nail removal

bfullmer · Oct 1, 2014

trying to remove pole barn size spikes from some old railroad ties, tried to use a 4ft long crow bar and go slow but it still breaks the head off and I don't just want to pound them back in as I will be cutting them up for a building project, any other ideas ??

Dick2 · Oct 1, 2014

Saw some type of new nail puller on This Old HOuse but can't remember what it looked like. I remember that it worked a lot better than anything I ever used in the past.

Search the internet; Amazon might even have something.

Zachary Hoyt · Oct 1, 2014

There is a slide hammer type of tool sometimes called a yankee nail puller, I have no idea if they are still made new but I have a couple and they are handy. If the nails have ring shanks you won't be able to pull them out at all, in my experience.
Zach

bill mart · Oct 1, 2014

this might be too small but its cool
http://www.cordlessdrillnailpuller.com/

moresmoke · Oct 1, 2014

Have you tried giving them one hit in first? Sometimes it will break them free and then they will pull out.

1970-1655 · Oct 2, 2014

Pole barn nails in railroad ties? Are these the ring shank nails? How long are they? These are some of the hardest nails I have ever tried to pull. I usually just give up because I have never found anything that will consistently pull them.

When I built my pole barn I used lots of the 6" pole barn nails. I meant for it to stay up. When it gets taken down some day, it will be by someone other than me.

JimDRIl · Oct 2, 2014

I'd cut them off flush (angle grinder works great for this) and then make sure any cuts you are making are clear of any nails. Trying to pull them is a lesson in futility, in my experience.

Brad Buchanan · Oct 2, 2014

Perhaps you could cut the head off with an angle grinder and drive them out the other side with a large pin punch.

I have done that in the past with generally good success.

Brad

bison · Oct 2, 2014

I tore down an old loading chute the other day.
It was build with railroad ties and boards nailed down with 6" ring nails, about 30 nails to the tie and there were 26 ties.
I got pretty near all of them out without breaking the heads off with the crowbar with a piece of 2x4 under the claw for leverage, I just gave them a wack deeper in to break the hold

ss55 · Oct 2, 2014

Railroad ties are inexpensive, replace them or hand pick ties that are clean in the area you need to cut. Similar to working with wood with knots.

jeffcat · Oct 2, 2014

You know your stuff! Had to pull a buch of resin nails out of white oak. That piece of 2x4 makes everything go so smooth!

Ted in NE-OH · Oct 2, 2014

I use a pair of Visegrips clamped just below the head and use a crowbar to pull against the Visegrips

Dr. Walt · Oct 3, 2014

Forget pulling them, cut off any protruding nails & then use something like this -

14" 72 Teeth Dry Cut Carbide Tipped Circular Saw Blade ...
www.milwaukeetool.com/...
Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
This 14 in. 72 tooth blade is designed to cut a variety of ferrous materials including pipe, angle iron, metal studs and conduit.

That should cut through those nails like they weren't even there.

:>)

fixerupper · Oct 3, 2014

You want to pull a pole barn straight up. If it is sticking up a few inches put a 2x4 under the bar so the hook is straight out when you start pulling. Still no guarantee you won't break the head off but it's worth a try. Once you break it loose it will come fairly easy, IF you get it broke loose.

Dusty MI · Oct 4, 2014

I built a slide hammer nail puller.

Dusty

nail removal

bfullmer

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Dick2

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Zachary Hoyt

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bill mart

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moresmoke

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1970-1655

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JimDRIl

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Brad Buchanan

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bison

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ss55

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Ted in NE-OH

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Dr. Walt

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