Do twisted galv nails suck or is it me?
I had some 3/4 plywood to nail down on an exterior deck and since it wasn’t a huge area, I decided to use nails vs. screws. I found some twisted galv 8d nails at HD, labelled “decking” and decided to give them a try.
Either I’ve lost all my nailing skill, or these nails are just bad, because I had a dickens of a time getting them into the wood. About every 10th nail would go in to within a half-inch and then bend over. Once bent, they would NOT go the rest of the way in (or come out) and I had to break them off. Dang, I hate that. Good thing the deck was getting painted.
The joists below were old fir 2×10, might have been a bit on the “hard” side, but it was weird that they would consistently go within a half inch of the goal and then just bend over.
Was it something I was doing or are these just horrible nails?
Replies
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Edited 10/27/2008 1:25 am by IMERC
IMERC wrote: # they're from home desperate...
# WTB the manufacture is from off shore
# they are junk...
# HD's products tend to sabotage your work.Yea, that's kinda what I was thinking....
u crak me up.
thank you....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Sorry should have given a little more info.
We were framing a 4 /12 pitch shed roof for a porch. Used 2x4 for the rafter iirc. 'Bout a 8 foot run.
Boss sent me up with them to nail the joist hangers on after toe nailing (w/gun 16 spirals) for good measure. I figured we would use hanger nails but he handed me the 8d galv spirals and I figured he wanted to use them because we were nailing into old clapboard siding (in good shape).
Inspectors somehow don't seem to visit our jobs very often. Only when he gets fined which is 25 dollars for not pulling a permit at least that is what he said.
Reading between the lines is required here. This is the pay with company check but no with holding no WC no SS, no insurance etc. guy.
Webby
Edited 10/27/2008 10:52 pm ET by webby
Edited 10/27/2008 11:18 pm ET by webby
Lately I have also had a heck of a time with buttoncap nails. I don't know if it was the osb or what but I did see some with a slight bend in the box.Webby
check country of origin....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Yeah, I will, I didn't think to look at the time. Proabably not domestic nor even a fine import.Webby
Maybe you never worked with old fir before.That #### is like iron.Much of the older framing up here is D fir and it's a bitsh.Many customers like me to re-use studs and such. Snaps heads off good screws, splinters when you air nail. Scarey stuff and tho' I like to recycle, I discourage reusing fir.
Regarding reusing fir:Many many years ago I went briefly to a community college in their 'builders' program, and part of the program was to build a house. Fine, you'd learn a lot. But the catch was it would be with as much recycled material as possible, and that included recycled studs. I dropped out before I got to that part, but talked later with someone who completed it, and asked him how it went. "Miserable" he said. "Those old studs were the worst!"
When they are made in China need to drill pilot holes!
I had similar results nailing with some spiral galvies. What reaalllyyy sucked is I was tasked with using them to attach joist hangers.Webby
Why twisted with joists hangers, never heard of this before, I have seen it but never heard anyone say they used them.
some see it as a hold better deal...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Probably, but I would bet the shear value is less. Do not recall any Simpson conversion for spirals but it may be there.For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
Hold which way? I believe that the purpose of the hanger, strap, clip is to support and this is why the shear strength is the important factor in hangers. I could see if you were using 12d spirial nails for framing, or 8d for sheating, these may require holding power. But hangers, I don't see the purpose other than to lessen the support of the hanger.
some tend to think in terms of fastener pull out rather than shear when comes to hanger type hardware....
and here you'd fail if yur using other than rated fasteners...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I won't even part HD doors..........
“Some people wonder all their lives if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem.” Reagan....
Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor. -Truman Capote
And won't even pass code in my area.
Maybe I shoulda read all the post 1st huh?
O well, still wont pass code.Russell
"Welcome to my world"
Edited 10/27/2008 9:01 pm ET by Huntdoctor
That's a good way to get your job flunked. My inspectors are really picky about using rated nails!AitchKay
And when they bend all the galvanizing flakes off...
The answer to the original question - without reading any of the posts - is YES, THEY SUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!
2nd the suck part
Glad to read all the replies. I didn't think I'd lost the ability to nail an 8d nail sraight. I should'a used the HD galv nails, a bit thicker, at the least, even if they came fro the same source.
Much of HD fasteners are junk.
Mike
Used to bitch about the Korean nail mills. Little did we know how good we had it.
I have seen 16d box HDG coming out of the carton with a delicate pre-bent arc on them. This usually becomes a right angle when I hit the nail.
The ToolBear
"You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert
I've used boxes of them over the years and they can be great nails - I keep 8d-10d-12d-16d-20d in stock -
sounds like substandard materials, as has been noted by several posters -
I hope we can keep our real yards - these big boxes sound just terrible -
Your ten percent failure rate is helping to pay our national debt off quicker.
sorry - maybe I missed it... are you talking about hand driven nails or shooters?
Hand driven.