Where to get small spiral nails?

[mm]

Where do you think I can get small spiral nails, 1 3/4 inch long. Home Depot doesn't have small enough, and online, they all seem to want to sell a minimum of 12 pounds. 12 pounds would last me about

120 years. (well, longer because once I turn 90, I won't be using them very fast.) I'm going to try fence companies, but most fences I see don't use them.

I can't get new pickets ot match my fence, so I found a guy with a matching (but taller) fence and said I would buy 120 pickets for 10 cents a piece, instead of a dollar a piece 10 or 15 years ago.

His fence is assmembled with these spiral nails, which are thinner, less likely to scratch the wood, less obtrusive, and seem to hold better than the plain galvanized nails my fence was assembled with.

I don't want to use ring nails.

It's good for him because I take away everything, 4 or 5 8-foot sections so far. (He's rebuilding his fence which was leaning over. The pickets that got a lot of sunlight are in very good condition, except near the dirt, but I have to cut them shorter regardless.)

Thanks.

[Tony Hwang]

Hmm, If you don't have luck finding it, how about wood screws?

[Red Green]

mm wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I've seen older metal ridge vents nailed down with small spirals. Maybe that'll give you some direction on your search. Think they were aluminum.

Also, in Lowe's, where they sell metal flooring strips/transitions I've seen bags of them, small and larger qtys. Probably not be as long as you need though and not galvanized.

Only lb boxes I've seen at Lowes are 8d (2.5") and 16d. Not sure about Orange Borg.

Best bet is probably building supply/lumber yard.

[harry k]

Try a real lumber yard, not hte big box stores. Anytime I wanted something they didn't stock they were more than willing to dig out their catalogs and look for it. Worst case - "sorry,I can't find any".

Harry K

[fftt]

Try McMaster Carr

they have 1

why the thumbs down on ringshanks?

I'd suggest SS ring shank siding nails

they;re cheaper at mcmaster than the galv spiral nails you want

mcmaster catalog number 97860A310 $12.78 per Pack of 1 Lb.

5d 14ga .083" shank dia 5/32" head dia 1-3/4" long 350 qty/lb 97860A310 $12.78 per Pack of 1 Lb.

probably can find them cheaper $13/lb is a bit high

cheers Bob

[ransley]

Pickets dont fall out with regular nails, use screws its faster and you wont dent the fence with a hammer.

[EXT]

Go to Canada. Plain smooth shank nails are hard to locate here. Most nails that are sold are spiral shanks, known as Ardox nails. They have been the standard for decades. I have used them down to 1" finishing nails and up to

12" spikes. Easy to hammer in, harder to pull out but not as hard as ring shank.

[mm]

Very interesting. I wonder if Candadians go to the US when they need smooth shank nails.

I would love to go to Canada. Maybe this is the reason I've needed.

Yeah, I think that's why I don't want ring shank. The spiral nails were certainly easy to hammer out from the other side, once I had ripped the picket from the reail.

Thanks Bob. My broswer is broken for the next 4 hours but it sounds like you found them for em.

And, Harry and Red, the suggestiosn for lumber years were good too. I used to go to the lumber yard fairly often, but not for years for some reason.

Tony, screws would take too long. The current nails work well. I just think the spirals will be even better. Much longer than 1 3/4s and they will poke out the other side of the rail.

Stainless steel is probably no good because the heads will be noticeable, and that means I'll have to place the nails in a straight line or something. Galvanized have lasted for 30 years so far, and look like they will last another 30 or 60. It's the wood that falls apart.

Ransley, yes the regular nails don't fall out that much, but some do creep out a little bit. And they're so thick. I think if I used nails as small as the ones I saw, they *would* come out if they weren't spiral. And I'm good at hammering in the nail without denting the wood, and even if I dent it, I think it comes back to normal after a few months in weather and rain.

[fftt]

mm-

If you opt for galv ....make sure they're heavy hot dipped not merely electroplated.

The SS siding nails I recommend have slightly waffled heads.....that breaks up the reflectiving of the head the heads are small as well.

Here's a link (they've been acquired by Simpson Strong Tie....the MicroSoft of the constructioin industry)

they even have prepainted ones

cheers Bob