Hi,

I was told many years ago about a tool for removing nails (not a claw
hammer).

Apparently you drove a shaft with a grasping end down over the nail; it
gripped the nail and you could then haul it out.

This avoided the problem with claw hammers, pincers etc. where you had to
get the head of the nail exposed before you could get something under it to
lever it out.

Anyone know of such a tool?

I have always hankered after one but never seen one.

Cheers
Dave R

--

David W.E. Roberts submitted this idea :
Hi,

I was told many years ago about a tool for removing nails (not a claw
hammer).

Apparently you drove a shaft with a grasping end down over the nail; it
gripped the nail and you could then haul it out.

As I recall they were made from three lumps of metal....

The main body with one half of the princer jaws. A slide hammer - which
slide in the main body to allow you to hammer the jaws into the wood.
The other half of the jaw, which pivoted again the other one on the
main body, which had an arm to allow you to close the jaws/acted as a
lever to prise the nail out.

Any company which has to open lots of heavy wooden packing cases will
them.

--

Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

David W.E. Roberts wrote:
I was told many years ago about a tool for removing nails (not a claw
hammer).

Apparently you drove a shaft with a grasping end down over the nail; it
gripped the nail and you could then haul it out.

It's called a "nail puller".


This avoided the problem with claw hammers, pincers etc. where you had to
get the head of the nail exposed before you could get something under it to
lever it out.

You will still damage the surface of the timber - the jaws of the puller
need to be driven in.


Anyone know of such a tool?

I have always hankered after one but never seen one.

Just Google (TM). They're the sort of thing that are *occasionally*
*very* useful.

On Tue, 18 Oct 2005 22:31:10 +0100, David W.E. Roberts
wrote:

I was told many years ago about a tool for removing nails (not a claw
hammer).

A claw hammer is quite good for removing nails. Select the appropriate
finger and put it against a firm surface. Hit it firmly with the claw
hammer. Club hammers are naturally more effective and if you have a helper
a large sledge hammer is even better. ;-)

John Schmitt

--
Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

John Schmitt wrote:
On Tue, 18 Oct 2005 22:31:10 +0100, David W.E. Roberts
wrote:

I was told many years ago about a tool for removing nails (not a claw
hammer).

A claw hammer is quite good for removing nails. Select the appropriate
finger and put it against a firm surface. Hit it firmly with the claw
hammer. Club hammers are naturally more effective and if you have a
helper a large sledge hammer is even better. ;-)

Cheers, John - I was just about to have some lunch. shudder

Dave

In article , John49
@mdx.ac.uk says...
On Tue, 18 Oct 2005 22:31:10 +0100, David W.E. Roberts
wrote:

I was told many years ago about a tool for removing nails (not a claw
hammer).

A claw hammer is quite good for removing nails. Select the appropriate
finger and put it against a firm surface. Hit it firmly with the claw
hammer. Club hammers are naturally more effective and if you have a helper
a large sledge hammer is even better. ;-)

I found the drive gear on a cement mixer to be very effective for this
purpose :-0

I've got one of these http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=7563
known as a parrot beak nail puller. It does remove nails but not
neatly. Easier and neater to pull up floorboards and then remove nails
from board or joist so I don't use it much. In fact it's useless. There
may be certain situations where it is a good tool to have but I can't
think where.
On the other hand the japanese nail puller from Axminster tools is
really handy but small, more of a tack lifter really.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.a...FLXDI9R49Q2UTH

In article ,
says...
David W.E. Roberts wrote:
I was told many years ago about a tool for removing nails (not a claw
hammer).

It's called a "nail puller".

Would this be any use for removing six inch nails from massive ancient
old timbers? The nails stick out three inches so there is no difficulty
getting a purchase on them, but I don't want to go the lever with a
block-of-wood-and-claw-hammer route cos that is a sideways pull which
may damage the timber. I want something that will pull the nail out
straight

Anna

--
~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
|____| www.kettlenet.co.uk 01359 230642

Anna Kettle wrote:
In article ,
says...
David W.E. Roberts wrote:
I was told many years ago about a tool for removing nails (not a claw
hammer).

