timber salvage: digging out nail gun nails neatly?

**pianoman** · 19th February 2006, 10:41 PM

I was lucky enough to come across a custom made queensland maple custom made staircase, well quite lucky the owner had sawn it into 3 bits by the time I got there. Anyway I want to salvage the wood and use it, however it has been put together with a nail gun (i think) and has these nails driven into the wood below the surface
Attachment 19595

Sorry the picture is a bit blurred, the nails have very thin flat heads.

I have worked out a way to get them out of the non-crucial timber by chipping round them with a chisel and driving in a Japanese restorers catspaw in under the nail with a hammer (the cat didn't complain at all) and levering it out. However I would like to do as little damage to the treads as possible so as to be able to use as much as possible. I am more than happy to fill if necessary but would like to keep the holes as small as possible.

Also does anyone know if PVA glue can be dissolved with general purpose thinners, I can inject it ino joints if necessary, this would also make the dismantling much easier.
Here is a picture of the underside of the staircase to give you an idea of the general lay of the land

Attachment 19596

thanks

**bsrlee** · 19th February 2006, 11:16 PM

Go to the hardware store & get a packet of the stub drills that are sold to make holes in sheet metal for pop-rivets. If you don't already have one, get a centre punch too.

Centre punch the nail, then drill the head with the stub drill. The head should either fall off - if drilled accurately & the head is centered on the shaft - or it will fold up/collapse when you pull the wood apart.

This will give you the best finish on the outside, but you will ned a very sharp pair of pincers or vice grips to pull the stub out of the backing piece.

As for the glue problem - the only way to tell is to practice on a bit you have already pulled apart - some 'pva' type glues are very solvent resistant or are not really PVS at all.

**Lignum** · 20th February 2006, 12:14 AM

Pianoman

for getting old tricky nails out (this helps with old screws as well) put a fine tip on your soldering iron and heat the nail up causing the surounding timber to srink breaking the rusty bond that has biult up. When it has cooled down it will come out easier using the best pincer method you have found

**DPB** · 20th February 2006, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by Lignum

Pianoman

for getting old tricky nails out (this helps with old screws as well) put a fine tip on your soldering iron and heat the nail up causing the surounding timber to srink breaking the rusty bond that has biult up. When it has cooled down it will come out easier using the best pincer method you have found

Great tip and a new one to me!

**Robert34** · 21st February 2006, 01:44 AM

Originally Posted by Lignum

Pianoman

for getting old tricky nails out (this helps with old screws as well) put a fine tip on your soldering iron and heat the nail up causing the surounding timber to srink breaking the rusty bond that has biult up. When it has cooled down it will come out easier using the best pincer method you have found

Lignum, Pianoman
I use a small gas torch. When used with care it is heats the nail or screw very quickly. You can also use the gas torch on imbedded nails.

Robert34

**pianoman** · 22nd February 2006, 10:54 PM

Thanks everybody for your advice, it will all make my job a whole lot easier.

**Knurl** · 23rd February 2006, 05:52 AM

Be careful not to char the timber or it will have a nice black look. Practice first so you know how long to heat the nail without damaging the wood.

You'll know when you've overdone it when you see puffs of white smoke.

Your nose is your best guide.

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