"RicodJour" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Jul 7, 11:05 am, (Doug Miller) wrote:
In article , "Eigenvector"
wrote:
I was kind of wondering why the wood wouldn't swell around the nail,
making
it all but impossible to extract.

Because the wood swelling will make the holes *larger*, not smaller.

Why wouldn't the wood swell in all directions?

R


It will, and take a bit of compression set before it contracts.