Homemade Kreg Plug Cutter Jig

[Tony Haukap]

Originally I purchased a bunch of the pre-made plugs from Kreg, but when I went to use them I found out they're way too long and sit proud of the surface a good 1/16". I email Kreg, thinking that this batch were machined wrong, but their reply was that that's they way they intended them to fit so that after sanding they sit flush. Well, to me that's not really acceptable. So, I decided that if I needed to do that much work to get the pre-made plugs to fit I might as well make them myself... that way I can get the fit I desire in any kind of wood I want for the plugs. So, here’s my DIY pocket hole plug method.

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First step is to get a few 3/8" dia. dowel rods in the wood species you desire. From a 4' long piece you'll get 50 plugs, a 36" rod will make about 38.

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Next step is to cut the dowels into 1-7/8" long pieces. Each piece will ultimately yield two plugs.

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Then set the fence to 3/8" and cut the dowels in half at a 15-degree angle.

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I made a simple jig to hold the dowel at a 15 degree angle that rides against the fence.

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Two hole plugs from each cut dowel.

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The critical part of this is the non angle portion of the plug. I found a length of 3/16" to a 1/4" works best and allows the plug to be driven flush with the surface without bottoming out on the screw head.

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For some reason I've been on a Kreg kick lately. I'm hoping to get some time tomorrow to finally organize all my Kreg stuff in one place. The Husky cantilever toolbox that's a clone of the Kreg ToolBoxx looks to be a good start... I think I'll pick one up when I'm out running around.

[Stephen Cherry]

Snap on ruler,- you must be rich! (just joking)

The plugs look great. I picked up one of the kreg machines a while back. I've drank the Blue Coolaid, and it tastes good. I need to get some of those plugs though.

[Wade Lippman]

I saw them flush after gluing them in. Not a big deal. Probably easier than making them, even if they somehow came out perfect.

I got the Kreg toolbox thing at half price a couple years ago. It is a good way to store everything.

[richard poitras]

Tony nice write up on the Kreg plug cutter jig. Thanks for sharing.

[Tony Haukap]

I saw them flush...Probably easier than making them.

Yeah, it's probably not cost effective to make your own plugs, but since when did logic play into woodworking? When you figure your time into it, even though batch cutting everything goes pretty quick, it's still probably cheaper to buy the 50 pack of premade Kreg plugs for something like $7 bucks.

Snap on ruler,- you must be rich! (just joking)

Sometimes only the very best will do! Actually, all the Snap-On stuff I have I bought back in the 1980's, and I don't have much of it, a few socket sets and other miscellaneous items. It didn't seem so expensive back then... probably because there weren't so many stores around selling import priced alternatives.

[Mort Stevens]

[indent]

If you don't mind me asking, what are you using for a camera? The clearity and color balance on these images are very good. I'm looking to replace my aging digital camera soon.

[Dave Novak]

I've had success just cutting 1/8" or so off the square end of the Kreg plugs. Tap them in lightly until they're just proud of flush. Pretty easy clean-up with light sanding.

[Tony Haukap]

what are you using for a camera?

I have to tell you I'm kind of a camera nut, but I'm not really a camera guy... let me explain; I would buy a stupid expensive camera, (and this goes back to film camera days), try to use them ('try' being the operative word there), be totally disapointed with the results/effort it takes to get a 'good' picture, put the camera on a shelf never to be used again and when the next jump in mega-pixel camera would come out; repeat. This occured over 20 some years and my collection of slightly used SLR camera grew. That was my camera routine until a few years ago when I saw a review for a cheap point-and-shoot camera; the Canon G12 (that's the camera that took those pictures). I have it set to "AV" (apperature priority) and the only change I make is to switch between macro and normal focusing with the push of a single button. It's a joy to use, it does eveything I wanted with the more expensive SLR cameras to do without having to mess around with different settings and best of all it fits in a shirt pocket! I always thought you needed to have an SLR camera to get those kinds of pictures you see in magazines, but I've found that it's not necessarly true. Canon has a new point-and-shoot with a larger image sensor, if I was looking for a camera today that's the one I'd be looking at.

