and experiment with some scrap wood. maple is tricky cause it is so hard. some pilot holes for wood are actually two staged. with a bigger hole toward the top of the smooth shanked wood screw. you can buy pilot drills for about any size wood screw. the two staged thing is very necessary with maple. small where the threads go so they have something to bite, and big where the smooth upper part of the wood screw is so that the resistance wont break off the screw. brass is triple tricky cause it is so soft.

experiment. precision will be rewarded. so will imprecision with broken screws or screws that come out later.

good luck

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.