't drill deep enough sometimes the plug will bottom out before concealing the hole fully. This can be solved by retapering the plug. As the others have stated, they will never fully insert into the hole; but instead are designed to sit proud of the surface and then be cut and/or sanded back (personnally, I'm lazy and skip the flush cut saw and simply just work them over with the ROS.)

If they are horribly snug I suspect your drill bit is slightly undersized in relation to the Kreg.

Good luck. :)

[Jerry Golick]

If they are horribly snug I suspect your drill bit is slightly undersized in relation to the Kreg.

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the comment that solved the mystery.

I took a pair of digital calipers to the drill bit. The shaft was .372"

I then checked the plugs. They ranged from .368-.382" No wonder I was having problems.

I did some delicate re-boring of the holes with a slightly larger bit and that let the plugs slip in fine.

Thanks again everyone for your help.