Smitty Two wrote:
But a 1/8"
pilot is too small for a 1/4" screw. The pilot should be the diameter
of the shank. Hold the screw and the drill up to the light together,
with the drill in front of the screw. Only the threads of the screw
should be unobscured by the drill.

No, an 1/8" is actually too small for a 1/4" (size 14) screw:

http://www.engineershandbook.com/Tab...pilotholes.htm

Jon