Another thing to remember is that because cut nails are wedges, they can split your work, so except in the most coarse work, you should drill a pilot hole for the nail.

Even when used properly, cut nails can split your work when they are used too close to the end of a board.

	Cut nails should be used so the wedged edges bite into end grain, not face grain. The parallel faces of a cut nail should be parallel to the face grain.

The diameter of the pilot hole varies depending on the species of wood, the taper of the nail and the location of the fastener. When using furniture-scale fine-finish nails,
I'll use a 3/32" pilot hole in a test
joint and see how the nail drives
and holds. Then I'll adjust from there.

The other thing to remember about the nail's wedge shape is that the tapered edges should always bite into end grain instead of face grain. This reduces splitting. And finally,
you should be cautious at corners. Even if you drill a pilot hole and
orient the nail properly, it can split
the end of your work. When nailing 3/4" stock, try to keep the nail at least 1/2" in from the end.

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