A split corner usually starts with a small guess. The screw looked about right, the pilot bit was already in the drill, and the crate side seemed thick enough until the point pushed through or the end grain opened up.
A screw-size test block slows that down without turning a quick repair into a production job. Cut or save one scrap that matches the crate side as closely as possible, then mark it as the test block for the project. If the real part is thin plywood, use thin plywood. If it is a solid slat, use a similar offcut.
Drive the planned screw into the block before touching the crate. Check whether the point breaks through, whether the head sits proud, and whether the pilot hole lets the screw pull tight without forcing the wood apart. If it feels tight on the scrap, it will not be kinder on the finished corner.
The same block can test countersink depth. A shallow countersink leaves the head proud and easy to snag; a deep one can weaken a narrow rail. Sneak up on the depth until the screw head sits cleanly, then use that setting on the real piece.
For repeated repairs, keep the tested screw in the block or write the size beside the hole. Over time the block becomes a small reference chart for which screws behave well in thin crate sides, handles, dividers and display pieces.
Practical takeaway: before fastening a visible crate corner, let a scrap block take the risk first. Test screw length, pilot size and countersink depth on the scrap, then move to the real crate once the setup is calm.
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