A nail puller is almost always present in our construction equipment, and it is rarely purchased as a separate tool; it is much more convenient when it is included with its permanent partners - a hammer or a crowbar.
Design and purpose of a nail puller
There is no person who can perfectly drive nails into any surface without making a single mistake. The percentage of errors made, of course, depends on the experience of the worker, but never drops to zero. Therefore, you can’t do without a nail puller on a construction site. In addition, quite often it is required not during the construction process, but to carry out the destruction of, for example, a wooden building. Many people burn the remains of a rotten building and use the ash, but it will ruin all the properties, so they are removed first.
It is not always easy to remove a nail with small pliers, especially if the material is quite strong and the nail is long. This is where school physics and the law of leverage come to the rescue. Even the most stubborn nail can be reached without special effort, if you have a long lever with a strong grip at the end. From here it is easy to guess about the design of the nail puller, which is quite simple. A correctly pointed end of the gripper will help pry up even the most deeply driven nail.
In general, our tool looks something like this: a long handle, at the end of which there is a bend, ending in a flattened forked tip with a slot. The length of the tool depends on the severity of the tasks that it can perform; this is the same length of the lever, which is directly related to the effort expended to pull out the nail. The pointed end easily fits under the nail head, which may not even protrude above the surface of the material. The slot firmly grips the head, and the bend as a stop allows you to smoothly move the center of gravity of the tool slightly back so that the pointed end rises, dragging the nail along with it.
Thus, without unnecessary sudden movements and enormous efforts, you will get any unsuccessful or unwanted fasteners. We have already said that most often we can find a nail puller as an additional head on a hammer. For most household work, this is quite sufficient and convenient; it can be removed immediately at the moment of hammering a nail. The hammer handle is long enough for leverage. But for more serious work, loaders and carpenters always have individual tools, made from high-strength materials. A nail puller is often used for more than just pulling nails, especially if it is highly durable.
Titanium nail puller – how to buy a good tool?
Looking at the design, it seems that choosing such a tool is as easy as pie. But if you are an experienced master, then you will be very demanding in your approach to the matter. In addition, the range of seemingly monotonous devices is quite wide. For example, just by length you can expect to find a purchase from 32 cm to 1 m, weight can reach up to 4 kg, although the lightest options will only pull 0.5 kg. The material used for manufacturing also differs; most often, it is high-carbon steel, but titanium nail puller is considered the leader in strength.
When choosing a tool, it is still important to look at some parameters. First, immediately pay attention to the tip. It should be fairly flat, sharp and durable. Sometimes from durable material They make only the tip, and everything else is made of cheaper metal, or even wood. It happens that the tip is protected by coatings, paint or anti-corrosion. Yes, over time it will wear off on numerous nail heads, but this will still extend the service life, preventing rusting and disintegration at least at first.
Next, choose the length and weight. If you are in the mood for a large amount of work, for example, windows, dismantling large-sized furniture and similar operations, then do not hesitate to take a nail puller about 1 m long. If your plans are limited to dismantling boxes, repairing benches and other little things, then the 30-40 cm option is quite suitable.
And the weight you should choose is light, although it is responsible for the effort made. That is, the greater the weight of the tool, the less effort you will need to make to get the nail. But do not forget that you personally have to carry and deftly operate a heavy tool, which means that the chance of getting tired quickly is quite high. So you have to choose best option to ensure that the work requires moderate effort and that the tool itself is efficient without being heavy. A weight of 1 kg is considered just right according to these criteria.
Choosing a tool involves evaluating the material, quality of the tip, as well as the length of the lever and the weight of the entire device.
Creating a homemade version
For those who are especially skilled, we offer a way to independently make a set of the most commonly used types of nail pullers.
How to make a nail puller with your own hands - step by step diagram
Step 1: Preparing the nozzle
For this you will need steel wires different diameters, for the smallest nails 0.5 mm is enough, but for heavy work you can even take reinforcement. The tip should be treated first. To do this, flatten the end with a hammer on an anvil (for reinforcement, you should not flatten it, you just have to cut the material to the desired sharpness, you can do it on an emery wheel). Next, use a regular hacksaw to cut a slot of moderate depth. Too long will force us to drive the nail deep into it, and this is not at all necessary, extra work.
Step 2: Processing the nozzle
Now you should take a file and process the edges to remove irregularities, nicks and other defects that inevitably form when working with metal. Next we have to bend this nozzle, try to do this in two steps. First, the thick part of the wire, which is located before the transition to the flattened one, is slightly bent. And after it, the part that is closer to the area where the work will be carried out also bends.
