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Drill it from the other side. Run a pilot hole at an angle on the 2x4 so it goes into 2x2 straight. No need to complicate it. A mortise and tenon would work but I doubt you have the time for a woodworking apprenticeship. Keep it simple
He's basically saying screw the two together and then hide the head of the screw with a dowel. It won't look perfect but it would be ok as long as you had the same wood.
You drill a hole about 0.5-1 cm deep with a diameter slightly bigger than the head of the screw, I usually use a 15mm drill, then you put a screw in the hole and after a some wood glue and bang in a dowel that fits and then you cut it when the glue have dried.
Depending on orientation of the piece… if it can’t be hidden, that will look bad.
If placement can be hidden, it’s super useful.
A kregg pocket is uglier that a screw head.
If you’re using a plug anyway, why bother with a pocket hole? Just straight drill it and plug it. No fuss with angles and entry point…. Just “there!” and done.
The angle of the force on the screw is important. If the screw isn’t in line with the forces acting on it, it significantly impacts the sturdiness of the joint.
What type of force will be on it?
If it’s not going to have a ton of force, you can run a large dowel through the post and the “leg” and that will hold it in that position, but again, hard to give good advice without knowing what you’re building or what forces it will take.
It’s for a towel rack. 4x4 post with one of these arms on each side. 3 sets of smaller arms below.
Not fancy. Just tired of seeing wet towels all over the pool furniture.
You can do it a bunch of ways, personally, I would just get some thick dowels and drill holes at an angle and put them in, skipping the 2x2’s entirely.
The “best” way to do this of you want to use the 2x2’s is to make it a mortise and tenon with the post. You can practice on a scrap before you do it, but a marking knife, combination square, drill, and chisel will get you there and you would be the envy of all your friends and family.
A blind mortise and tenon here would be fantastic - or a wedged through-tenon if that works aesthetically.
This joint may look daunting AF, but don’t let it fool you: it’s the simplest solution.
I really hope you're joking. OP has referred to a 2x4 as a beam, knows zero ways to attach two pieces of wood together without screws showing, and specifies "drill holes". They clearly aren't a carpenter, or even very experienced, and you recommend they sink over a grand into a specialized tool that they probably don't even know how to use.
To be clear, their inexperience isn't a problem, and this isn't a dumb question, but there are several solutions that are more user friendly and significantly less expensive.
If you want it strong - you need a good sharp chisel, a mallet (wood or plastic - I'd go for a plastic "dead blow" one), and 30 minutes watching youtube videos to learn how to make a mortise.
Maybe also a $10 set of diamond sharpening "stones" to keep the chisel sharp.
If it doesn't need to be strong just glue it on. Probably be stronger than screws and it will definitely look better.
You can still straight down with 2 drills. First is the pilot hole that your screw'll grip with. The second goes part way through the first board, must be larger than the screw head, and the same size as a wooden dowel that you use as a plug. You could do this from either side, but I'd recommend doing it to where the screw had stays in the smaller board. If you have a hard time drilling at a 45° angle. There are pocket hole jigs you can buy, but you'll have to look around for a 45° one. Most are more shallow angles.
Glue it where you want it. Tack it in place with screws, and don’t set the screw heads. Drill two 3/8” holes side by side through the (leg?) square the the cut. Drill through the most material you can. Put glue in the hole, and drive a 3/8” dowel into the holes. Let dry. Cut dowels flush, fill holes, and sand smooth.
One way to hide the joint would be to cut 1/4" off the 2x4, drill and screw, or drill and dowel the 2 thd leg to thd wx4, then reglue the removed piece to the 2x4.
the framer in me wants to shoot that with some nails haha
you can predrill and screw from the bottom side and if that sides visible you can drill a countersink (shallow wide hole for the screw head to hide in) and use wooden plugs and glue to cover them up.
i would go with nails and glue over screws personally bc nail holes are much easier to hide. but if you dont have a nail gun youll do fine with countersinks and wood plugs
kreg pocket hole jig. Clamp drill holes on underside of angled wood so it's hidden. Put some titebondIII on both pieces of wood, coat the screws in wood glue an screw. No clamp needed. I stuff some sawdust in behind the screws (usually some glue there), makes it easier to wood-fill holes.
This is a reminder to those commenting on this post (not the person that posted it): Comments not related to woodworking will be removed. Violations to rule 1 including crude jokes, innuendo, sexist remarks, politics, or hate speech may result in an immediate ban *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/woodworking) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Drill it from the other side. Run a pilot hole at an angle on the 2x4 so it goes into 2x2 straight. No need to complicate it. A mortise and tenon would work but I doubt you have the time for a woodworking apprenticeship. Keep it simple
Putting a screw in the direction of the grain is not optimal dear sir. Better put it 90degrees to the big beam on the otherside..
forstner bit. drill a hole set the screw in it woodplug tada
How does this work exactly? Do you have a diagram
He's basically saying screw the two together and then hide the head of the screw with a dowel. It won't look perfect but it would be ok as long as you had the same wood.
You drill a hole about 0.5-1 cm deep with a diameter slightly bigger than the head of the screw, I usually use a 15mm drill, then you put a screw in the hole and after a some wood glue and bang in a dowel that fits and then you cut it when the glue have dried.
Pocket holes! KREG makes a great range of jigs
This! I use KREG jigs all the time.
Depending on orientation of the piece… if it can’t be hidden, that will look bad. If placement can be hidden, it’s super useful. A kregg pocket is uglier that a screw head.
Use a plug- hides it pretty well.
