Used to swear by pocket hole joinery for face frames (you know, the fast way), but last month I built a cabinet with all through dovetails and the difference in rigidity blew my mind.

My mentor, old Mike from the shop on 5th street, told me three years ago that I'd eventually ditch the screws for real joinery, but I honestly thought he was just being cranky until I saw how this oak frame held up under a 40-pound granite countertop without a single clamp-screw, has anyone else made the switch to hand-cut joints for heavy-duty stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

victor_adams26d ago

Man, preach. I had the exact same wakeup call about two years ago. I built a set of kitchen cabinets with pocket screws and they started to sag after six months, but the dovetailed frame I replaced them with still feels like a rock. There is just no comparison when you are talking about real load bearing stuff. Screws are fine for quick shop jigs or temporary stuff but for anything permanent they feel like a crutch now. Old Mike knew what he was talking about, even if he was cranky about it.

black.pat26d ago

Hit the same wall myself with a workbench. Used pocket screws for the legs and top, thought I was being clever. Six months later it was wobbling like a cheap card table. Rebuilt the whole thing with mortise and tenon joints, used oak instead of pine, and that bench is dead solid three years later. No screws at all in the main structure now, just glue and joinery. Screws are for jigs and temporary holds, period.