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Tried pocket screws on a fancy table leg joint and instantly regretted it
I had a custom dining table job last month for a client in Portland, and I thought I'd save time by using pocket screws on the leg-to-apron connection instead of proper mortise and tenon. Within two days the leg started wobbling. The pocket screws just couldn't handle the lateral stress from people leaning on the table. I ended up having to tear the whole thing apart and redo it with traditional joinery, which cost me an extra 8 hours and $60 in materials. Learned my lesson the hard way: pocket screws are great for cabinets and quick framing, but they don't belong anywhere near load-bearing furniture where people's elbows are gonna be. Has anyone else had pocket screws fail on them in a situation you thought they'd handle fine?
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angelar572mo ago
Save time" - more like double your labor.
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skyler432mo ago
Have you noticed how pretty much every "life hack" or shortcut ends up making things way more complicated than they already were? @angelar57 you're spot on, it's like these tips are designed by someone who's never actually tried doing the thing themselves. The whole "hack" culture feels like people trying to seem clever but just creating extra steps that don't really help anyone. It's the same with those cleaning shortcuts online that have you mixing random stuff together instead of just using soap and water.
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