Ever Break Off Pocket Hole Screws Assembling a Piece

[Charles Lent]

Pocket hole screws are tough, but don't survive impact drivers. I prefer using an electric screwdriver. It's a little slower, but you can feel when the screw head bottoms out. Get yourself one of the single pocket hole guides and clamp it adjacent to your broken screw pocket hole and drill a new hole. Then install the screw (with wax) using a screwdriver or electric screwdriver. I keep one of these single wide Kreg drill guides handy for adding pocket holes during assembly when I find that I have forgotten one, or when something goes wrong, requiring a new pocket hole where the big pocket hole guide cannot be used. I hate the sight of pocket holes, but like the quick assembly that is possible by using them, so I only use them where the completed project assembly makes them invisible (underneath, inside and hidden, etc.

Charley

[J.R. Rutter]

I use an aircraft bit to predrill very hard woods that will put a lot of torque on the screws otherwise, like jatoba and hickory. Basically it is a 6" long twist bit and lets you glue, clamp, then drill down through the pocket hole into the adjoining part. I also use it to redrill if a screw breaks, like John mentioned above.

[Edwin Santos]

I pre-drilled the hole in piece "B" and waxed the screws and no problems.

Hi, could you elaborate on what you mean by pre-drilling the hole in piece "B"?

I thought the method of using the Kreg jig or even Ritter machines was to drill the pocket hole into piece "A" and come close but not pierce through the back. Then assemble the joint, clamped or not, and drive the screw all the way through piece A and into piece B.

In your case, did you clamp together your pieces and then follow the first pocket hole into piece B with a drill bit?

I have a Kreg jig. It has it's purposes but I've never been that fond of it. A lot of clamping seems to make things better, but I'm interested in what you in my search for a better experience with this thing.

Thanks

[George Bokros]

I clamped the the two pieces together and drilled through the pocket hole into the second piece (Piece "B") then drove the screw.

[lowell holmes]

No I have not. I would expect wood fibers to give way first.

Maybe your screws are at fault.

[Paul Wolf]

I've been using these since Kreg stopped selling their dri-lube pocket screws. These appear to be very, very similar if not the identical item and I've have had good luck using them. Disclaimer: I have no relationship with the company other than being a satisfied customer.

[George Bokros]

Guess we have come upon the reason for my problem. The new Kreg screws are different, they are not dry pre-lubed. Guess for all new screws we will need to use beeswax.

[Dan Hahr]

Predrilling, waxing, can't use your impact driver.....

I thought the point of pocket screws was to speed things up.

Seriously, try some new screws before you go to all that extra trouble.

Dan