As everyone else indicated the real answer is a pocket screw using a
pocket hole jig of some sort. The other option if you have a drill
press is to build a cradle to hold the rails at the right angle.

BTW, pocket holes are not at 45 degrees but more along the lines of 15
degrees so the the strength direction of the screw is more closely
aligned to the axis of the part (rail). So I think you could\should go
go for a more shallow angle.


On Jul 31, 5:32 am, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:
I'm making a simple little low table/bench for my deck, and I'm trying to
toe screw the 2x4 side rails to very heavy 4x4 legs (just leftover cedar
from my deck....I wanted a "heavy" look). I'm toe screwing from the inside
to hopefully hide the screws entirely.

To position and countersink the screws I've been (starting with a wide bit)
drilling at 90 degrees for a quick 1/4" depth to give me a place to hold the
bit, and then redrilling that hole at 45 degrees for another quick 1/4" to
make a 45 degree hole ready for the smaller bore drilling and then the
screw.

It always seems that this is a harsh way to treat the wood....no matter how
careful I am, the bit at 45 degrees likes to much up the grain. Now this is
hidden anyway, but...is there another way to "seat" a 45 degree toe screw?

Jeepers I hope I explained this well enough.