[Lee Schierer]

I saw them flush after gluing them in. Not a big deal. Probably easier than making them, even if they somehow came out perfect.

I got the Kreg toolbox thing at half price a couple years ago. It is a good way to store everything.

I make my own. Take a 3/8" dowel and stick it the kreg hole after installing the screw. Then use your flush cut saw to saw the dowel sticking out of the hole off flush with the surface. This leaves a tapered end on the dowel. What you do is saw off that tapered end to square up the end of the dowel a little beyond where the taper ends, and then use that cut off to plug the next hole. Repeat as necessary to plug all holes. By making your own dowels you can match any wood and not end up with plugs of a color that doesn't match.

[Kevin Jenness]

You have to be kidding. I use pocket holes where they will be unseen. Plugging, flushing, puttying the inevitable gaps and sanding to wind up with a result that will look terrible under a clear finish and will look almost as good as Bondo under paint is a waste of time better spent on joinery that is inherently hidden. If one has to hide a row of Kreg holes, it's easier to cover them with plastic laminate. Making your own plugs ranks way below making your own biscuits.

Perhaps I am wrong. Wow me with a high resolution photo of of a plugged hole and a record of how much time it took to get there.

[Stephen Cherry]

You have to be kidding. I use pocket holes where they will be unseen. Plugging, flushing, puttying the inevitable gaps and sanding to wind up with a result that will look terrible under a clear finish and will look almost as good as Bondo under paint is a waste of time better spent on joinery that is inherently hidden. If one has to hide a row of Kreg holes, it's easier to cover them with plastic laminate. Making your own plugs ranks way below making your own biscuits.

Perhaps I am wrong. Wow me with a high resolution photo of of a plugged hole and a record of how much time it took to get there.

I tend to agree with using them where they are unseen, but there are places where they would be semi-visible. Attaching face frames to cabinets, where the pocket is on the inside of the cabinet, mostly behind the faceframe--- things like that.

One thing that I have been thinking about trying is to use pocket holes for small table top glue ups. The idea would be to glue and pocket hole the boards together, and screwing the pocket holes in while the joint is held flat clamped down to a table. Just like when a face frame is glued and screwed, but doing it long grain to long grain. Anyway, these plugs would be perfect for the underside of a table top.

[Lee Schierer]

You have to be kidding. I use pocket holes where they will be unseen. Plugging, flushing, puttying the inevitable gaps and sanding to wind up with a result that will look terrible under a clear finish and will look almost as good as Bondo under paint is a waste of time better spent on joinery that is inherently hidden. If one has to hide a row of Kreg holes, it's easier to cover them with plastic laminate. Making your own plugs ranks way below making your own biscuits.

Perhaps I am wrong. Wow me with a high resolution photo of of a plugged hole and a record of how much time it took to get there.

You are correct that even plugged, they still stand out under a clear finish, but I plug them to prevent them from accumulating excess finish and then running when I flip a project over. If you are painting and do a good job of plugging and sanding, you can't see the plugs through the paint if you apply paint so that the wood grain doesn't show.

[Mort Stevens]

Canon has a new point-and-shoot with a larger image sensor, if I was looking for a camera today that's the one I'd be looking at.

Thanks for the info... I just looked at the Canon PowerShot G1 X and it's a little more than I want to spend, it costs all most as much as my tablesaw! I was looking for something under $500.

[Mark Bolton]

You need to work out the technique for making face grain plugs rather than end grain. At that point you'd be on to something. We never use a pocket screw. Where it would be seen in regular use. Under a table, back of a cab, and so on. If it can be seen choose another method. Even a face grain plug would be an eye sore but a bit of an improvement.

i would be in the jam a dowel in the hole, trim, and sand, camp

[Tony Haukap]

You need to work out the technique for making face grain plugs

Well, someone already has...http://toolmonger.com/2009/09/15/poc...e-plug-cutter/

It seems to me like it may chatter a bit getting started, but I might give it a try with a 3/8" plug cutter, as long as it cuts a plug long enough. The key thing here is holding the board at a 15-degree angle.