Pocket Hole Creep

[oldman_pottering]

Any tips on avoiding pocket hole creep ? ( the pieces move due to the screw going in at an angle)

I was building some nesting boxes for chickens from marine ply I had and during the build things got a bit wonky because of movement when screwing.

I had clamped as best as I could but still small errors crept in, its only for the chickens so it doesn't really matter but I still wasn't overly happy with the joinery.

I did find out (the hard way) that the placement of the holes (outside v inside) also made a difference to the amount of timber available for the screw, I had some holes on the inside of the carcass because I thought it looked neater but sometimes that allowed the screw to protrude out the other side a little bit

[gee-dub]

I use these with good success.  The sticker shock stinks but once you've used them a few times you forget all about it.  I think I got my small and large throat one as a set in an after Xmas sale at Lowe's.  About $45 for both but that was 15 years ago.

 

[pkinneb]

On 6/2/2026 at 7:51 PM, gee-dub said:

I use these with good success.  The sticker shock stinks but once you've used them a few times you forget all about it.  I think I got my small and large throat one as a set in an after Xmas sale at Lowe's.  About $45 for both but that was 15 years ago.

 

That's what I use as well.

[Von]

I've seen the shifting problem too. The problem comes from the spinning bit pulling things to one side (the right I believe) when it first hits the wood inside the jig. I see the problem more with the little two-hole jig than on my 720. With the 720, I find it ignorable. With the little jig, I think I always just lived with the slop. If you are using the smaller jig, I supposed you could trying clamping a second piece of wood to brace the jig and help it from shifting. Or if your pieces aren't too big, I recommend considering the 720.

With regards to screw protruding, here in the U.S. I find the screws in a variety of lengths and choosing the right one for the combined depth of materials you are connecting is key. Presumably you could go down 6-12mm in screw length to compensate.

[Mark J]

14 hours ago, oldman_pottering said:

had clamped as best as I could but still small errors crept in

Oldman_, how are you clamping?

[legenddc]

I've heard the lower angle pocket holes (e.g. Castle Pocket Hole cutters) have a lot less movement than ones like the Kreg. Problem is they're very expensive.

When I use my Kreg jig, I find I need to clamp the heck out of it. I use one of the clamps that Gee-Dub linked, but will also typically clamp the wood to the table as well. They make right angle clamps where one side goes into the pocket but I haven't picked one up yet to test.

[Mark J]

Just looking at it, I think it may just get in the way?  I suppose you'd have to lay hands on one.

[legenddc]

On 6/3/2026 at 9:28 AM, Mark J said:

Just looking at it, I think it may just get in the way?  I suppose you'd have to lay hands on one.

I agree. Most of the negative comments seem to be around the auto-adjust part of the clamp, not that it gets in the way.

[oldman_pottering]

On 6/3/2026 at 10:51 AM, gee-dub said:

I use these with good success.  The sticker shock stinks but once you've used them a few times you forget all about it.  I think I got my small and large throat one as a set in an after Xmas sale at Lowe's.  About $45 for both but that was 15 years ago.

 

thank you, I have a Kreg clamp but it has the pin that goes in the hole on one side

On 6/3/2026 at 9:54 PM, Von said:

I've seen the shifting problem too. The problem comes from the spinning bit pulling things to one side (the right I believe) when it first hits the wood inside the jig. I see the problem more with the little two-hole jig than on my 720. With the 720, I find it ignorable. With the little jig, I think I always just lived with the slop. If you are using the smaller jig, I supposed you could trying clamping a second piece of wood to brace the jig and help it from shifting. Or if your pieces aren't too big, I recommend considering the 720.

With regards to screw protruding, here in the U.S. I find the screws in a variety of lengths and choosing the right one for the combined depth of materials you are connecting is key. Presumably you could go down 6-12mm in screw length to compensate.

I don't know the model number of my jig, its a bigger one with wings that I have mounted to a board, not sure why I had a couple of screws poke their heads through, it wasn't by much, maybe I'll back the depth off a fraction

On 6/3/2026 at 10:31 PM, Mark J said:

Oldman_, how are you clamping?

I was using mainly pipe clamps as the main pieces were about 1 foot tall and 3 feet long, I had drilled the pocket holes on the insides as I thought it looked neater but that stopped me getting my Kreg clamp into the holes

On 6/3/2026 at 11:08 PM, legenddc said:

I've heard the lower angle pocket holes (e.g. Castle Pocket Hole cutters) have a lot less movement than ones like the Kreg. Problem is they're very expensive.

When I use my Kreg jig, I find I need to clamp the heck out of it. I use one of the clamps that Gee-Dub linked, but will also typically clamp the wood to the table as well. They make right angle clamps where one side goes into the pocket but I haven't picked one up yet to test.

I find I have to clamp extremely tightly to have a decent result

[Beechwood Chip]

I had screws poke through when I set everything for 1/2" and was working with 1/2" plywood.  Of course, "half inch" plywood is less than 1/2".

I also wonder whether using an impact driver might drive the screws in too far.

[Coop]

I’ve found that clamping a board across the back side of the board being screwed into, up against the board with the screws, holds it in place better than the two Kreg vise grips. Little to no movement at all. 

[Tpt life]

We used deep throat welders vice grips to clamp to a dead flat table. Found the mechanism to be of much higher quality than the Kreg supplied clamps. Coop’s idea sounds ideal on one level. That said, I’d verify all your setup. Those cutting screws should sever any grain that would push something out of alignment. Fancy systems are not supposed to be necessary. You should be able to join two sticks of different thicknesses. 

