Looking for help with Pocket Hole Joint assembly

[Tedison]

I am building a Cedar Patio Dining Table and I am using pocket hole joinery. I am new to the Pocket Hole Jig and as the wood for the frame is 2x6, I found it challenging to get perfect alignment despite the clamps I used. Now I am putting the slats in and they are 1 inch thick (actual). As you can see from the picture, clamping this as I put in the screws/glue is going to be challenging, especially as I get the middle of the table top. The table top is approx 84 in x 39 in.

I am looking for some suggestions as to how to clamp this as I screw it together. ONly needs to be flush on the top side. I will use spacers to control the lateral movement. Getting these flush on the top side is my concern.

Thanks for any ideas you can share.

 

[pault28]

How I would attack this, would be to make sure that the frame was pocket holed together and flat and flush on the topside. Once the frame is good to go, I would try and find a large banquet table or something with a good flat surface. I'd lay the frame upside down and use something like these...
https://www.all-spec.com/Catalog/Ha...MIraDWkvm-3gIVQrnACh1Ueg0LEAQYBSABEgJjcfD_BwE
with a small spacer to make up the difference between the slot depth vs the frame depth. If the slots are truly 1" and the frame is 1-1/2" you'd need a narrow 1/2" spacer. Then set the spacer next to the frame and set those vise grips to hopefully get under the banquet table and across your spacer and frame joint. I don't know if this is making any sense. I still doubt the clamp will be long enough to get you all the way across but it may get you close. I'm sure someone else has a better idea.

Come to think of it, a banquet table is likely too thick. Even a piece of 3/4" particle board or MDF well supported on three sawhorses would be a good flat surface to clamp to.

 

[DHCrocks]

use the kreg clamp it will hold the pieces flush as you drive them in. For the offset cut a shim to level off the piece on the backside and clamp down. the kreg clamp really does make it easier to properly align and prevent shifting.

another thing you could do if you have biscuit joiner is to use it to align the pieces.

 

[Git]

That's why I don't really like using pocket holes - the pieces always seem to move on me a little, no matter how many or what type of clamps you are using

Since your working with some pretty beefy wood (2x6) I think I would also try using some biscuits or a couple of dowels as an alignment aid to keep things from moving

 

[SHAZZAM]

I've made a similar table top a few times. My method is to glue it up without the screws in. This let's you adjust each piece. Once dry put the screws in to hold the parts together.

 

[jgromada]

I agree look into the Kreg clamp. I have found mine to be very useful if you do a lot of pocket hole construction.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H1WFPWM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[snickers muncher]

I'd try putting a batten on top and bottom with a too thick spacer on top of the bottom batten and clamp together into a plank/spacer sandwich. Clamp tight so that the spacer on the bottom presses the planks up into the top baton. Clamp the top batten to the frame. You'd have to do both ends of the planks at the same time, but hopefully it will hold everything even. That's just the first thought that popped into my mind with the area you are working on over hanging the work surface.

Maybe just clamping a batten on the top and putting an over sized spacer under all joints at once will work if it's heavy enough.

 

[C3L1CA]

I think I'd try to put a few pieces of wood underneath the 2x6 frames that run perpendicular to the the slats. This would let the slats and frame sit flush with each other.

Then make some spacers for the difference between the slats and frame, say 1/2". Then I'd put some longer boards over the backside to "sandwich the frame, slats and spacers and hold it all tight.

 

[cheechi]

are you using the HD jig & screws with your 2x?

 

[PelicanPines]

are you using the HD jig & screws with your 2x?

This is important... can't use the regular jig with 2x lumber... not securely anyway.