# rip snorter push block



## trojan62 (May 12, 2011)

hi all,
this is my take of the rip snorter adjustable push block, where you can find all the details on Shopmade Rip-Snorter Push Block - by DeLayne Peck @ LumberJocks.com ~ woodworking community, it was made by dewayne peck and is obviously a variant of the GRRipper push block system that they all rave about in the states.
its pretty straight forward to make and does work surprisingly well.
its the only push block i think ill be needing from now on in.

note: the only drawback with this and of course the GRRipper is that as you push through the blade, your wrist is above the blade 
as you go through, but as in all actions around the table saw, you just have to be carefull and concentrate on what your doing.
i for one find it excellent, thanks dewayne.

cheers

chris.......


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

As a wooden copy of a GRR-Ripper it's a fair job, but really, let's face it, it just isn't a GRR-Ripper!


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## trojan62 (May 12, 2011)

harrysin said:


> As a wooden copy of a GRR-Ripper it's a fair job, but really, let's face it, it just isn't a GRR-Ripper!


hi harry,
thanks for commenting on my push block,
whats your feeling of the grripper with your wrist going above the blade during the cut.

cheers
chris....


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Chris, with your jig or the Grr-Ripper your hand is safely above the blade and no way to contact it. Because your fingers are holding the handle should a kick back occur (highly unlikely) your hand would be pulled away from the blade.

I appreciate your efforts and those of Dewayne in trying to build a home version but the router mat material used does not have nearly the holding power of the green grip material. Do you really want to cut corners when it comes to protecting your fingers and expensive materials? Food for thought.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

I go along with Harry and Mike on this.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Good replica of a great safety device. I don't see a safety hazard using the Rip-Snorter when like anything around a spinning blade used with caution.


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## Willway (Aug 16, 2012)

I have been holding off on commenting on this for personal reasons but it's time to make a statement. There is not a darn thing wrong with this build, except the choice of router/sanding mat used as the gripping material. Drywall sanding paper would have been a much better choice, it will even out perform and outlast even the material used on the Gripper. Rather than do without a safety device this man has chosen to build one that will serve the same purpose. I don't think his efforts should be downplayed because it is not the overly priced commercial product. I may even build one myself, but that is not my way of ripping thin stock. But that's just my 2c worth! Sorry bout that folks but I have to keep my mind occupied somehow.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*Spot on......*



Willway said:


> I have been holding off on commenting on this for personal reasons but it's time to make a statement. There is not a darn thing wrong with this build, except the choice of router/sanding mat used as the gripping material. Drywall sanding paper would have been a much better choice, it will even out perform and outlast even the material used on the Gripper. Rather than do without a safety device this man has chosen to build one that will serve the same purpose. I don't think his efforts should be downplayed because it is not the overly priced commercial product. I may even build one myself, but that is not my way of ripping thin stock. But that's just my 2c worth! Sorry bout that folks but I have to keep my mind occupied somehow.



Here, here ( as the English would say)....:yes4:


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

Chris, anything that improves safety is well worth the effort! Good job!


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Dick, I have to disagree with you on sand paper working better. I have tried both and compared them and the green grip material holds much better. I can't answer for longevity yet only having had my Grr-Rippers for a few months. I believe in giving credit where credit is due and any safety device is a good idea.

Chris, if you felt in any way I was making negative comments about your push stick that is not the case... it is a good idea. I do believe the Grr-Ripper is a better choice because of it's ease of adjustment and holding power.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

As an inventor, I am offended when someone produces something such as this. Here is why...The GRRipper is well-designed and well executed and is made from quality materials and certainly has to be OSHA Compliant. I do not yet own the GRRiper, do plan to add some, but am not 100% sold on it, either. My table saw has an overhead blade guard and a fin (splitter) beyond the blade - if I could only use one of those - it would be the splitter. Neither of my current table saw safety devices would allow for the GRRipper (or this home-made Rip-Snorter "safety device") to be concurrently employed.

