Tips & Tricks

Ergonomic pocket holes|Shop-made bottoming bit|Keeping glue at the ready|Ladder does extra duty 

Ergonomic pocket holes

I find drilling pocket holes at bench height awkward at best and literally a pain in the neck (and shoulder) with the pressure required for some harder species of wood. To combat this, I made a low horse upon which to mount my pocket hole setup. Screwed together from 1 x 4s, the 17" high surface holds the jig and its mounting board at a perfect height for pain-free operation. The 4° splay of the legs provides a stable stance while the 12 × 24" top serves as an ample surface to clamp to. When I'm not drilling pocket screws, I hang the jig on the wall and use the horse as an occasional seat and work platform.

-Dan Martin, Galena, Ohio

Shop-made bottoming bit