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When cutting deep pockets, it may be necessary to reduce cycle speed. Using fast cycles along
with deep pockets in hard materials can stall the machine or break the router bit and/or drill bit.
Selecting Screws
There are many types and sizes of pocket hole screws available. When choosing the appropriate screw for your
applications always choose
high quality, self-tapping
screws designed for pocket holes. Low quality screws
can split material and the heads of the screws can easily break off.
Common “types” of pocket hole screws include:
Fine Thread
– good choice for hard/dense woods.
Coarse Thread
– good choice for soft woods and panel products, E.g. MDF, Plywood, Melamine, etc.
Washer Head
– good choice for softwoods and panel products (good surface with head and less chance
of pulling through web).
Pan Head
– good choice for hardwoods and thin materials (less chance or head protruding from a
shallow pocket).
Typical materials and coatings for screws:
Zinc plated steel
– good choice for interior work, not exposed to moisture.
Black phosphate coated steel
– good choice for interior work, not exposed to moisture.
Exterior coated steel
– good choice for exterior work or interior work exposed to light to moderate
moisture.
Stainless Steel
– best choice for exterior work or any work exposed to moisture or when joining treated
lumber.
Common screw length and material thickness guide (typical applications):
1”
screw;
1/2
” – 5/8”
thick material.
1-
1/4”
screw;
3/4
” – 7/8”
thick material.
1-
1/2”
screw;
1” – 1-1/8”
thick material.
2”
screw;
1-
1/4” – 1-3/8”
thick material
2-
1/2”
screw;
1-
1/2”
thick material
NOTE: The above information is only a guide, your specific materials and conditions may require
alterations to screw size, types, materials or machine settings. Always test, in scrap
material, the pocket location and screw size before joining good material. This is
especially true when joining dissimilar thicknesses or, for example, when joining a side
panel to a face frame.
