On 2/15/2013 5:47 PM, Gramp's shop wrote:
I'm affixing the face frame for the buffet to the leg/side assembly. The legs are 1 1/2 hard maple. The face frame is 3/4 hard maple, in which I drilled 3/8 deep 1/2 inch hole to accommodate the screw and a plug. Drilled a pilot hole to depth.

I used 1 1/2 inch number 8 McFeeley coarse thread square drive screws. Four of the six screws snapped after I removed the clamps.

My guess is that I had too much torque on the driver. I'm going to redrill and use number 10 screws.

Any other thoughts?
f
Larry

Your problem may be coarse thread.
Did you wax the screws? I always was using a candle in hardwoods.
Did you drill the pilot the same size as the shank, in maple this is a
must, most other hard woods too, not softwoods.

--
Jeff