One way to help either screws and nails penetrate wood without splits is to use beeswax on the fastener. In fact, some carpenters will drill a hole in the end of a wood hammer handle to fill it with beeswax. An alternative is to buy a wax seal for a toilet. It’s made of beeswax processed to stay soft, and costs much less.
When you buy a drill bit set, it most likely will come in a storage case. This case will help you figure out which size bit you need to use. When drilling holes for a pilot or lead hole for a nail, find which slot in the bit case the nail will fit in. The next size down is the bit you should choose. When drilling a pilot hole for a screw, you need to choose two bits. One for the starter hole and one for the pilot hole. Find which slot in your bit storage case the screw will fit in. That is the size of bit you should use for the pilot hole. For the starter hold, use the next smaller sized bit.
You can avoid splitting or marring wood, such as hardwood molding, by using what is called a nail spinner. With this low-cost device chucked into your power drill, you just insert the nail and then “drill” it into position. The nail will penetrate to within 1/4 in. or so of the surface, then you can drive it home with a hammer and a nailset.
You can buy depth stops to attach to drill bits to make blind holes at a certain depth. But for occasional jobs you can gauge depth by using masking tape around the bit at the right depth. Or, as shown, drill through the center of a dowel section, using the bit you need for the hole. Cut the dowel so the exposed bit will be the depth needed for the hole.
The plastic containers used for push-up deodorants can be recycled into excellent holders for items like nailsets, small drill bits or saw blades. The containers have easy-to-remove caps, and you can push up the bottoms to expose smaller items. Use a felt-tipped pen to mark what’s stored inside.
A simple way to clean corrosion from a twist drill bit is to let your power drill help you. While applying oil to the bit at its point of entry, drill repeatedly into a block of hardwood secured in a vise. Friction of the bit against the wood and abrasion of the wood chips will provide a scouring action to clean up the bit in a hurry.
When building a deck, always nail a thinner member to a thicker member. Hot-dipped zinc-coated nails are a good choice. For more holding power, consider using either ring- or spiral-shanked nails, or go with deck screws. If using screws, it’s best to pre-drill pilot holes.
Shavings can pile up around a hole being drilled, making it hard for you to see what you are doing. To prevent this, push the point of the drill bit through a 4-in. strip of masking tape, then draw the tape up the bit so it will clear the work. Fold the strip lengthwise to bring the sticky sides together. The tape “wings” will act as a fan to clear the surface.
Toenailing styles can vary. Some pros like to drive three or four nails into a stud, toenailing from both sides at about a 30-degree angle. The job is easier if you first drive a holding nail on one side of the stud, then drive two nails on the opposite side. Remove the holding nail, then toenail the second side. You can also make up a 2×4 spacer to place between the studs.
