Thin crate rails and small display strips can be awkward to drill because there is not much wood for your fingers to hold. The part wants to tip, the bit wants to skate, and a quick pilot hole can become a ragged oval before the screw ever arrives.
One low-fuss helper is a scrap wedge. Plane, saw or sand a small offcut so one face gives the rail a firm shoulder while the opposite face sits flat on the bench. It does not need to be a precise shop-made jig; it only needs to keep the narrow piece from rocking.
Set the rail against the wedge, line up the pencil mark, and clamp both pieces lightly if the part is long enough. The wedge gives your hand and drill a wider target, and it helps the bit meet the rail more squarely instead of pushing the rail across the bench.
For cleaner exit holes, add a flat backer board under the rail. The wedge controls side-to-side chatter, while the backer supports the fibres as the bit comes through. That pairing is especially useful on soft, dry or previously repaired crate stock.
After the holes are drilled, mark the wedge with a quick pencil note and keep it near the drill bits. A saved wedge for common rail sizes can speed up the next repair without turning a small job into a measuring project.
Practical takeaway: before drilling a thin crate rail, steady it against a scrap wedge and back it up with another offcut so the pilot hole starts square and finishes clean.
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