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My uncle told me to always pre-drill for pocket holes, even in soft pine.

I skipped it on a quick bookshelf project last week and ended up splitting three boards near the ends. He was right, and I wasted about $40 in lumber and an hour of my time. Do you guys always pre-drill for pocket screws, or is it just for certain woods?
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2 Comments
phoenix_schmidt
Your shop teacher was smart. I'm curious, did they ever explain why it's so important? Like, is it just about the wood splitting, or does it also affect how strong the joint ends up being?
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elizabethpalmer
My shop teacher drilled that into us, always pre-drill for pocket screws.
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