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How do YOU cut pocket-hole plugs flush?

Art Mulder

Art Mulder

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Location
London, Ontario
Okay folks, let's share some tips here.

How do you get your pocket hole plugs (you know, the wooden plugs that you glue in to close up the pocket holes) cut flush?

Right now I primarily use a flush cutting saw, which is slow and tiresome.

I've tried whacking them off with a chisel, but bad things often happen that way -- with it making a gouge or digging too deep or whatnot.

I've tried using a ROS but that just takes forever. (don't have a belt sander, and I'd be afraid of that gouging the workpiece also.

So as I said, right now I use a flushcutting saw, and then I use either a chisel or block plane to clear it up -- because the saw may be flushcutting but I still find it wanders, so the result is NOT totally flush. Then I still need to work things over with the ROS for a while to get really smooth.

Are there any better/quicker methods out there in the land of woodworking?

...art
 
Perfect opportunity for a low angle block plane. I highly recommend the Veritas. Their little 'apron plane' works very well for this, too.
 
Or a Lie-Nielsen chisel plane,,chisel plane.jpg only $199.00.
A Chisel Plane is not meant to function as an ordinary plane because it has no support ahead of the blade. However, as a clean-up tool, with the blade set flush with the sole, this plane excels at removing glue, trimming plugs and dovetails flush or cleaning the very corners of rabbets.
 
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First, adjust the depth of the drilled hole so that the standard plugs fit flush enough so that simple sanding will provide a smooth finish surface.

As I do use pocket screws from time to time, I reserve, the back side so that no plugs are needed. Some feel that pocket screws are a sign of shortcuts and not worth considering. but if you loook at the construction of some fine antiques built by talented craftsmen you often find pocket screws attaching adornments and such.

I would consider it snobbery to PooPoo a simple question considering a simple solution to a very common practice.
 
Bill Simpson said:
I would consider it snobbery to PooPoo a simple question considering a simple solution to a very common practice.
Click to expand...

tis not snobbery to say that one does not use pocket screws, and not having the attendent problem of what to do with the holes. i've been a mortise and tenon guy right from the start, because of it's inherent strength. i've read studies on the respective strenghts and weaknesses of various types of joinery, and for me, the true mortise and tenon wins hands down. fine woodworking ran stress tests for the jan/feb 2009 issue, and these are the results...
3⁄8-IN. MORTISE & TENON 1,444 lb.
¼ -IN. M&T 717 lb.
POCKET SCREW 698 lb.

were i to use pocket screws, i'd glue in plugs, use a good thin kerf pull saw, and sand any bump down.
 
Chuck Thoits said:
I use a fine tooth pull saw. It cuts 3 times faster than my Flush cut saw ever could.
Some thing along these lines.http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/default.php/cPath/37_532_573
Click to expand...

Thanks, Chuck. That's a great idea. Hmm, I wonder if this Japanese flush saw from LVT would be an improvement. Otherwise, maybe a Ryoba like this one...

I don't have any japanese saws yet, so this may be something to think about.

Bill Simpson said:
First, adjust the depth of the drilled hole so that the standard plugs fit flush enough so that simple sanding will provide a smooth finish surface.
Click to expand...

:huh: Bill, how would you do that? The pocket holes are sized according to the Kreg guide/instructions. All of this depends on the thickness of the stock. With 3/4" stock, I can't make the holes any deeper, or I risk blowing out the other side.

I have noticed that pocket holes in 7/8" stock work much better with plugs, since they usually can slide in almost flush. But I really don't see how you could do this with the more common 3/4" stock.


Dan Noren said:
i've been a mortise and tenon guy right from the start, because of it's inherent strength. i've read studies on the respective strenghts and weaknesses of various types of joinery, and for me, the true mortise and tenon wins hands down. fine woodworking ran stress tests for the jan/feb 2009 issue, and these are the results...
3⁄8-IN. MORTISE & TENON 1,444 lb.
¼ -IN. M&T 717 lb.
POCKET SCREW 698 lb.
Click to expand...

Dan you are welcome to use whatever joinery you like. After all, that's what I do. :thumb:

Yet articles such as the one you reference really bug me because they never look at how much strength is sufficient for the purpose.

(ie: okay, so the M+T has 1,444 lbs of strength. Fine. But what does a bench, for instance, need in joint strength? Or a face frame? Or a cabinet door? Or...? My suspicion is that these methods are ALL more than strong enough. So use what you want.)


best wishes,
...art
 
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This problem is not unique to pocket screws. Occasionally, you wind up with plugs in furniture, even if you don't use screws that much in furniture. For example, when I do a breadboard table top, I glue the center and put a screw in each end, covered by a plug. And I cut tapered plugs so I can only drive them so deep.

I've tried all kinds of ways of trimming those plugs - a chisel can break the plug below the surface of the wood, but sanding with a ROS, or cutting with a saw followed by the ROS works well. Nothing I've tried is fast, however, but then I don't use a lot of plugs, nothing like you'd do with pocket screws.

Mike
 
Flushcut pull saw and then follow up with a chisel or hand plane depending on the substrate. In order to try and prevent the plug from breaking off below the surface I first start a kerf on one side and then move over to the opposite side of the plug where I will start another kerf and finish the cut. It generally works to prevent the plug from breaking off below the surface. Of course I still have plenty of opportunity to mess it up when I go to finish it up with a plane or chisel.
 
If I had many to do maybe a router with a straight bit adjusted to just leave it proud. Finish it with a low angle plane or a chisel plane, scary sharp of course.

Cheers,
 
"Originally Posted by Art Mulder View Post
articles such as the one you reference really bug me because they never look at how much strength is sufficient for the purpose.

(ie: okay, so the M+T has 1,444 lbs of strength. Fine. But what does a bench, for instance, need in joint strength? Or a face frame? Or a cabinet door? Or...? My suspicion is that these methods are ALL more than strong enough."




Years ago when I worked for Hilti I was trying to convert a contractor from using my competitors concrete anchors to mine which were better and way more expensive. When I pointed out that my fastener held 2000 pounds and the competing anchor only held 1200 pounds he said that was great but what he was holding up only weighed 100 lbs. :eek: Lost that sale but learned the lesson to know all about the application before opening my mouth :eek:
 
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Art Mulder said:
Originally Posted by Bill Simpson
First, adjust the depth of the drilled hole so that the standard plugs fit flush enough so that simple sanding will provide a smooth finish surface.

Bill, how would you do that? The pocket holes are sized according to the Kreg guide/instructions. All of this depends on the thickness of the stock. With 3/4" stock, I can't make the holes any deeper, or I risk blowing out the other side.

I have noticed that pocket holes in 7/8" stock work much better with plugs, since they usually can slide in almost flush. But I really don't see how you could do this with the more common 3/4" stock.
Click to expand...

The ring coller on the bit can make depth adjustments as well and placing the jig on the work piece. small adjustsment can make large differences as the plugs are in at an angle and seem to travel further at an angle.

If the depth is set then shorten the plug, A simple disc sander or verticle belt sander will allow you to shorten the plug so that it does not stand proud of the surface. May take a bit of pre effort but IMHO better that the sawing after the fact.
 
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