Many also manage to harden such a workpiece, if you have such an opportunity, and you are sure that the wire material allows you to do this, do not ignore this idea. Now go over the entire tip with a file and sandpaper, and then with polishing paste, it’s almost ready, so let’s polish it. Thus, the entire set of tips is made according to your taste and whim, if you want to have a nail puller for almost every head size.
Step 3: Use
Now all that remains is to fit the resulting tip onto the handle, if there is one. But don’t despair, if you can’t find a reliable handle, you can attach it to an existing tool, for example, a hammer. You can increase the leverage value by placing a block under the tool after the nail head is in the slot. Of course, the work will not be immediate, but you will achieve the effect. Since there is no huge lever, sometimes it will be difficult to get the nail out completely, but once you get it halfway out, it’s easy to finish the job even with pliers; a minimum of effort will be required.
ABOUT metal processing is carried out not only in factories: when repairing cars, home mechanization, equipment and equipment, not to mention construction work oh, you have to drill, forge, sharpen and cut.
Of course, if you need a complex part made from special steels, it is better to order it from a specialized workshop - http://zelmatik.ru/, where metalworking is carried out using powerful presses and precision machines. But what if right now you need a simple iron part or device? It even costs a pittance, but by the time you find it, the day will pass! This is where knowing how to work with metal will help.
You can make the desired product from waste scrap metal with a minimum of tools, literally “on your knees.” Let's see how to do this and what is needed for this.
What will we work on?
Tools that have already become familiar in household:
- powerful;
- welding machine;
- electric sharpener.
Let's add an anvil, cutting torch(included) and a powerful vice.
All this can be borrowed, or better yet, purchased. On the farm, such universal devices will come in handy more than once.
An anvil can be made from a regular rail. We use a grinder to form a point on one side of the cut rail, then use a drill to drill holes for fastening and a working hole, what is it for, you will see further.
A die and/or a set of dies with a holder for M10 ÷ 18 threads will significantly expand your capabilities.
You can’t do without hand tools:
- hammer and small sledgehammer “fist”;
- pliers;
- metal scissors;
- pliers (you can use regular carpenter's pliers).
We process metal, hardening
Before we find out what can be done on the farm using the simple set described above, let’s understand some of the properties of the metal.
Various rolled products, fittings, parts from mechanisms, that is, almost any steel accessible to the average person, becomes pliable and ductile when heated strongly. It can be flattened, bent and twisted in any way you like.
However, after the metal has cooled, it often becomes more ductile than it was before, but less hard and durable. This is especially noticeable when you work with springy steels, for example, a car spring.
The reason is the slow cooling of the workpiece during operation, during which the so-called “tempering” occurs. To restore the metal's hardness and strength again, it must be hardened, i.e. reheat and cool quickly.
A pry bar or pliers are usually used to “uproot” nails from boards and pieces of wood. However, these are not the only tools that can be used in this case. For example, you can make a device with your own hands from a half-inch pipe and pieces of an old file, which will cope with the task much faster.
Main stages of work
To make this homemade product you will need a piece of half-inch steel pipe, the edge of which (about 60–70 mm) needs to be slightly flattened with a heavy hammer or sledgehammer so that it becomes flat. Then we proceed to assembling the second part of the homemade product.
To do this, you will need a piece of an old Soviet file (without the tail), the edge of which must be ground off at a slight angle. Using a grinder, cut out a rectangular piece. In the flattened part of a half-inch pipe at a distance of 30–35 mm from the edge, we drill one through hole with a diameter of 10 mm.
The next step is from the steel plate using an angle grinding machine cut out two identical parts suitable shape. They need to be filed to remove burrs and sanded. We drill holes with a diameter of 10 mm in the plates.
Fixture assembly process
We weld a “tongue” cut from a file to the flattened part of the handle at a right angle. Then two plates are attached to the half-inch pipe using a bolt and M10 nut. Next, a blade is welded on one side of the plates, cut from a file with a grinder, which should coincide in level with the previously welded “tongue”.
During the construction process, it becomes necessary not only to build a structure, ensuring its reliable fastening, but also to dismantle the structure. In the latter case, you will need to quickly remove the fastening elements - ordinary nails. You can do this with improvised tools, but it is better to use more convenient device- nail puller.
Purpose and design features
A nail puller is used to remove nails from wooden, plastic and other structures. There are many varieties of this device, but in general it is a handle, at the end of which there is a curved wedge made of durable metal.