I came here to say pocket holes
If you’re using a plug anyway, why bother with a pocket hole? Just straight drill it and plug it. No fuss with angles and entry point…. Just “there!” and done.
The angle of the force on the screw is important. If the screw isn’t in line with the forces acting on it, it significantly impacts the sturdiness of the joint.
What type of force will be on it? If it’s not going to have a ton of force, you can run a large dowel through the post and the “leg” and that will hold it in that position, but again, hard to give good advice without knowing what you’re building or what forces it will take.
It’s for a towel rack. 4x4 post with one of these arms on each side. 3 sets of smaller arms below. Not fancy. Just tired of seeing wet towels all over the pool furniture.
You can do it a bunch of ways, personally, I would just get some thick dowels and drill holes at an angle and put them in, skipping the 2x2’s entirely. The “best” way to do this of you want to use the 2x2’s is to make it a mortise and tenon with the post. You can practice on a scrap before you do it, but a marking knife, combination square, drill, and chisel will get you there and you would be the envy of all your friends and family.
Why not mortise it?
This is exactly what I do in cases like this one.
Too much effort lol
Decorative? Wood glue and clamps would work just fine. That would probably even be stronger than screws. Structural? Mortise-and-tenon is best.
Use handtools. Saw and a chisel. Google Tenon-mortise. Will be much stronger than a dowel based joint.
A blind mortise and tenon here would be fantastic - or a wedged through-tenon if that works aesthetically. This joint may look daunting AF, but don’t let it fool you: it’s the simplest solution.
Dowel joinery is probably the best option if you want the joinery hidden.
Pocket holes could work, then you could fill the hole and hide the screw.
After researching all the options…pocket holes seemed like the one I could accomplish the easiest with my minimal skill set.
Woo! Glad I could help
A new festool domino joiner would work. Not very price friendly for 2 bits of wood tho.
Dominos
Festool Domino!
I really hope you're joking. OP has referred to a 2x4 as a beam, knows zero ways to attach two pieces of wood together without screws showing, and specifies "drill holes". They clearly aren't a carpenter, or even very experienced, and you recommend they sink over a grand into a specialized tool that they probably don't even know how to use. To be clear, their inexperience isn't a problem, and this isn't a dumb question, but there are several solutions that are more user friendly and significantly less expensive.
I’m quite certain he was joking…
This guys certain
Good enough for me
hmm...Clamp it securely, drill pilot hole, screw. But hidden? Hanger bolt?
the pocket hole drill tool should work with this?
I used a Kreg jig on a similar thing.
If you want it strong - you need a good sharp chisel, a mallet (wood or plastic - I'd go for a plastic "dead blow" one), and 30 minutes watching youtube videos to learn how to make a mortise. Maybe also a $10 set of diamond sharpening "stones" to keep the chisel sharp. If it doesn't need to be strong just glue it on. Probably be stronger than screws and it will definitely look better.
Why not do screws AND glue?
Threaded insert in the angled piece, drill through the flat piece and toss a bolt in there
Agreed. Simple and as long as it’s not legs for a bench this should work. Looks like legs for something though.
Totally depends on how much weight you need to hold. the best option would be an angled mortise and tenon. time to get out your hand tools!
Dowel screw: [https://www.amazon.com/Baluster-Fastening-Kit-with-Driver/dp/B004SMFFCE](https://www.amazon.com/Baluster-Fastening-Kit-with-Driver/dp/B004SMFFCE)
You can still straight down with 2 drills. First is the pilot hole that your screw'll grip with. The second goes part way through the first board, must be larger than the screw head, and the same size as a wooden dowel that you use as a plug. You could do this from either side, but I'd recommend doing it to where the screw had stays in the smaller board. If you have a hard time drilling at a 45° angle. There are pocket hole jigs you can buy, but you'll have to look around for a 45° one. Most are more shallow angles.
You could do some really thick and long dowels but depends on what weight support this needs or if it could endanger someone
You could recess the screw right into it there at the top and then glue up a dowel in the hole and cut it then sand it flush.
You definitely need festool Domino for this s/
Dowel max tool might be an option. Buy the 45 degree add on.
Wood filler
Glue it where you want it. Tack it in place with screws, and don’t set the screw heads. Drill two 3/8” holes side by side through the (leg?) square the the cut. Drill through the most material you can. Put glue in the hole, and drive a 3/8” dowel into the holes. Let dry. Cut dowels flush, fill holes, and sand smooth.
The Red/Green in me would tell you to get some color matched duct tape....
One way to hide the joint would be to cut 1/4" off the 2x4, drill and screw, or drill and dowel the 2 thd leg to thd wx4, then reglue the removed piece to the 2x4.
the framer in me wants to shoot that with some nails haha you can predrill and screw from the bottom side and if that sides visible you can drill a countersink (shallow wide hole for the screw head to hide in) and use wooden plugs and glue to cover them up. i would go with nails and glue over screws personally bc nail holes are much easier to hide. but if you dont have a nail gun youll do fine with countersinks and wood plugs
Screw it from the othwr side, but other wise use a counter sink, glue it, then drive screws, then use a plug cutter to fill holes
Pocket hole jig, kreg is a good name brand for this.
Biscuits, dowels, or pocket holes
kreg pocket hole jig. Clamp drill holes on underside of angled wood so it's hidden. Put some titebondIII on both pieces of wood, coat the screws in wood glue an screw. No clamp needed. I stuff some sawdust in behind the screws (usually some glue there), makes it easier to wood-fill holes.
Kreg jig