Anyone Here Use One Of These? Nail Extractor

[J T]

I just saw and ad, never heard of one before. I've been looking for something that'll do what they claim this will do. But at $25 US a pop, it's a bit pricey for me to jus buy one for experimenting with. So, if anyone here has used one of these I'd like to hear their thoughts on it. Even then, if most people claim it works may just wind up welding an arc on one side of a vise-grip jaw, that would probably work close enough for what I want, and cost me less then $10, max.

JOAT What is life without challenge and a constant stream of new humiliations?

- Peter Egan

[Steve]

[e-mail] (J T) wrote on 22 May 2007 in group rec.woodworking:

If you turn your slip-joint pliers around, you'll find that the profile on the outside of the jaws almost exactly matches the nice arc on that tool.

The only downside is that the slip-joint pliers will bend the nail some before they start pulling, so hard nails sometimes break off. I also get a little marking in the wood, avoided by putting a putty knife underneath. I bet the purpose-built tool does that too, though.

[J T]

Wed, May 23, 2007, 2:59am (EDT+4) [e-mail] (Steve) sayeth: If you turn your slip-joint pliers around, you'll find that the profile on the outside of the jaws almost exactly matches the nice arc on that tool. The only downside is that the slip-joint pliers will bend the nail some before they start pulling, so hard nails sometimes break off. I also get a little marking in the wood, avoided by putting a putty knife underneath. I bet the purpose-built tool does that too, though.

Yeah, but ff I use my antique version of this,

or a hammer, or flat nail puller, I won't need to mess around with slip-joint pliers - which don't work for anything but small nails or brads anyway.

At times s hail head pulls off. Sometimes you can jam a claw hammer on and pull it, sometimes not. This thing looks like it might be able to get a good grip, keep it, and pull a headless nail. According to their hype it should anyway. So, again, I want to hear from anyone here that's tried one, and what they think of it. What I'd really like is soee sort of nail puller that will pull a pallet nail straight out, without breaking it, regardless if the nail head stays on, or not. Hmm, even as I type this, details of a Rube Goldbergish hydraulic pallet nail puller appear in my mind. Hmm, I've got some scrap metal, now if I can just talk whichever kid has te welder to bring it home for awhile, I'll pickup a small bottle jack and start. I've already got some yellow paint too.

JOAT What is life without challenge and a constant stream of new humiliations?

- Peter Egan

[Gerald Ross]

My brother has one. When he needs it it is out in the truck toolbox. It works, but not for pallet nails. Those nails are welded in the wood.

[Markem]

Generally I grab a pair of channel locks.

Mark (sixoneeight) = 618

[spaco]

I have used regular nail pullers for years, like this one:

Note that the ad for the one you are asking about says ---for EXPOSED nails. That's the problem, as I see it. Nails usually are NOT exposed, including most of the nails I have ever seen in a pallet.

You will be MILES ahead to buy the one like in the link above. Yes, they will bend the nail some, but the fulcrum is farther away from the claw than the one in your ad, so you will be less likely to break a nail. If breaking nails becomes a problem, add blocking under the fulcrum point as you extract the nail. Most good hardware stores have these.

Pete Stanaitis

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J T wrote:

[RicodJour]

[EXT]

Got one, it works great, especially when reclaiming mouldings. It really pays for itself in removing nails from the back of mouldings so that the pricey moulding is undamaged. Prior to this I used ViceGrips to pull the nails but I would have to clamp onto each nail then insert a piece of metal under the grips to lever the nails out -- very clumsy -- then you had to unclamp the grips to release the nail. My old hands would complain about the workout, so I tried the new item.

[GROVER]

There exists an older version of the Jefferson extracting pliers. It is manufactured by Crescent (part of the Cooper Group). It is Crescent catalog number 56 and called Sure Grip. Its got a pair of jaws to grip the nail, a slide hammer and a curved lever. The slide hammer serves to set the jaws below the surface of the wood. Its long enough to pull out even stubborn customers.It seems to still be available and is shown on Crescent's web site. Joe G

[Larry W]

--------------------------------

It looks like a nice design, if the materail quality is adequate. However, for about $10-12 you can get a large pair (16 or 18 inch?) of end nippers from HFT. I have one and it rarely fails to pull or break a nail. In fact, the 10" end nipper, about $6, that I keep in my tote bag rarely fails, either.

[norman]

I've been using one of these for years.

than your example, but very efficient. It's got a sort of hammer action and a "beak" so it'll grip nails just at or below the surface. Ideal for pallets or reclaimed timber etc.

cheers Jacob

[J T]

Wed, May 23, 2007, 7:16am [e-mail] (Gerald=A0Ross) sayeth: but not for pallet nails. Those nails are welded in the wood.

The person that invents somethhing that will successfuly pull pallet nails, totally and without breaking them, will make a fortune.

