Salvaging corrugated tin

[harwill]

Anybody know of an easy way to remove lead-headed nails from corrugated iron (tin) without damaging or flattening the corrugations? I've got this building that was constructed against an outside wall of corrugated iron that I need to remove and reuse. Looks like most nails are through the ridge with a few in the valleys. I seem to recall having seen a nail puller that looked like a slide hammer with pincer jaws and wondered if that might work (and what it's called).
Any ideas?

 

[Kubota 2350]

Anybody know of an easy way to remove lead-headed nails from corrugated iron (tin) without damaging or flattening the corrugations? I've got this building that was constructed against an outside wall of corrugated iron that I need to remove and reuse. Looks like most nails are through the ridge with a few in the valleys. I seem to recall having seen a nail puller that looked like a slide hammer with pincer jaws and wondered if that might work (and what it's called).
Any ideas?

The slide hammer type work very well, there called nail pullers.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Can you get behind the tin at all with a Sawzall and cut the nails?

 

[forgeblast]

whats the difference in melting point of the tin and lead nails. might be fun to melt them out.

 

[20 20]

whats the difference in melting point of the tin and lead nails. might be fun to melt them out.

and burn down the building all at the same time

 

[Treemonkey1000]

and burn down the building all at the same time

Well as long as the fire department can keep the tin from getting too hot and warping...

 

[1stkubota]

I just reroofed my parents house that had lead head nails. the lead actually encompasses a smaller steel head, and the nails that were used had grips on the shank. i used a pry bar, wasn't to worried about the condition of the tin. dad may use it for the siding of other projects. i would try the sliding nail pullers as well, i didn't know about them at the or i would have.

 

[srs]

The slide hammer type work very well, there called nail pullers.

Like the above remark when I had my Morton building installed I noticed on their work truck they had a slide hammer with a pair of vice grips welded to the bottom of it. They would lock the vice grips onto the head of the nail then pull the slide to pull out the nail. This is a slow process but the metal never was damaged. Plus the nails were ring shank and had a very strong hold.

 

[harwill]

Got some good ideas here! I like the vise grips on the slide hammer; Got me thinking along those lines. Unfortunately, getting behind the tin and sawing the nails would be almost impossible on this deal. Melting the lead out is tempting, but maybe it would be easier to knock it off the nail head. I did find a couple of those antique nail pullers on e-bay - it looks like the jaws swing free in the picture. Wonder about adapting a pair of end nippers to a slide hammer so that pulling tightens the grip... Just thinking out loud...

Who said "Necessity is a Mother"?

 

[Jimmy Joe]

When I worked for a mink rancher tearing aluminum off old sheds we used a big pincher to cut off the heads with good results. Damaged very little tin, was a little hard on the hands got a few blisters. I think those nails might have been aluminum though.

 

[alchemysa]

Until this thread I'd never heard of lead head nails. I had to google it to see what they are. They are unknown in my part of the world. Anyway, could you use a metal cutting disc in an angle grinder to take the head off? To protect the corru perhaps you could cut a slot in a piece of tin that you could slide under the head.

 

[harwill]

Good idea from Down Under! I've got a 4 1/2" angle grinder that would do it quickly with a cut-off wheel. Just weakening the head would allow it to pop off the stem. Actually, the lead head nails are really like regular roofing nails with a lead washer that wraps back over part of the head. About a 1/16" gash across the center of the head ought to do it! Thanks for the idea, mate.

 

[Duffster]

I just use a blue bar.

 

[jinman]

If you can use a flat piece of bar stock (3/16 would work) under the nail bar or hammer, you can spread the pressure over a much larger area of the corrugations and not crush them in a single place. I like the slide hammer puller, but I would try the flat metal first if I had it available to see how it works. A lot of older barns with lead-heads have dry wood that lets you pull the nails out pretty easily. Getting under the heads of the lead-heads without bending the ridge is probably the hardest part of getting the nail out. If you can catch the lead with the claws of a puller or with pliers and get it off the nail head, sometimes that leaves some extra clearance so you can get your clawhammer or puller under there.

 

[rebelmedic]

I use a piece of two by four long enough to cover two runner widths, and a regular claw hammer. Place the two by four along side of the rib,the board not only keeps you from damaging the rib but the height also gives a little more leverage in pulling the nails.

 

[rambler]

Buy a couple of good pinchers. It's way, way, way easier to just pinch the top of the nails off with a pincher. I've done lots, and this is what works.

Some scraps of plywood - small scaps - and a regular nail pulling pry bar will gat a few that need to be pulled.

The sliding hammer will work, but is a lot of work, and you need the right type - not the pincher claw that digs into wood, but the typew that clamps the nail & hammers up. The head tends to fold up & slip off. It works but a lot of work resetting...

Some of these nails are spiraled or ring shanked. Buy the pincher!

--->Paul

 

[harwill]

Thanks guys, Off to the project in East Texas to try some of these suggestions! I'll report back on who had the best solution...http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif
But then if you want to test it yourself, feel free to sign on.

 

[schmism]

The slide hammer type work very well, there called nail pullers.

this kind?

cause if thats the one, i have one. you use the slide hammer to drive the jaws just under the surface of the wood. then rock the handle to the side (against the little lever arm) to pull the nail up.

ie wont work for his application IMHO

 

[2manyrocks]

Agree with schmisn. Slide hammer is made to knock the wood in around nails enough for the pincers to grab the nail and then pry it out. Probably knock holes around the nail head, bend the ridge, and put dents in the tin. But it is great for pulling nails out of 2x lumber.

 

[rambler]

I've got one of those sliding nail pullers too. It won't work for this.

You need a type with a different grip on it, and designed for pounding _outward_, not into the wood like these are designed.

I say the nippers work better & faster most of the time. Along with a pry bar & small bit of wood to pry out a few special ones.

--->Paul