caleb_thomas85•15d agoMost Upvoted

PSA: I think everyone is wrong about pocket hole joinery for face frames

I was building kitchen cabinets in a shop in Spokane about 6 months ago, and the owner saw me setting up my Kreg jig. He walked over, put his hand on the frame, and said 'That's fine for quick work, but it'll never hold like a good mortise and tenon over 20 years.' I argued that with glue and the right screw length, it's just as strong for most jobs. He just shook his head and showed me a 15 year old cabinet he built with traditional joints, still rock solid. It made me rethink when I use shortcuts versus taking the extra time. Has anyone else had a client or another carpenter call out a common practice you thought was fine?

3 comments

3 Comments

elizabethhayes14d ago

My old foreman in Tacoma said the same thing about biscuit joiners.

evan_wilson1814d ago

That silent point at the old work is the universal sign for "your modern crap is temporary." Next he'll pull out a chair made with wooden pegs and tell you it survived the Cold War. Gotta love when experience just stands there, not even needing to talk. Makes you wonder if my IKEA dresser will even make it to garbage day, right?

the_avery14d ago

Oh man, that's the classic old-timer move right there. Honestly, nothing makes you question your whole life like a guy silently pointing at his 15-year-old work. Next he'll probably show you a hand-cut dovetail he made using only a chisel and his grandpa's disappointed stare.