day's end disappointment

[Kevin Jenness]

Finishing up a small kitchen, almost done mounting drawer fronts when a divot appeared in the face of the fourth from last one. First thought- how on earth did an odd length screw get into a brand new box? I have had screw pops before, but only when using the wrong length screw. Turns out the screw point was a good 1/8" behind the face but somehow the auger point pushed material out ahead of it. Weird.

No big deal, fill and respray it, but that sure was the end of the day.

[Bradley Gray]

Years ago, I was finishing a stair install in a new house. The cabinet guy was trying to get done also, until I heard a cloud of blue language. I looked in the kitchen and about 20 screws were protruding from the formica countertop, an elaborate u=shaped creation.

The owner was due to show up soon. I got myself out the door.

[Richard Coers]

Getting within an 1/8" of the face with a screw is asking for trouble in my book. Back in the day, everything was pilot drilled so a pop like that would have been impossible. BUT, I wouldn't get a pilot drill within an 1/8" either.

[Gregory King]

Remember one time installing 1.25" drywall screws in bathroom vanity top. One of those turned out to be 1 5/8". Saving grace was good color on matte finish. Put wood glue under the flect and clamped it down. Rubbed the edge with knife blade. Could not tell. I still chuckle about that one. And now, I always lay the screws out before hand.

[Kevin Jenness]

"Getting within an 1/8" of the face with a screw is asking for trouble in my book."

Well, maybe so. I have installed hundreds of drawer fronts in this way with 1/8" margin between the screw point and panel face without a problem, but perhaps it is time for a change. For clarity, these were washer head screws so over-driving in a countersink was not an issue. There was a pilot hole 1/2" deep using a taper-point bit with the screw going 5/8"deep.

At least I didn't do it in public. Not that I cussed or anything.

[Richard Coers]

"Getting within an 1/8" of the face with a screw is asking for trouble in my book."

Well, maybe so. I have installed hundreds of drawer fronts in this way with 1/8" margin between the screw point and panel face without a problem, but perhaps it is time for a change. For clarity, these were washer head screws so over-driving in a countersink was not an issue. There was a pilot hole 1/2" deep using a taper-point bit with the screw going 5/8"deep.

At least I didn't do it in public. Not that I cussed or anything.

Maybe so? That's humorous. I'd think it would be tough to put up a defense for your technique when you opened the discussion with the surface being damaged.

[Gary Ragatz]

Maybe so? That's humorous. I'd think it would be tough to put up a defense for your technique when you opened the discussion with the surface being damaged.

Richard,

In many circles, "Well maybe so" followed up with "perhaps it is time for a change" would be considered another way of saying "Yes - you're probably right." But maybe "probably right" isn't sufficient homage?

[Kevin Jenness]

Well, Richard probably is right. It's not like the drawer front is going to fall off with only 1/2" of screw penetration. I never saw this happen before, but I don't want to see it again, so shorter screws in the future.