Just last week, I was cutting some very heavy low quality oak lumber that had been salvaged (by me) from some heavy industrial pallets... I had the bevel set at 15* and was making 3" deep through-cuts. My *intention* was to bevel one long board and then cut several segments of the tapered workpiece into prescribed lengths. The leading edge of the board had a small knot, and for some reason; the board split while being sawn and a piece of oak, about 6" long (with said knot) became "on its own" and flew back - hitting me flatly on my chest. I now have some very odd-looking bruises that are quite tender and I will forever be mindful of this potential hazard. I still know of no safety device that would have served to prevent this particular mishap. Bullet-proof vest?

Looking back, I think that the pallet had been fabricated from "green lumber" and was so solidly nailed to other perpendicular members that it had been restrained from twisting and my cut must have removed enough adjacent wood to relieve that stress. This sudden lesson will stay with me forever - I was very fortunate that the pointed end of the flying part had not "harpooned" me.

Back to inventions being copied...I spent $2.5 million on developing my product line before selling the first one to a customer. I did not want to hastily sell a product that could potentially give me a bad reputation. My coworkers even often joked that I would not introduce my product until it could be assembled by drunk monkeys in a dark room! There was, in my mind; far too much at risk for me to gamble my reputation. 

Unfortunately, when one owns a patent (such as I and many others do), it is not protected by the government - it simply allows the patent holder to POLICE what hits the market that may be an infringement on my, his or her patent. I think this "Rip-Snorter" is a cheap way to copy something that someone spent hundreds, maybe thousands of man hours to develop and market. Now, thinking back on my suddenly-split lumber scenario: What is going to happen when that (turned-wrongly) piece of solid wood splits? Answer: Someone is going to lose a finger, or two. At the very least, that top board should be plywood - but the whole think is just a cheap fake, and this makes inventors (such as me want to go "hug a toilet").

...and one other thing, If someone gets hurt using this cheap, piece of crap, they best not go to their insurance company company or they will get laughed at all the way to a hospital!

Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


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## trojan62 (May 12, 2011)

OPG3 said:


> As an inventor, I am offended when someone produces something such as this. Here is why...The GRRipper is well-designed and well executed and is made from quality materials and certainly has to be OSHA Compliant. I do not yet own the GRRiper, do plan to add some, but am not 100% sold on it, either. My table saw has an overhead blade guard and a fin (splitter) beyond the blade - if I could only use one of those - it would be the splitter. Neither of my current table saw safety devices would allow for the GRRipper (or this home-made Rip-Snorter "safety device") to be concurrently employed.
> 
> Just last week, I was cutting some very heavy low quality oak lumber that had been salvaged (by me) from some heavy industrial pallets... I had the bevel set at 15* and was making 3" deep through-cuts. My *intention* was to bevel one long board and then cut several segments of the tapered workpiece into prescribed lengths. The leading edge of the board had a small knot, and for some reason; the board split while being sawn and a piece of oak, about 6" long (with said knot) became "on its own" and flew back - hitting me flatly on my chest. I now have some very odd-looking bruises that are quite tender and I will forever be mindful of this potential hazard. I still know of no safety device that would have served to prevent this particular mishap. Bullet-proof vest?
> 
> ...


Hi there,
I'm the one who, as you put it, made this piece of crap,
All I can say is, GET OVER YOURSELF MATE, U MIGHT HAVE A HEART ATTACK.
Cheers for your crap,comments......


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Otis
Micro-jig makes a splitter to use with the gripper


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Cool John, Thank you for that info - I was unaware of that. Looks like I "ruffled some feathers". In addition to the reply from the original poster, I got a private message from a friend and fellow member concerned that I did not "respect" the original poster. True, I did not. When someone has been down the roads that I've been down, they might better see or understand "where I am/was coming from". I make no apologies for my comments. The subject (Rip Snorter) is a wooden copy of a manufactured product that comes from a respected tool maker. It has stood the test of time. It is made from high-quality materials engineered to perform well. It was even featured as a topic for discussion recently in, "how much would you pay to keep all of your fingers?" The product got favorable comments from many posters, and it was also mentioned that it is expensive. Good products are often "expensive", but compared to what?