The wedge ends with a slot, i.e. has a forked tip. This groove captures the nail head and then removes it.
When a nail is more firmly attached to the surface of a workpiece or other construction object, the handle of the tool acts as a lever. Loaders often use a nail puller as an assistant for lifting heavy loads, and carpenters use it to dismantle wooden structures.
This tool belongs to the manual category, although there are also electric nail puller models. You need to choose taking into account your financial capabilities, the range of planned work and the required ergonomics in use.
Hammer with claw function
This is a universal type of tool that can be used not only for removing nails, but also for driving them. Therefore, the claw hammer has two different ends on the working attachment:
- rounded head of a classic hammer;
- a pointed part with a slot to perform the functions of a nail puller.
The metal part of the hammer is made of high-strength steel. Many models are equipped with a rubberized handle. This is a compact and mobile tool. Thanks to the short handle, it is easy to carry and always have at hand.
However, on the other hand, this feature does not allow the tool to be fully used as a lever. In addition, the working slot does not always allow one to penetrate under the head, and the wooden handle is less durable compared to full-fledged crowbar-type nail pullers.
In professional models of a hammer with a nail puller function, the design is solid-forged, always with a rubber handle. High-quality rubber helps to effectively dampen vibration.
Crowbar nail puller
In the classic design, the extraction device is a solid steel rod with flattened ends turned in different directions. There can be a slot for removing nails at both ends.
But especially popular is the nail puller mount, the second wedge of which is flattened and looks like a blade. With this end you can destroy structures, lift floorboards, and disassemble fastened boards.
The nail crowbar can be 400-1500 mm long. For manufacturing, reinforcement is used, as well as a round or hexagonal rod with a diameter of 10-25 mm. As the length of the tool increases, its thickness and strength increase, but its weight also increases.
How to choose a tool
There are many designs and modifications of the device, which is clearly visible in the photo of the nail puller. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the following parameters:
A flat tip that must be strong and sharp. It is made from high quality material, while other parts may be made from less durable materials. It is welcome to have a special protective paint or anti-corrosion coating on it.
The length of the tool depends on the type of work performed and its complexity. To dismantle large structures, furniture, doors, a tool with a longer handle of up to 1-1.5 m is required. But for small manipulations, for example with drawers, you can limit yourself to using short nail pullers 30-50 cm.
Nail puller weight. Heavier tools will require less effort from you when dismantling or removing nails. A nail puller reinforced with stronger material allows you to disassemble even large structures without the risk of damaging the tool. But the work will be tiring.
You need to select the weight for yourself in order to effectively perform the work with a minimum of effort and fatigue. The optimal weight is 1 kg.
Making tools at home
It is not necessary to spend financial resources on purchasing a device. You can do it on your own. To learn how to make a nail puller with your own hands, we recommend that you study our simple instructions:
Select steel wire of different diameters. For small nails, you can take not very thick wire, but for thicker ones, a reinforcing rod will do.
When processing the tip, one part of the wire should be flattened on an anvil with a hammer. The reinforcement can be cut at the desired angle. Use a hacksaw to make a small hole for the nails.
A needle file is used to process the edges and remove various defects.
The nozzle bends. First, a bend is made on the thicker part of the nozzle before the thin section begins. And then a bend is made at the flattened end. If possible, harden the workpiece.
The nozzle should be processed with a file and then polished. The attachment is attached to the selected handle.
A nail puller helps make many dismantling jobs easier. The right choice The tool will allow you to carry out manipulations quickly and efficiently. At the same time, you need to remember about the ergonomics of the tool and ease of use.
Photo of a nail puller
To drive a nail, no special experience is required; every developer can cope with this task; it’s another matter to correctly pull out a driven nail. If the cap is flush with the surface, then it is recommended to know some of the subtleties of this work. And a lot depends when pulling out nails on what tool you choose. It is best to use a titanium nail puller for this purpose, which will handle nails best.
Purpose of a nail puller
There were times when wooden nails were widely used; to do this, they first drilled holes in the boards that were suitable in diameter, and after that they connected the structural parts in a similar simple way. Such nails were called dowels. However, the dowel could not be pulled out. And today these products have been replaced with metal fasteners that have wide hats. When making wood products, there is often a need to pull out incorrectly driven nails.
