[TheForge] RE: nails

[Bob Ehrenberger]

John,

Sometimes even if the header is made right the nail will stick if you hammer
it too cold. It needs to  be pretty hot when you finish it so that it
contracts when cooled.  My header works good most of the time but sometimes
if I futz around too long getting it tapered and cut it needs to be reheated
before heading, if I go ahead and head it when it is bairlly showing color
it will stick.

Try getting the nail ready to break off and then reheating it before
heading. When Tom Clark demoed making headers he stressed that you should
sand the inside of the hole to make sure there aren't any burrs to catch the
nail. Rip your sand paper into thin strips or use a needle file.

Bob Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Chobrda" <jchob@earthlink.net>
To: "The forge" <theforge@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, November 09, 2002 4:25 PM
Subject: [TheForge] nails


>     OK, spent most of today trying to make a nail header an nails. I
> have been to many demos where a nail is forged, cut off of the rod, put
> in the header, headed, the header turned over and the nail FALLS out.
> Every nail I made today had to be hammered out, any ideas.
>
> Thanks in advance
> John C. in NJ
>