[SML] [External] Skinny screws?

[Paul Guncheon]

I have to be brief right now but there a couple of reasons why your wood is
splitting. One is the size of the screw... that's true. Also responsible is
the shape of the screw. Drywall and wood screws are cone shaped, creating a
wedge that forces the wood fibers apart the deeper it is inserted. Try
sheet metal screws, they're cylinders.

Coarse-thread screws ("grabbers" as I recall) meant for wood while the fine
thread ("streakers"). The streakers will not hold as well as the grabbers
in wood but can still split it.

I usually staple, finish nail, or brad thin coverings to wood... with or
without glue. The only times I can think of when I screwed 14 or 1/8" ply
to wood was when I didn't have access to pneumatic tools and it was too
risky to bang away at it with a hammer.

An old carpenter's trick when nailing to prevent splitting is to lay a
headed nail on its side to the edge of the "head" is across the grain at
the location you wish to install the nail or screw. Bang the nail head into
the wood as far as it will go. One hammer strike will do it. Remove the
sideways nail and install the nail or screw in the depression. It works
often enough for me to describe it here.

What are you building?

Laters,

Paul 1
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