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Softening old wood?

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posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 10:27 AM
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originally posted by: IndependentOpinion
a reply to: DAVID64

That is a LOT of drilling! It is more than 100 planks.


Why not just use screws instead?

Very quick with a drill and more secure than nails for the long term.

Peace



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 10:34 AM
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a reply to: TrueBrit

Indeed, gives you chips instead of a cloud of dust.

I agree with DAVID64 about pre drilling, that's a must for any wood.

OP, I would be tempted to use dowels or biscuits for the strength of the joints and i would find some old styled square nails for astetitc purposes only. Though it is your project, i am just throwing some ideas around.

edit on 1/15/2015 by shaneslaughta because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 10:36 AM
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a reply to: jude11

His problem is the wood is so old that its dried right out the the point of brittle.

Screws would split it too easy, even with drilling, once the head reached the wood it may still break the boards once it is tightened against the wood.

They must first be softened back to a flexible state.



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 10:54 AM
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Drill it!
That's all you can do. And screws will crack the wood to and need to be drilled.
You can use a nail gun though. The gun shoots nails fast and you might avoid cracks. That's a big might.



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 10:54 AM
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The problem you may have with water or steaming is that you may have issues with warping. I would get some clamps to hold the wood in place, then use a countersink bit and screw it together, some Titebond glue wouldn't hurt either or if you have access to a biscuit joiner that would be another option.



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 10:58 AM
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a reply to: IndependentOpinion

just man up and drill it



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 11:07 AM
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originally posted by: ignorant_ape
a reply to: IndependentOpinion

just man up and drill it


You nailed it!
Sorry......
I've been building cabinets and furniture for a living for more than twenty years. Drilling is the best way..



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 11:15 AM
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originally posted by: shaneslaughta
a reply to: jude11

His problem is the wood is so old that its dried right out the the point of brittle.

Screws would split it too easy, even with drilling, once the head reached the wood it may still break the boards once it is tightened against the wood.

They must first be softened back to a flexible state.


I would use a nail gun in this case then.

They go in very quick and the nails can be very thin as well. Ever see a 2x4 embedded in a tree after a tornado? Same principle. Speed.

No harm in trying and good luck.


Peace



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 11:48 AM
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a reply to: shaneslaughta

The size is 70mm X 370mm X 13mm

Would my Ozone Sauna do the trick?
edit on 15-1-2015 by IndependentOpinion because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 12:04 PM
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a reply to: IndependentOpinion

you don't say what type of nail you have been using ( yes there are more than one kind ) there is one thing you can try and that is to turn the nail upside down and hit the point with your hammer , it will remove the taper , now when you use the nail instead of acting like a wedge it will cut its way in . this is the way to nail any timber if you need to nail close to the edge .



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 12:40 PM
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a reply to: shaneslaughta

It won't split if they countersink the screw holes first, then hand-tighten the screws the last little bit with a screwdriver so they can feel more easily when they're tight enough.

Steaming the wood will cause the fibers to swell a lot. When nails are put in,they will fit tightly, but over time the wood will shrink back down and all the joints will then be very loose. Oil won't penetrate enough down into the wood to make a difference; and if it did, you would end up with the same problem as with using water. One has to be somewhat careful when working with linseed oil, as it is possible for it to spontaneously combust if the rags used to apply it are not disposed of properly.

Splits caused by nailing are not necessarily from the wood being too old or brittle. The grain of the the wood being wedged apart by a nail can also cause it to split down the length of the grain, whether the wood is old or new. Like others have already said, pre-drilling and using screws is the way to go. Then finish the product with something that will protect the wood and condition the outer layers.



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 12:44 PM
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a reply to: IndependentOpinion

If it produces enough steam that it raises the humidity it would work just fine. Even better than the method i described as you don't have to constantly fill the tank with water.

@tom.farnhill

I think he is talking about a brad nailer. It uses thin wire nails with barbed sides for traction in the wood.

I used to have an 18 gauge Bosch brad nailer that did quite well with sinking them in below the surface. you can use a bunch of the brads for strength and because it sinks them you don't have fasteners visible.



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 12:45 PM
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a reply to: tom.farnhill

Panel Pins 1.6 x 40mm



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 12:49 PM
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a reply to: shaneslaughta

Great thanks for the help!



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 12:52 PM
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a reply to: jeramie

Just to be save I will try out both options, pre-drilling and steaming.



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 12:53 PM
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a reply to: jeramie

Its not an issue really if you don't soak the boards in water. A little moisture in the air, that dry wood will absorb it.

Yes it will swell a bit but that's just like any wood. It naturally absorbs moisture from the air and then dries out again.
Totally normal.

Very right on it shrinking and the nails loosening over time, that's why i mentioned biscuits or dowels as structural fasteners.

I don't think the OP wanted to hand screw dozens of not hundreds of screws. From the amount of wood he has, i think he is planning big planters.

Also OP, I think i would put poly water sealer or something like that on the inside to keep from rotting, and drainage is a must.

I love being creative and thinking. Thanks for giving me something to discuss today. Its been great fun.



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 01:00 PM
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Just another thought, i would create come corner gussets for the inside bottom and a lip around the top edge.
Will add some nice support and dress it up a bit.

Your quite welcome.



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 01:10 PM
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a reply to: shaneslaughta

Thanx for the great advise! Yes I do have some great water sealer.

Thank you all for the great help! I will try out every piece of advise!!



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 02:28 PM
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Hey, carpenter here

Wanted to add a couple of points...
Any type of moisture will cup and warp your pieces without any outside force keeping it straight.
Hard woods that are thin and brittle require pre drilled pilot holes slightly under nail thickness when hand nailing.

If you have the resources, rent or buy a compressor and an 18 gauge brad/pin/finish nailer is the way to go. They require min compressor c.f.m/cost. Here's what I use for the thin side of door casing...pic link
Use a combo of the pin nailer with wood glue on joints, wet rag on hand for glue squeeze out.

If you go w brad nailer....
Experiment with your depth settings on scrap first so it sinks just barely into surface...too much depth will increase splitting.

Aside from pre drilling, there are screws; Splitstop is one brand that are thin and will have a notch on them that resembles a drill bit, it removes enough material to help stop splitting. Prob end up req drilling anyway.

Having said that, I wouldn't do it any other way then 18g brad nailer and wood glue, you could prob get an 1/8 inch from edge w/o splits. You could Prob blast it together in 2 min.




edit on 1 by Mandroid7 because: typo

edit on 1 by Mandroid7 because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 15 2015 @ 02:34 PM
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a reply to: Mandroid7

Thanx for the advice! That is good info, and a lot of it!!



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