removing finish nails before ripping

[Bay Area Dave]

use a small pin punch to push them all the way through.

dave

Mitch A wrote:

[Mitch A]

I have this piece of 3/4" ply that I nailed some trim into. Well due to a mistake I made during measuring the piece, I need to go back and rip the trim off and re-apply. How do I go about removing these finish nails before ripping the trim off. They are countersunk below the surface...

[sawdust]

Mitch, id use a small pry bar with a piece of scraw underneath to protect the ply from dents. pry up the trim about 1/4 to 1/2 inch, then push the trim back down. This should leave enough of the finishing nail exposed to pull out.

[SawEyes]

Yep nail punch them through to the other side. Or, rig up a massive super electric powered magnet, switch it on and hold your board up making sure your brain doesn't turn to jelly in the process :-)

-- Regards,

Dean Bielanowski Editor, Online Tool Reviews

50 woodworking product reviews online!

------------------------------------------------------------ Latest 6 Reviews:

- Infinity "Dadonator" Stacked Dado Set

- GMC LS950SPJ Scrolling Jigsaw

- Triton Powered Respirator

- Veritas Power Tool Guide

- Ryobi 6" Grinder/Stand Combo

- Band Saw Handbook

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

[David Merrill]

When the finishing nail points protrude out the backside of the wood I've had really good luck clamping a "Vise-Grip" (TM) pliers over the exposed shank and pulling the nail thru the backside using the right-angle claw of a smallish (1" x 8") pry bar. When clamping the toggle-joint pliers on the nail shank, leave about 1/8 inch space between the pliers jaws and the back surface of the wood to accept the claw of the pry bar. This method eliminates further damage to the finish face of the trim from occasional punch slips. Be CAREFUL that no nail points are in the path your hand will take should the pry bar or pliers slip. Works best if the trim with protruding nails is held down by your foot (again being careful of nail points) and supported by a solid surface such as the floor or top of a wide sawhorse.

David Merrill

[Luigi Zanasi]

On Mon, 3 May 2004 22:36:40 -0500, "sawdust" scribbled:

I would just pry the whole trim completely off (using the pry bar and scrap) and then remove the nails from the back side of the trim using pliers. I wouldn't push the trim back down or push the nails out through the face. Nail heads emerging through the face of the trim often chip off a pieced of wood, leaving you with an unsightly divot rather than just a little round hole.

Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address