I've often thought the tapered wood screw a terrible design based on a simple misunderstanding of how a wood screw works in pulling wooden or metal to wood things together. The tapered part, when drawn tight, adds little or no value to the pull. I get best results with a straight shaft screw with pilot hole the size of the shaft less threads in the "purchase" side, and a larger hole that the screw loosely slips in on the "pull" side.

Mike

Tolerance: the abolition of absolutes

Consistency is the currency of credibility