JOAT What is life without challenge and a constant stream of new humiliations?

- Peter Egan

[J T]

Wed, May 23, 2007, 10:13am (EDT-1) [e-mail] (Markem) sayeth: Generally I grab a pair of channel locks.

Besides never having much success pulling nails with channel locks, now it would hurt my hands too much to even try.

JOAT What is life without challenge and a constant stream of new humiliations?

- Peter Egan

[J T]

Wed, May 23, 2007, 10:33am (EDT-1) [e-mail] (spaco) sayeth: I have used regular nail pullers for years, like this one:

Dunno what you get when you use that link, but I get the Grosse Pointe Public Library.

JOAT What is life without challenge and a constant stream of new humiliations?

- Peter Egan

[J T]

Wed, May 23, 2007, 9:30am (EDT-3) [e-mail] (RicodJour) did posteth thusly:

Neat. Lend me $90 so I can buy it.

JOAT What is life without challenge and a constant stream of new humiliations?

- Peter Egan

[J T]

Wed, May 23, 2007, 12:31pm [e-mail] (EXT) doth sayeth: Got one, it works great, especially when reclaiming mouldings. It really pays for itself in removing nails from the back of mouldings so that the pricey moulding is undamaged. Prior to this I used ViceGrips to pull the nails but I would have to clamp onto each nail then insert a piece of metal under the grips to lever the nails out -- very clumsy -- then you had to unclamp the grips to release the nail. My old hands would complain about the workout, so I tried the new item.

Hah! Just the type of info I was after. I would like to fondle one first, but now am seriously pondering getting one, just need to find the best price. Thanks.

I know just what you mean about the hands.

JOAT What is life without challenge and a constant stream of new humiliations?

- Peter Egan

[J T]

Wed, May 23, 2007, 9:46am (EDT-3) [e-mail] (GROVER) doth sayeth: There exists an older version of the Jefferson extracting pliers. It is manufactured by Crescent (part of the Cooper Group). It is Crescent catalog number 56 and called Sure Grip. Its got a pair of jaws to grip the nail, a slide hammer and a curved lever. The slide hammer serves to set the jaws below the surface of the wood. Its long enough to pull out even stubborn customers.It seems to still be available and is shown on Crescent's web site.

Heh heh. Got it covered. I've got that tool. Except mine's probably around 80 or more years old. Don't recall who made it (it's out in the shop), but it did cost me quite a bit less, postage included, and works aw well, or possibly better than a new one - mine's probably higher quality and heavier.

JOAT What is life without challenge and a constant stream of new humiliations?

- Peter Egan

[J T]

Wed, May 23, 2007, 7:39pm (EDT+4) [e-mail] (Larry=A0W) doth sayeth: It looks like a nice design, if the materail quality is adequate. However, for about $10-12 you can get a large pair (16 or 18 inch?) of end nippers from HFT. I have one and it rarely fails to pull or break a nail. In fact, the 10" end nipper, about $6, that I keep in my tote bag rarely fails, either.

I don't need to buy anything to break nails, I can manage that part on my own. Too hard on my hands anymore, usng something like nippers.

JOAT What is life without challenge and a constant stream of new humiliations?

- Peter Egan

[J T]

Wed, May 23, 2007, 2:56pm (EDT-3) [e-mail] (norman) doth sayeth: I've been using one of these for years.

than your example, but very efficient. It's got a sort of hammer action and a "beak" so it'll grip nails just at or below the surface. Ideal for pallets or reclaimed timber etc.

Yep, a modern version of the antique model I already mentioned. I don't find it so expecially "idal" for pallets tho. I tend to break about every pallet nail with it.

JOAT What is life without challenge and a constant stream of new humiliations?

- Peter Egan

[scouter3]

Pricier than your example, but very efficient. It's got a sort of hammer

Hi JT,

You've probably heard of this method but I will share it anyway in case onyone else hasn't tried it.

I've given up on trying to pull pallet nails.

If there is a piece of wood on a pallet that I particularly covet, I just center punch the heads of the nails and drill them. The head pops off like a washer and I pry the board up off the nails.

The remaining stretchers on the pallet with all of the now headless nails get cut up and help to heat my shop. A magnet through the ashes retrieves the nails which go into the metal recycling bucket.

I am remembering a pallet that came into the shop one day from our plant in the Philippines, with a bunch of pumps for testing. I asked the boss if I could have the pallet and he said sure.

It was all Mahogany...

For stubborn nails I use an old pair of long (about 18") end nippers to pry it out. I don't squeeze enough to break or cut the nail. I also have an antique nail puller like yours and a cool little tool that my daughter bought me years ago called a tweaker. There never seems to be enough tools in my shop for this sort of thing. I guess I'll have to go find this new nail puller and get a look at it...