[gee-dub]

On 6/4/2026 at 4:18 AM, Tpt life said:

We used deep throat welders vice grips to clamp to a dead flat table. Found the mechanism to be of much higher quality than the Kreg supplied clamps. Coop’s idea sounds ideal on one level. That said, I’d verify all your setup. Those cutting screws should sever any grain that would push something out of alignment. Fancy systems are not supposed to be necessary. You should be able to join two sticks of different thicknesses. 

I'm with Tpt.  We see these trained (expletive) folks demonstrating these things at trade shows.  The fact is that if you lack the thousands of repetitive and limited operations that these folks demonstrate you will not have the same result.  Clamping to a known flat surface with squaring reference fences assures your best success.  I know we would all like to just wave our magical cordless drill at a pocket hole joint and have it come out perfect but we all know from the many posts on this subject that this just isn't so.

We have all seen people demonstrate terrible methods of using tools online.  One has to practice proper procedures to get good results.  What is the old 6-P rule?  Pxxx-poor procedure prevents proper performance. .  There is nothing wrong with pocket holes but like any joinery method, you need to do it properly. JMHO

[Beechwood Chip]

On 6/4/2026 at 2:05 PM, gee-dub said:

Clamping to a known flat surface with squaring reference fences assures your best success.

I've only had success when I clamp the joint from every possible direction using squares and a reference surface.

Mostly I use pocket holes for quick and dirty shop furniture and jigs where I don't care about perfect alignment.

[DerekMPBS]

I clamp using a a parallel clamp and have not had issues with boards moving during assembly.  My jig is the K5.  I typically use the XL screws and bit as I am joining 2x stock for work tables and such.

I plan on using pocket screws for some cabinets I'm going to build for my garage, and I'll use parallel clamps on those as well.  I might be able to get away with using some quick clamps, but I feel better about the holding power of the parallel clamps.

[oldman_pottering]

On 6/4/2026 at 12:42 PM, Coop said:

I’ve found that clamping a board across the back side of the board being screwed into, up against the board with the screws, holds it in place better than the two Kreg vise grips. Little to no movement at all. 

I was thinking about doing the same thing

[oldman_pottering]

On 6/5/2026 at 4:05 AM, gee-dub said:

We have all seen people demonstrate terrible methods of using tools online.  One has to practice proper procedures to get good results.  What is the old 6-P rule?  Pxxx-poor procedure prevents proper performance. .  There is nothing wrong with pocket holes but like any joinery method, you need to do it properly. JMHO

this is exactly the problem that I have, always just wanting to get things done and taking things for granted ( square stock for one thing)

I'm in the middle of another nesting box build but this time I have taken the time to try and make sure my stock is square to begin with, I have many small panels of marine ply that I am using up taking their "squareness" for granted

[gee-dub]

I know it sounds cliche but it is a journey not a destination.  As soon as I finish something I am looking for something else to do.  I am in no hurry; I enjoy the process.  Different strokes.  No right way, no wrong way, just your own way. 

[oldman_pottering]

quick update

I'm part way through another nesting box build and this time I have taken more time to make sure my stock is as straight as possible 

(Im using scrap from around the place but still have to learn to prepare stock better, regardless if its scrap or not)

Anywho, I have taken the time to clamp better but still I get a tiny bit of creep when joining pieces at a 90deg, ie making a box

I thought about rebating but then the screw length would be incorrect, anyway it's not fine furniture but..............

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

On 6/8/2026 at 9:29 PM, oldman_pottering said:

quick update

I'm part way through another nesting box build and this time I have taken more time to make sure my stock is as straight as possible 

(Im using scrap from around the place but still have to learn to prepare stock better, regardless if its scrap or not)

Anywho, I have taken the time to clamp better but still I get a tiny bit of creep when joining pieces at a 90deg, ie making a box

I thought about rebating but then the screw length would be incorrect, anyway it's not fine furniture but..............

If you have a serviceable handplane, then you might find that a shooting board is just what the doctor ordered. That's what many of us use to square up stock. 

They can be bought commercially or they're pretty simple to make. 

 

[oldman_pottering]

On 6/10/2026 at 9:09 AM, Ron Swanson Jr. said:

If you have a serviceable handplane, then you might find that a shooting board is just what the doctor ordered. That's what many of us use to square up stock. 

They can be bought commercially or they're pretty simple to make. 

 

Thanks Ron

I do have a couple of serviceable hand planes and have been meaning to make a shooting board but the stock I'm working with at the moment is marine ply sheets approx 1m x 310mm.

I did actually check my TS fence today and found it was out about 1mm over the length of the fence

[Von]

On 6/9/2026 at 11:55 PM, oldman_pottering said:

I do have a couple of serviceable hand planes and have been meaning to make a shooting board but the stock I'm working with at the moment is marine ply sheets approx 1m x 310mm.

I had the perception that hand planes didn't work on plywood, but have found in practice they do just fine.

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

On 6/9/2026 at 10:55 PM, oldman_pottering said:

Thanks Ron

I do have a couple of serviceable hand planes and have been meaning to make a shooting board but the stock I'm working with at the moment is marine ply sheets approx 1m x 310mm.

I did actually check my TS fence today and found it was out about 1mm over the length of the fence

Sounds good sir. 

In that case, I'd give my table saw a good tune up, and build a crosscut sled. (Plywood can be ran through on the fence in either direction, but a sled will help keep the smaller pieces square)