umar49•1mo ago

Talking with an old cabinet maker changed my mind about pocket screws

I always used pocket screws for face frames. Fast, easy, strong enough. Then I talked to this guy Gerry at a lumberyard in Tulsa. He said pocket screws are just a crutch for bad joinery. Said he's never used them in 40 years and his work lasts longer than the house. Made me think maybe I'm taking shortcuts instead of doing real work. Has anyone else switched back to traditional joinery after going all in on pocket holes?

3 comments

3 Comments

gray8751mo ago

Real work" is just whatever gets the job done right. Gerry probably still uses a hand plane for everything too.

michaelgrant1mo ago

Gerry sounds like a guy who has strong opinions about everything. He's probably the same guy who says you HAVE to sharpen your own chisels or you're not a real woodworker. Pocket screws are just a tool in the box, not some moral failing. If the thing lasts longer than the house, that's great, but most of us are building cabinets for normal homes, not bomb shelters. Maybe ask Gerry how many face frames he actually builds in a month versus just talking about them.

-1

amy_craig281mo ago

It's like the whole "you have to do it the hard way or it doesn't count" thing that pops up everywhere, not just in woodworking but with cooking from scratch or fixing your own car. People get so wrapped up in the method they forget the goal is just to get a solid cabinet built that holds dishes.