Yesterday, while deconstructing a small fence for the pickets (12" tongue g roove redwood), I couldn't locate my cat's paw nail puller from 20 yrs back . Considering the guy that built the fence used 2 1/2" nails to fix the pic kets, I was looking forward to an easy job of taking the pickets for re use
- didn't work out that way! Haven't kept up with the stuff in years..... An y recommendations on a couple of useful nail pullers for mild to wild recyc ling? Thanks in advance, Pat
How about a hacksaw blade between the picket and rail? As far as nail pullers go, they're pretty low tech and haven't changed a lot in a long time. There are some fancy do dads but IME, they don't work as well as a cat's paw and a flat pry bar for leverage (between the picket and rail).
Once you get the nail out so it can be gripped, approx. 1/4 " Use a large pair of end nippers like the ones farriers use to clip horseshoe nails. Don't clip, just grip. A piece of "masonite" or such can protect the wood. Might take one or two grips. CP
On Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at 8:43:40 AM UTC-5, patrick wrote: Any recommendations on a couple of useful nail pullers for mild to wild re cycling?
Cresent nail puller
Buy a new one, if you buy at all. You can find them cheaper. Think I pa id $35 for mine, some 40 years ago. Be careful about Ebay offerings. The jaws of many of the (used) Ebay offerings are worn down, too much, to prop erly pull a nail.... and you can't sharpen the jaws, to "fix" the worn jaws . The cresent puller doesn't damage your wood as much as a cats paw, or t he like.
Sonny
$36 + free shipping "Usually ships within 1 to 2 months."
Or if you want it soonr, Lehmans claimes they have stock for about 20 bucks more.
Or you could get a Bahco--my Dad had one that was Navy surplus (not surplus store surplus--he was CO of a Navy salvage depot) that looked an awful lot like it but I don't recall the brand name on that one now.
A good olde-timey hardware store might likely have a Cresent, or 2, in stock. About 2 yrs ago, I saw one, in Opelousas, for about $40.
Sonny
for that job i would get a good flat bar with a thin but not too thin blade
get the flat bar between the fence board and the fence post or rail and pry a little
the idea is to get the nail head to lift away once you get some leeway pulling on the fence board can help as long as the nail is loose otherwise you leave a bigger hole
then you can grab the nail head with a claw hammer and wood block
seems to me you want to minimize damage as much as possible
good steel for cats paw or flat bar is required not too hard and not too soft
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