Thread: Woodworking 60 years ago

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Cheers,
Joe

Thanks Joe, time cetainly went slower back then and how come wood didn't split when nailing it close to an end

Originally Posted by springwater

Thanks Joe, time certainly went slower back then and how come wood didn't split when nailing it close to an end

I tried to watch this to see when he was nailing close to the end of the timber, but didn't get there.

Here's one possibility.

Blunt the ends of the nail first, so that they mash through the wood fibres instead of parting them, sw.

The way I teach my students is to hold the nail upside down (jolt heads or pins) on to the job, with the head of the nail exactly in position. Tap the nail point with a hammer until the head is sunk the correct depth. Turn the nail over and drive it in. Only an occasional split when nailing near an end, as the nail mashes its way through the fibres, and the head doesn't try to separate the wood fibres further when it enters the wood.

Cheers,

eddie

Originally Posted by springwater

... how come wood didn't split when nailing it close to an end

the person is possibly using cut nails which are "square" and have two possible orientations, one which wedges the timber and causes a split while the other cuts the fibres

After watching it and listening to him, he was using boxing nails and not the regular 2 inch nails he also talked about, the boxing nails are a smaller diameter nail, he also staggered his nailing and when you watch it in his process he seldom nails into an uncaptive / unsecured (rebated) bit of timber.

I was blown away by the builders square use to get the complex double angles in the spine to splay the legs, the guy made it look so easy, and it is if you know how. I rekon that piece of history should still be used to show young apprentices that practice, lord knows some i've seen need the help.

Another tip for nails if older or for slight surface rusting or predrilling hole is tight or even if none of the above keep a cake of soap an wipe the nail along its length both sides before nailing it, what soap isnt used in the lubrication just wipes away w/o staining the timber.