Many people want to make their own copies of a manufactured product, when they do this for their own use, it is not illegal. If they were to sell their "copy", it is illegal and, as I've stated earlier - it gets "policed" by the patent holder or owner. It can also get "policed" by the manufacturer or a distributor, but the only potential prosecutor is the patent's owner. Making one's own copy of something and then *publishing* how someone did it is truly in a "gray area" of the law.

The photos included by the original poster show a very clear shot of a board that could easily split and allow one's finger(s) to be lost! Everything about that board encourages it to split in the manner I have described! If my harshness saves some finger(s) then I am okay with that. Just because "we're all friends" (was in the PM that I received) I AM NOT OKAY WITH SOMEONE DOING SOMETHING DANGEROUS... and that "gray area" offends me as an inventor who has spent a lot of everything on developing a good, solid reputation.

And yes, I could have a heart attack!

Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

OPG3 said:


> The leading edge of the board had a small knot, and for some reason; the board split while being sawn and a piece of oak, about 6" long (with said knot) became "on its own" and flew back - hitting me flatly on my chest.


I always tell people, do not stand behind the saw blade. Stand to one side. Then if this does happen, it misses you. My high school shop teacher told us that back in about 1953/4. Then he demonstarted what happens with kickback. I was very impressed, and have remembered that all these years.


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## tvman44 (Jun 25, 2013)

I had a kick back in my workshop years ago and still have a hole in the paneling there. Thank god I was standing to the side and it missed me, left the hole in the paneling as a reminder.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Actually you are right! But I was standing to the side when this happened! I try to never have any part of me between the slots and I was to the left of the left side slot when this happened. In hindsight, it had to be that it was twisted wood that got suddenly relieved of stress, sprung into the blade and hit me very hard. I was using a good commercial push stick, splitter, clear guard and feather board. I have never seen anything like this before and that covers a lot of table saw work done safely. It was just weird as far as I can tell.. You can certainly bet that I'll be a bit more choosey when ripping heavy boards in the future.

Otis (the feather ruffler)


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

This is self explanatory ( I have no comment )
Table Saw Kickback Video - Aspiring Woodworker
Sorry do have a comment ( DUMB )


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

trojan62 said:


> Hi there,
> I'm the one who, as you put it, made this piece of crap,
> All I can say is, GET OVER YOURSELF MATE, U MIGHT HAVE A HEART ATTACK.
> Cheers for your crap,comments......


Chris, what you designed is a fairly decent tool. However, it is a fairly blatant ripoff of the grr-ripper design. Although Otis may have been a bit harsh in his criticism, I can see where he is coming from. If I had patents to protect I would be very resentful of what you are doing too. I checked the grr-ripper website and while the name is copy righted I did not see anything about patents. So you may be safe Chris. However, if there are patents in place you could be at risk of being sued by the company that makes the grr-ripper. This is one of those things where it is okay to rip-off a copy for yourself but it is something that you should not broadcast to the rest of the world.

It is possible that one of the moderation team should have stepped in at the beginning and ended this thread quickly. I've seen them do it where copy righted material was posted for free distribution. However, they are only human and I don't envy them for the task they have taken on but I will contact them and suggest that this be removed.


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## Willway (Aug 16, 2012)

I don't think Otis read the whole post, and realized the man that made the thing "that they all rave about in the states" is in the UK and probably has no access to the Gripper. But I do understand the point he is trying to make about rip-offs. Harbor Freight will probably be releasing their model shortly. I would be much more concerned about that than what someone put together in their shop, for their own safety. Like Otis I also noticed the wood grain being turned the wrong way. There is no patent or copyright protection for building anything for your own personal use, as soon as you start selling them, or the plans to build it, then you have broken the law.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

*I was a JERK!*

Chris (OP) there was no personal offense meant, just that this sort of thing reduces a legitimate inventor / owner / manufacturer / distributor's chances of selling the right thing. I never checked on the patent, but did see a video where a guy made an excellent presentation about "his dad's device". I have met that family and they are fine people, but I hated to see all of their efforts being copied and distributed. It was nothing (believe it or not) meant to be harmful. I'm in Georgia and you are elsewhere, here we very loosely use the word "crap". I can say to my wife, "that tastes like crap" or she can say to me (this happens often) "Otis that looks like crap" and neither of us are offended. There are other WORD CHOICES THAT COULD BE OFFENSIVE, BUT "CRAP" IS NOT ONE OF THEM. It is a word that we would use standing in front of our church. Thinking back, maybe I used a term that carries with it a more harmful meaning, and if that is the case; I DO SINCERELY APOLOGIZE!

