Wiggle room with Kreg jig board width settings

You've got some wiggle room. If they're passing material measuring 1/2" off as 1x stock though, don't buy there. 1x material should be 3/4" or thicker.

Investigate your local lumber yards instead. They'll have better material. I just checked out my local lumberyard at the new house today, and was happily surprised by the first-rate quality and low prices.

Thanks! Understood about the local lumberyards. I went ahead and cut a piece and tried it out. While it didn't split the adjoining piece, there was a slight hill over the point of the screw. Joint was still strong. this is for an outdoor table in Texas, no covering. I'm afraid the "hill" may erode over the years. Is this ok, or am I correct to fear this?

The "hill" is a problem. It's a sign the point is coming through, and the wood is probably splitting out. It will almost certainly fail over time.

If the wood is really under sized, I'd take it back and demand a refund. Lowes and Home Depot both deserve a lot of grief for the poor quality of wood that they sell, and the inappropriate way they store it.

I think I will ask for a refund and find an actual lumberyard. Thanks for your help.

claydowling, you've been really helpful. Please bear with me...

So I did my research and found a reputable (women owned and operated!) local lumberyard with what I need - the owner told me that yes, all 1xs are 3/4". Still going with my tape measure, though.

I put this question on Rockler's forum in the "newbie" section. Normally, people who answer are courteous and will use terminology I can understand. One person answered me to let me know I should not be using pocket holes for this table top (I'm using a plan from Rayan at The Design Confidential, which is very pocket hole friendly) and that if I "insisted" on doing so, to set it for 1/2" stock without explaining why.

Ego bruising and using woodworking terms I'm not familiar with notwithstanding, does anyone have any opinions on that?

I wouldn't normally recommend a pocket hole for edge-joining two boards for a table top. It will work, but a better and long-lasting joint can be had by edge joining the work.

This is the best tutorial I've found on the subject that doesn't require a thousand dollars in power tools (and that price is on the low side): http://logancabinetshoppe.com/blog/2010/10/episode-28/

He doesn't cover everything that you'll need though. There's a lot that he's assuming you already know. It's worth checking at the library for a good general woodworking book. My preferred is this: http://www.amazon.com/Tage-Teaches-Woodworking-step---step/dp/156158068…

Metal is wood weakens the wood, and when the joint fails (all joints fail eventually) it will fail at that interface. Over ten or twenty years, that joint will open up a little as the wood shrinks (it will shrink).

With a glue joint, as the wood shrinks the joint doesn't open up. Older traditional hide glues last over 100 years, and if they do come apart the joint can be repaired with more hide glue. Because of it's durability and repairability you can still buy it in woodworking stores, even though it's a bit of a pain and smells bad.

Modern wood glues last at least 60 years, because that's how long they've been around. In 40 years we'll know if they hold up as well as hide glues. We do know that when they fail, the glue itself doesn't fail, but the wood around the stress point fails. So my guess is that a modern wood glue will last a very long time.

Doing a panel glue up is a bit of an advanced task. I'm tackling my first one this week, a table top I'm building for a friend. I've done glue ups with my dad before, but different shop, different tools. So it should be exciting. My advice is to work with somebody else who has a bit of experience the first time.

Thanks. My husband had picked up a woodworking book at Halfprice a few years ago. I should dust it off and take a look, and I'll look at the one you recommended. Thanks again.