pocket holes in hickory

Predrill?

-- My terrible signature...

Try a little beeswax?

-- Its not a crack, its a casting imperfection.

Use the Kreg fine thread screws with hardwoods and the coarse screws with soft woods. The wax and a fine thread should get good results without splitting.

Just remember that you’re workin’ with a very hard wood, and do all the above mentioned. You ARE gonna glue as well?
Bill

-- [email protected]us

What Bobmedic said.

Are you pre-drilling properly? What screws are you using?

-- "Well, at least we can still use it as firewood... maybe." - Doss

For hickory you should be using the FINE thread screws. Rub a little wax on them (like from an old candle) and when you put the screws in run them up to speed with only very light pressure on them. As soon as they start cutting back off on the speed and just seat them in short bursts. ALSO I like to use my cordless for driving the screws and have the clutch set so you don’t overdrive the screw. If you over drive it, you’ll almost always split it out.

I just did some hard maple face frames. I used a corded drill to drill the pocket holes and a cordless to drive the screws. For face frames I also clamp the faces of the joint. The screws cut threads, so if you drive them too fast, they’ll act like a wedge instead of cutting their threads.

Sometimes it helps to leave a horn on stiles and cut it off
after assembly. In the old days this was done in mortised
parts and still is by craftspeople mortising by hand.

Deleted

-- Alaskan's for Global warming!

I did a Hickory kitchen and had the same problems with splitting as you have. After trying a number of things I ended up pre-drilling. I had my neighbor (he has a metal lathe) make the device below.

The other thing that helps is watch is your grain orientation.

-- Alaskan's for Global warming!

Is the bottom side of your screw heads flat or beveled ? Screws with a head that have a bevel will act like a wedge and split the wood when the head seats.

-- If the old masters had power tools, they would have used them. So get off your damn High Horse.

Im using the Fine Thred Kreg Screws. Its the style that is cracking. I dont think ill be able to pree drill that easy and keep everything lined up. Im going to give the wax and the drill speed a try with making sure of the grain direction. Im not even getting the screw in half way in the style before it cracks. thanks for your input ill let you know how it goes.

If that fails, either modify some clamps to hold it steady or build a clamping jig… and get a really long drill bit (it may have to be one size larger than what you’re using now.

-- "Well, at least we can still use it as firewood... maybe." - Doss

I made my kitchen cabinets out of pecan and had no problems using the pocket screws to fasten the rails to the stiles on the face frames.

Since hickory is one of my favorite woods, I thought I might add something. Should have figured LumberJocks always have a solution to any problem.
My reply would have been: predrill, fine threads, beeswax. Same as the first three.

-- You can't trust a dog to guard your food.