Pre-drilling nail holes is often required to prevent splitting finish lumber, or even to allow nail penetration in hardwoods. If you lack the right bit for your power drill, a handy solution is to use a nail of the same size that you are driving. You have to cut off the head of the nail to fit it into the drill chuck. The nail bit isn’t as sharp and won’t last as long as a high-speed steel bit, but it does the job in a pinch.
Steve Larson, Santa Cruz, CA