Charles (Cherryville Chuck) has contacted me and agreed with a fellow member that PM'd yesterday that I was TOO HARSH. I have to respect their opinions and your pride.
I do apologize for this, but I stand firm on my not liking that someone's high-quality product is being copied and I went to the LumberJocks website and reviewed what was there. YOUR COPY IS AS GOOD AS HIS PRODUCT, however; distributing information such as this is harmful.

Chuck, Thanks for your clarification (to both me and the OP) in this matter. Honestly, I've thought long and hard about this and I'm guessing that I used a word (crap) that has stronger meaning to some than to others. In this matter I WAS AN IDIOT.

Dick (Willway), actually I did notice that much of the information was overseas (and quite likely NOT protected even if there is a patent). What "got my goat" was that many who will see this are in the US, where I assumed it was protected - which would constitute a legal and ethical infraction, in my opinion.

John (Semipro), I am about to review your attachment, but I needed to get my apology to Chris "off my chest". Speaking of "off my chest" I certainly do not want to ever repeat the efforts in which I obtained my new bruise, and I am guessing you offered something helpful in that regard. Thanks very much and I will report on what I am able to observe and learn from.

Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

John (Semipro), I reviewed this video. *It is a very good video *and it is one I've seen before. I do follow safety procedures, but my case was super-different. I've made that same type of cut thousands of times before, but I'm gonna guess my error was not first removing that twisted end of the board prior to the rip. I had the blade-guard, riving-knife, fence and feather board properly in-place. You can bet that I have reviewed it in my mind 100 times, and it had to be the weird twist of the wood and that small knot. 

Looking from overhead and downward on my setup, the fence was to the right of the blade about 2 or 3 inches. The board was S4S. The blade guard was properly seated as was the riving knife (earlier I referred to it as "splitter"). There was a BenchDog feather board properly positioned prior to the blade. Tell you what, I'll go downstairs to my shop and make some photos to post soon. Maybe my "screw-up" can tell someone what I did wrong - beside cutting a piece of junky wood.

Otis


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Otis, oak is one of the worst woods I know of to store tension in the wood. I've watched saw cuts open up as I've sliced a section off and had the cut close up and bind the blade and that's on red oak that had been in my shop for at least 10 years. It is one species I try to stay very aware of when I'm at the saw.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

*The photos I promised...*

Charles, You're 100% correct, and I was being an IDIOT for not first removing the twisted end of said board. As I promised earlier, attached herein please find 3- photos which I have just gone downstairs and taken. Sometimes lessons learned in this manner tend to stay for a very long time!

The first photo shows how my setup was (and typically is) you will see fence, blade, workpiece, table slots, guard with riving knife and featherboard.

In the second photo you see the same setup viewed from behind (operator's end). Note that the blade is tilted 15*. Also please note that the featherboard ends just prior to the blade guard and the riving knife.

In the third photo, you can see (I've lifted the blade guard up for the photo) and the feather board (which you cannot see) is still in-place. I've placed a small chunk of oak (not the offending piece) of the approximate size at the point where it went-off "on its own". Please also bear in mind that I was positioned to the left of the left table slot (where the feather board is wedged) - which was exactly where the offending board flew. I THANK GOD I was nailed by a "flat side" and not a point!

I AM COMPLETELY OPEN TO WHAT I MAY HAVE DONE WRONG, except it now is painfully obvious to me that the twisted end of the board should have been removed. In hindsight, I have cut hundreds of these boards without any problem except saw binding and motor shut-down. Never had a problem like this, interestingly; the main board (between blade and fence) never moved whatsoever!

To me the biggest value of having this forum (which I consider to be quite high) is to learn from others and to spread helpful info, so I am asking WHAT DID I DO WRONG?