They are easy to pick up with a puller - a special tool with a flattened end, where there is a wedge-shaped slot, which is convenient for gripping a nail. After hooking up, it is also necessary to pull out the fasteners, which are tightly compressed by wood fibers or wedged in concrete panel, so a forged nail puller should be used. Leverage helps, so all nail pullers are made quite long, and near the hook there is a bend that acts as a support. Great value It also has a material, so tools for pulling out nails are often made red-hot.
Claw hammers perform the functions of an ordinary carpenter's hammer or act as a nail puller. Such a tool will help both hammer in a nail and easily remove an unnecessary one if it is installed incorrectly. Today you can find similar hammers with different handles: wooden, metal, rubberized, fiberglass.
Thus, the purpose manual nail puller consists of pulling out nails. And the area of its use is quite large. With its help, you can carefully and easily pull a nail out of the floor or baseboard. Regardless of the description of the nail puller, it is used when dismantling various buildings, wooden structures, boxes and containers. The nail puller is an indispensable tool for movers, carpenters, other technical workers and private developers at home.
In addition to the main function that a nail puller performs, its other functions are known: pulling out nails using a flattened end with a slot, breaking asphalt, ice and frozen soil, lifting various objects, opening boxes and other surfaces fastened with nails using a pointed end. The solid profile with which the nail puller is equipped successfully allows you to dismantle building materials.
Nail puller design
A nail puller is a manual lever-wedge device for pulling out nails driven into a material. The nail puller is available in the form independent instrument or a tool that is combined with tools such as a crowbar or a hammer, as in the photo of nail pullers.
A nail puller is a curved metal wedge, which is divided in two by a working groove, which is intended for the process of capturing and holding during the procedure of pulling the nail out of the material by the “head”. The action of a nail puller is based on the action of a wedge on the surface - the fastener and the material into which the fastener is hammered, and on the principle of leverage when pulling out the nail. Man has been using the principle of leverage since ancient times, when it was necessary to break off a piece of stone or lift a heavy object, which required remarkable effort.
This construction tool at one end has a curved flattened platform with a slot that expands, and at the other there is a straight, pointed stake. The second end is often simply flattened and sharpened. Depending on the requirements for the tool, the nail puller can be different sizes. The price of nail pullers on the market also varies. The length of nail pullers ranges from 320 to 1000 millimeters, and the weight is 0.6 to 4 kilograms. Selecting the size of this construction tools depends directly on the size of the nails with which it will work.
Most hammers that are equipped additional function nail pullers are equipped with a rubber handle, thanks to which they are clamped in the palm of your hand like a glove. To increase the strength of nail pullers, high carbon steel is also heat treated, which is a common tool material. There are also nail pullers with a wood handle and an iron tip. But it is not recommended to get carried away with the variety of form factors; the main thing in a tool for extracting nails is the flat surface of the blade, which is placed under the head, and its level of strength.
Making a nail puller with your own hands
Any owner needs a good nail puller no less than a saw, hammer or axe. Therefore, it is useful to know how to make a nail puller at home. We suggest you make a set of three nail pullers that will help you remove any nails and fasteners.
A nail puller for pulling out small nails is best made of steel with a high carbon content so that its working part can be hardened. To do this, take steel wire 0.5 millimeter thick, then straighten it on an anvil and flatten the working end a little.
Make a shallow cut with a hacksaw along the axis, and file the edges of the cut with a needle file. Bend the working part of the tool in a vice. It is customary to bend in two steps: first in the place where the workpiece is thicker, and then closer to the working end. Remove small dents caused by the vice with a file. Then sand the working part of the tool and, if possible, polish it with polishing paste.
It remains to complete the hardening with future tempering. After this manipulation, grind the working part of the tool again and polish it. Place the resulting workpiece on the handle. Your DIY nail puller for small nails is ready!
Nail pullers for large and medium nails are usually made of reinforcing steel. Just remember that the working part does not need to be flattened. Pre-carry out all rough processing on an emery wheel.
These nail pullers do not require handles. To pull out a long nail with a regular nail puller, you have to place it under its base. various items, for example, a piece of board, which is not very convenient. Improve your nail puller by welding an additional part at a distance of 6 centimeters from the working one.
Using a homemade nail puller
Now you should learn how to properly use a nail puller made at home. Using this tool is quite simple. Depending on the diameter of the nail, you need to select the appropriate homemade nail puller from the kit and pre-tap the wedge part of the tool with a hammer under the head.
When the nail enters the slot of the working part, move the handle towards the wood - the nail will come out of the hole a little. Place a low block to rest against. After this, the nail will come out a little more. Now you can grab its cap with pliers.