# pocket holes in hickory



## Guss (Sep 19, 2011)

Hi Im doing a face frame for a aquarium stand and im making it out of hickory. I wanted to do pocket holes for the joinery but im having problems with the wood splitting when i put the screw in is there a good pocket hole screw for woods that split easy? Im using the Kreg screws. If i cant get that to work ill probably use loose tenons.


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## Alexandre (May 26, 2012)

Predrill?


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Try a little beeswax?


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## Bobmedic (Sep 24, 2010)

Use the Kreg fine thread screws with hardwoods and the coarse screws with soft woods. The wax and a fine thread should get good results without splitting.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Just remember that you're workin' with a very hard wood, and do all the above mentioned. You ARE gonna glue as well?
Bill


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## Knothead62 (Apr 17, 2010)

What Bobmedic said.


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## Doss (Mar 14, 2012)

Are you pre-drilling properly? What screws are you using?


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## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

For hickory you should be using the FINE thread screws. Rub a little wax on them (like from an old candle) and when you put the screws in run them up to speed with only very light pressure on them. As soon as they start cutting back off on the speed and just seat them in short bursts. ALSO I like to use my cordless for driving the screws and have the clutch set so you don't overdrive the screw. If you over drive it, you'll almost always split it out.

I just did some hard maple face frames. I used a corded drill to drill the pocket holes and a cordless to drive the screws. For face frames I also clamp the faces of the joint. The screws cut threads, so if you drive them too fast, they'll act like a wedge instead of cutting their threads.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Sometimes it helps to leave a horn on stiles and cut it off
after assembly. In the old days this was done in mortised
parts and still is by craftspeople mortising by hand.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Deleted


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

I did a Hickory kitchen and had the same problems with splitting as you have. After trying a number of things I ended up pre-drilling. I had my neighbor (he has a metal lathe) make the device below.










The other thing that helps is watch is your grain orientation.


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## MoPower (Feb 6, 2009)

Is the bottom side of your screw heads flat or beveled ? Screws with a head that have a bevel will act like a wedge and split the wood when the head seats.


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## Guss (Sep 19, 2011)

Im using the Fine Thred Kreg Screws. Its the style that is cracking. I dont think ill be able to pree drill that easy and keep everything lined up. Im going to give the wax and the drill speed a try with making sure of the grain direction. Im not even getting the screw in half way in the style before it cracks. thanks for your input ill let you know how it goes.


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## Doss (Mar 14, 2012)

If that fails, either modify some clamps to hold it steady or build a clamping jig… and get a really long drill bit (it may have to be one size larger than what you're using now.


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## AlanBienlein (Jan 29, 2011)

I made my kitchen cabinets out of pecan and had no problems using the pocket screws to fasten the rails to the stiles on the face frames.


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## Dano46 (Sep 21, 2009)

Since hickory is one of my favorite woods, I thought I might add something. Should have figured LumberJocks always have a solution to any problem. 
My reply would have been: predrill, fine threads, beeswax. Same as the first three.


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## BenI (Jun 8, 2012)

I'd make sure that you have the collet (think that's the right word) on the actual drill bit set to the correct 'depth' for the thickness of the wood you're using and that your screws are of the correct length for that thickness. I haven't worked with hickory so I can't be more help than that but I've used Kreg screws in walnut, red oak, pine and maple without problems.


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## North40 (Oct 17, 2007)

I use pocket screws to build faceframes … except for hickory because of this exact issue. With hickory, I half-lap my faceframes.


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