# Home Made Pocket Hole Plugs



## wdkits1 (Mar 21, 2009)

Hi everyone
l love using pocket hole screws. They are quick, easy to use and make a strong connection. The down side is that you normally can't use them for exposed work mostly because they are kind of ugly.
Well on the latest project that I'm working on (custom closets) there are a few places that I have to use them in an exposed area so I had to figure out a way to make plugs (out of Jatoba) to fill in those ugly holes. Here is what I came up with.
I start by turning a 3/8" dowel out of 1/2" scrap. I use a 3/8" open end wrench as a reference to get the dowel to uniform size.









Next step is to drill a pocket hole (with Kreg Jig) in a scrap piece of wood and insert a screw( to drive out the cut plug).









Insert the dowel into the pocket hole until it bottoms out against the screw head.









Set the fence on the bandsaw to just clear the edge of the dowel jig and saw off the dowel.









I use a belt sander to sand the plug flush with the jig and pop it out with the exposed screw.









Here is the installed plug in place on the bottom shelf of the cabinet.









Hope some of you can use this little tid-bit of info.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Hey Mike
Thanks for sharing,cool idea.


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## sbryan55 (Dec 8, 2007)

Mike, that is a novel approach. I know that you can buy the plugs but they are limited as far as the wood species goes. Like you I enjoy using pocket screws, especially in cabinet construction but have never used them on the exposed faces simply due to the problem that you described. This approach certainly gives me something to consider.

Thanks for the post.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

I bought a bit that goes in my drill press and it cuts plugs from what ever wood you want. I think it was Rockler that made it. I've never used it yet. (now I need to go and find it)


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## chriswright (Nov 13, 2008)

Here's a nice plug cutter that you can use to cut plugs at an angle and really conceal the holes.

http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=151-439


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## hObOmOnk (Feb 6, 2007)

A Japanese Flush Cut saw also works.

Lee Valley


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## joew (Apr 22, 2008)

I got a tenon cutter 3/8 from mlcs and make all my own plugs.
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/plgtenon.html


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## spanky46 (Feb 12, 2009)

Great ingenuity Mike! Thanks for sharing.


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## wdkits1 (Mar 21, 2009)

That is what I find fun about woodworking .Making chicken salad out of chicken s-t. LOL


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