Thanks so much!
Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I can't see anything you did wrong. If it fractured the wood when it let go it may have had an internal defect that you couldn't see.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Semipro said:


> This is self explanatory ( I have no comment )
> Table Saw Kickback Video - Aspiring Woodworker
> Sorry do have a comment ( DUMB )


One tacky little push block. I do not use a splitter or a blade guard. I also do not use just one tacky little push block like that one. A push block, with a hook on the back, would work; however, at the same I would also use a push stick/block to apply pressure on the side, keeping it against the fence, if I were to make a cut like that, to keep it straight. 

However, in real life I would either take the little off on the router, but more likely make a saw sled in one form or another, with a fixture to clamp the stock in place. OR, even more likely now, I would use my Gripper. If I were going to do a number of them tho, I would take the time to make a saw sled with clamp.

I will say, when I make a push block, the base of it, the part that would be sawn if I just ran it over the blade, is thick enough so that no part of the blade will penetrate all the way thru. I value my fingers way to much to do anything that might harm them - which is why I am a large fan of saw sleds.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Otis, from looking at this I have some questions. When the kickback occurred were you close to the end of the cut? Have you ever measured your splitter to be sure it is the same width as the saw blade and that it is perfectly aligned with it? I would like to hear your answers before I comment but I think I know what happened.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Mike, those are all good questions! 
First let me say that I get tons of oak wood from this same source and since it comes in the form of Heavy-Duty Pallets (takes 4- healthy men to lift one pallet) it is not "clear" knot-free lumber. It is lumber that got chosen because it is strong, abundant and amazing difficult to remove nails from!
I have literally made hundreds of cuts on this stuff and it is a PITB, but occasionally I find a "diamond in the rough". I set it aside after demo work turns it into straight boards. After all demo has been done to remove nails, screws and steel straps (which all get recycled), the wood is stacked with stickers for at least several months. Then I go through a process of stacking this lumber into piles of (roughly) equal dimensions. Those end chunks go into the firewood pile. Then, as I need something stout and cheap, I use these boards to make things.
At this point let me also say that it is quite common for this wood to be difficult to saw - no matter which saw is being used.
I'm not sure "kickback" is the best term for what happened, because the workpiece never moved whatsoever, even the [intended] drop never moved! Quite simply, it was a small piece about 7" long that was on the leading OUTSIDE EDGE of the workpiece. I was nowhere near the cut's intended completion. The entire workpiece was 33" long and what hit me - left (went on its own) from the beginning of the cut _beyond_ the featherboard, _aside_ the spinning blade and _before_ the splitter. Yes, I checked the splitter and it is the correct thickness. Since this cut, I am checking the ends more carefully - I think there was stored (twist) energy that simply "flicked" that part into a semi-rotation - because again - the two "keepers" from the cut never moved at all. In my third photo (already attached herein @ post #24) is a different board sat in the approximate location from where this attack began.

Interesting note for those that like gross stuff: In the shower this morning, The "scab" on my right upper chest became disentangled and vanished down the drain! It still may be a couple of years before Sears, Roebuck, K-Mart calls me to model bathing suits!

I am open to any suggestions that might prevent this in the future. Thanks!

Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Otis, I can still only think of a couple of reasons and little to suggest. The 15 degree angle probably did contribute. I've noticed that tilted blades tend to want to throw boards more than straight up and down. I am still thinking that there must have been an internal flaw. I've spent some time on small sawmills and seen lots of logs converted to lumber and lots of them have internal defects. For example, if a tree falls down it may hit another tree on the way down and scrape a section of bark off the standing tree. This is where wood growth takes place and the wood at the scrape dies. The tree will then start to grow around it and leaves a seam where the injury is and there is very poor connection between those sections. You can often see the damage looking from the end. Something you could try is whacking the board with a hammer before you saw it. If there is a loose section it will make a dull sound instead of a ringing sound. That might even pop the loose section off.

In one of the pictures you posted you showed a board similar to the one you sawed. The grain in that board is all over the place so my senses would be on high alert the moment I started pushing it into the blade.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Thanks Charles, 
I've gone-over it many times in my noggin, and cannot come-up with anything beyond what you have said. The idea of hitting a board to "listen for defects" is certainly something I will make a habit of doing on that junky wood, from now forward!