It's called a "nail puller".

Would this be any use for removing six inch nails from massive ancient
old timbers? The nails stick out three inches so there is no difficulty
getting a purchase on them, but I don't want to go the lever with a
block-of-wood-and-claw-hammer route cos that is a sideways pull which
may damage the timber. I want something that will pull the nail out
straight

Take thick bit of wood, long enough.
Drill hole through it to allow nail to go through.
Put claw hammer on nail head to stop it pulling back through hole.
Shim end of timber so it's parallel.
Use lever to raise the other end away from the timber.
This gives you a much longer lever, and you can pull it straight out,
replacing the shims as you go.

Anna Kettle wrote:
In article ,
says...
David W.E. Roberts wrote:
I was told many years ago about a tool for removing nails (not a claw
hammer).

It's called a "nail puller".


Would this be any use for removing six inch nails from massive ancient
old timbers? The nails stick out three inches so there is no difficulty
getting a purchase on them, but I don't want to go the lever with a
block-of-wood-and-claw-hammer route cos that is a sideways pull which
may damage the timber. I want something that will pull the nail out
straight

Anna


Sounds like you need a powerful electromaggot.

I've found iron bars etc work well for that sort of situ, so long as
you only move the nail a very little bit at a time, so the puller angle
doesnt change noticeably, and start with it padded so its straight.
This way a curved movment can imitate a straight up only movement, and
damage is avoided.

However if the nails rusty, damage is still very possible, and clamping
a metal ring against the wood around the nail will reduce the chance of
the wood pulling up.


NT

Ian Stirling wrote:
Anna Kettle wrote:
chrispbacon says...
David W.E. Roberts wrote:
I was told many years ago about a tool for removing nails (not a claw
hammer).

It's called a "nail puller".

Would this be any use for removing six inch nails from massive ancient
old timbers? The nails stick out three inches so there is no difficulty
getting a purchase on them, but I don't want to go the lever with a
block-of-wood-and-claw-hammer route cos that is a sideways pull which
may damage the timber. I want something that will pull the nail out
straight

Take thick bit of wood, long enough.
Drill hole through it to allow nail to go through.
Put claw hammer on nail head to stop it pulling back through hole.

What are the nails actually in? What's the timber? If they're
well rusted in to old oak, I should say there's little chance
of getting them out at all with no damage to the timber. It
might help to give them a good whack before trying to get
them out, or heat them up...

Anna Kettle wrote:
In article ,
says...
David W.E. Roberts wrote:
I was told many years ago about a tool for removing nails (not a claw
hammer).

It's called a "nail puller".

Would this be any use for removing six inch nails from massive ancient
old timbers? The nails stick out three inches so there is no difficulty
getting a purchase on them, but I don't want to go the lever with a
block-of-wood-and-claw-hammer route cos that is a sideways pull which
may damage the timber. I want something that will pull the nail out
straight

Anna

If it is oak or has been wet and the nails have been there for some
time then nothing will remove them as they will be rusted in and
probably fragile. You'd have to dig them out - cut them off short so
there is still something to hold on to and drill around them until you
can pull them out with a mole grip .
Otherwise Ian's solution looks a goer.

cheers

Jacob

In article . com,
says...

If it is oak or has been wet and the nails have been there for some
time then nothing will remove them as they will be rusted in and
probably fragile. You'd have to dig them out - cut them off short so
there is still something to hold on to and drill around them until you
can pull them out with a mole grip .
Otherwise Ian's solution looks a goer.

