Pilot holes are small details, but they can decide whether a crate repair feels tidy or rushed. Too shallow and the screw may fight the wood; too deep and a bit can pop through the opposite face before you notice.
For quick hand-drill work, a strip of painter's tape can act as a simple depth reminder. Measure the screw against the bit, leave enough depth for the point and threads, then wrap the tape around the bit at the stopping point with a little flag sticking out.
As you drill, stop when the tape just brushes the surface. The flag also sweeps away a little dust, which makes it easier to see whether the bit is still running straight. It is not a machine-shop depth stop, but it is reliable enough for many crate, display box and shop fixture jobs.
This is especially helpful near thin ends, slats and corner cleats where there is not much spare wood behind the hole. If the piece is important, test the setting in scrap of the same thickness before drilling the visible part.
Replace the tape when it gets fuzzy or slides on the bit. A fresh flag takes seconds and is cheaper than plugging a hole that went too far.
Practical takeaway: before drilling repeated pilot holes in a crate part, set a painter's-tape flag on the bit. It gives your hand a clear stop point and helps keep screws seated without accidental breakthrough.
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