There's something awfully satisfying about banging in a nail straight and
true. And nothing about building is simpler, right?
In fact, it takes practice to develop a comfortable swing that generates
enough power to drive large nails without marring a board. And if you've seen
a carpenter drive the full length of a 16-penny nail with two or three blows,
you've seen a master at work. Even virtuosos goof now and then, however, and
just as there's a right way to hammer, there are proper ways to remove nails,
too.
Hammering Nails
It's the hammer's handle that makes the tool so much better for driving
nails than a rock in your palm. Acting as a lever, the handle multiplies the
force of your swing, delivering a sharp blow concentrated at the point of
impact. Unfortunately, the handle also complicates the aiming process a bit
until you get the hang of it, that is.
Pros say that a good nailing rhythm uses more wrist than elbow, more elbow
than shoulder. The animation shows how. Finally, before you nail anything
important, be sure to practice on scrap wood or in an out-of-the-way location
where a few dents and bent nails won't matter.
Pulling Nails
You might think that this is too basic to talk about. You might also be
surprised. Check out the next three animations.
Method 1: Get maximum leverage. You can just insert the claw of
your hammer under the nail head and pry. But when the nail head is high, as
shown here, add a block of scrap wood under the hammer to increase your
leverage. The scrap also protects the board from marring.
Method 2: Defeat stubborn nails. If a nail is
really stuck, turn your hammer sideways for better leverage, then pry away.
The side of the hammer head becomes the fulcrum, so you're less likely to
break the handle. You may have to pull the nail in a series of bends, but
your hammer will last longer and so will your arm.
Method 3: Try a cat's paw. When all else fails,
count on the cat. This aggressive tool nearly always gets the nail even if
it's deeply embedded. It also tears into the wood surface, so it's best
reserved for framing and other noncosmetic work. Drive the cat's paw under
the head of the nail with a series of hammer blows. Once the tool is deep
enough under the head, pry. This will pull the nail out about an inch. Keep
going. Once the head is above the board, you can pull the rest of the way by
using a hammer or a block, as shown above.