Its elm and has not been wet and the nails have been there since 1976.
They are still pretty solid at least the sticking out bit is. I will try
Ian's solution

Anna

--
~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
|____| www.kettlenet.co.uk 01359 230642

"John Weston" wrote in message
. ..
David W.E. Roberts, in article 3rl7suFjljs3U1
@individual.net, says...
Hi,

I was told many years ago about a tool for removing nails (not a claw
hammer).

Apparently you drove a shaft with a grasping end down over the nail; it
gripped the nail and you could then haul it out.

This avoided the problem with claw hammers, pincers etc. where you had to
get the head of the nail exposed before you could get something under it
to
lever it out.

Anyone know of such a tool?

I have always hankered after one but never seen one.

Cheers
Dave R


You mean like this:

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=7563

Probably available elsewhere also. Can't remember where I
got mine from but it dismantled a fence allowing recovery
of the posts - but beware of the dings needed to get
under the nail head. It's the only thing able to remove
rusty nails when the head is gone since it can be made to
grip into the shaft


Thanks - the price made me gulp a bit, though, especially as it was the
cheaper of the two on offer!

This looks like the thing that was described to me.

I am looking for a way to pull nails out of asbestos ceiling board with
minimum disturbance to the board - this looks like a possible option.

The saving over having a professional firm in should certainly fund one of
these - probably also pay to have it gold plated with diamond detailing.

Cheers

Dave R

"John Weston" wrote in message
. ..
David W.E. Roberts, in article 3rqbq5Fl07blU1
@individual.net, says...


I am looking for a way to pull nails out of asbestos ceiling board
with
minimum disturbance to the board - this looks like a possible
option.


First there will be the damage as you try to get the
claws under the nail head, using the sliding hammer
action on the shaft of the tool. Once you have hammered
it enough to grip the nail, you have to lever the tool
sideways the same as with a claw hammer to extract the
nail. Hence, to avoid further damage you would need to
have a pad under the side lever arm. If you try to pull
the nail straight out, then the claw will probably
release. It's the levering action that makes the claw
bite into the mail shaft under the head.

If it real asbestos then you could need protection so
find out what the rules are for working with and disposal
for the type you have.

The saving over having a professional firm in should certainly fund
one of
these - probably also pay to have it gold plated with diamond
detailing.

That's how I fund my tools :-)

--
John

Least damage method is probably to punch the nails through the sheet
and fully home into the joist.

I have one of those nail removers, and although they are good for
floorboards and packing crates, as has been previously said the foot
is akin to the claw of a hammer and will crush the material.

AWEM

"Andrew Mawson" wrote in message
...

"John Weston" wrote in message
. ..
David W.E. Roberts, in article 3rqbq5Fl07blU1
@individual.net, says...


I am looking for a way to pull nails out of asbestos ceiling board
with
minimum disturbance to the board - this looks like a possible
option.


First there will be the damage as you try to get the
claws under the nail head, using the sliding hammer
action on the shaft of the tool. Once you have hammered
it enough to grip the nail, you have to lever the tool
sideways the same as with a claw hammer to extract the
nail. Hence, to avoid further damage you would need to
have a pad under the side lever arm. If you try to pull
the nail straight out, then the claw will probably
release. It's the levering action that makes the claw
bite into the mail shaft under the head.

If it real asbestos then you could need protection so
find out what the rules are for working with and disposal
for the type you have.

The saving over having a professional firm in should certainly fund
one of
these - probably also pay to have it gold plated with diamond
detailing.

That's how I fund my tools :-)

--
John

Least damage method is probably to punch the nails through the sheet
and fully home into the joist.

I have one of those nail removers, and although they are good for
floorboards and packing crates, as has been previously said the foot
is akin to the claw of a hammer and will crush the material.

AWEM


Agree; 'Nail Puller'. Brutal device for pulling flush or countersunk nails
from lumber. Levering action probably more damaging than a claw hammer?
Have used for deconstructing large packing cases or removing an obstinate
nail in timber house construction. NOT recommended for furniture or delicate
work!!!!!!