CW wrote:

Pocket screws are made with a self tapping point. Never had
anything split yet. Standard screws wedge their way in. Pocket
screws cut their way in.

This brings to mind another question. This whole "self-tapping screw"
business. Seems to me that while the tip may cut through the wood
fibers, there is no place for the excess wood to go. What happens to
the bits of wood that the tapping screw cuts? The screw displaces the
bits of wood and the bits of wood go where? The screws have a bit of a
recess in them, but is that enough?

And even if things don't actually split, is it fair to say that the
joint is somewhat weak because the screw AND most the displaced wood
bits are crammed in the hole?

I suppose with a soft wood everything can be compressed and all is
well. But what about oak? That stuff is pretty damn hard.

Is there a reason why such jigs and drills are NOT made the whole
screw length?

Joe Barta