I mentioned "diamonds in the rough", but failed to mention that I have found walnut (some quite nice), sycamore, maple and hickory - but the bulk of it appears to be red oak. Every board has defects (wink, wink) and evidently there are some I haven't spotted!

Thanks again for your comments, that scar will really put a damper on my modeling career!

Otis


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

OPG3 said:


> It is lumber that got chosen because it is strong, abundant and amazing difficult to remove nails from!
> At this point let me also say that it is quite common for this wood to be difficult to saw - no matter which saw is being used.


I don't think it's the wood that makes the nails difficult to remove, it's the type of nails used. Even if you could pull them straight out, they would be very hard to remove, and they break very easily. Among various solutions, pull the stringers off of the nails, drive the nails all the way thru (good luck with that one), cut around the nails, use a hollow drill and drill the nails out. 

Some of that wood is as tough as a rock. I've got a piece I'm using as the neck to my banjo, and a wood rasp won't even touch it.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Theo, You are quite accurate in your assessment of the nails - they are pneumatically installed spiral shank nails (20d). Many of them are rusty, but I do have a demo system that works for me pretty well. I use a *Forrester Nail Puller* (which I helped to develop several years ago), a wrecking bar, a sheep's foot, etc. and it is very unusual for me to spend more than 5 minutes on any one board. I've been "at this" for several years and this system I utilize works really well. The Forrester Nail Puller will gladly pull-out nails without heads!

When I find a board that is too busy with hardware, it gets cut-up and tossed into the firewood bin. They burn great!

Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia


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## pal (Feb 13, 2008)

The nails are not only rusty they also have glue on them, melts from the heat when they are fired into the timber. I use the nail jack (Nail Jack Tools 11NJ Nail Puller, 11-Inch - Amazon.com) and a pinch bar and quite a lot of swearing :haha: doesn't get the nails out any easier but sure makes me feel better

Regards Harold


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## woodie26 (May 31, 2009)

pal said:


> The nails are not only rusty they also have glue on them, melts from the heat when they are fired into the timber. I use the nail jack (Nail Jack Tools 11NJ Nail Puller, 11-Inch - Amazon.com) and a pinch bar and quite a lot of swearing :haha: doesn't get the nails out any easier but sure makes me feel better
> 
> Regards Harold


A Beer helps:haha: Too! (I hear)


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Theo does not mind me sharing this:



> I would really like more information on your procedure. It really works on pulling nails from pallets? Understood that it's not going to be 100%, but considering my sucess rate in pulling nails from palltets is closer to about 1%, almost anything would be an improvement. I don't really like to get PMs with information like that, I prefer posting in a thread, so everyone gets the information, not just one. But your choice. If you don't care to post it in that thread, you could start a thread on it, or just post in one of my threads. I feel that if you were in your garage with some buddies, you wouldn't just keep to the same subject. That's why I don't mind my thread getting the subject changed.


Theo (as well as any others that are interested,

I do my nail-pulling on weekends - while nobody else is in my shop. When someone drops-by, I stop with very rare exception. Merely walking-around in the shop with nothing actively happening, but with all of the "littered with nails boards" on the floor could get someone hurt. 

Several years ago, one of our machinists and my former business partner had been working on something that they hoped would work for pulling nails. We had recently developed the DuckBill Deck Wrecker, which is a wrecking tool made for removal of the walk boards of a wooden deck. I also worked hard to help develop that tool. In my opinion, both of the projects had shortcomings prior to them requesting my help. This is a very common occurrance for me - it's what I do for a living. The DuckBill Deck Wrecker is quite successful and does a good job to simplify an otherwise slow and laborious procedure. It is priced to sell and parts of it are outsourced to overseas. 

During the flurries of sales, we were also getting calls and emails from satisfied customers who wondered if we could make a nail-puller for those occasions where boards came-up, but the nails were left in the supporting joists. My partner and a machinist who did "piece-work" for us developed the product to a point...when it came to me for an evaluation and feasiblity study, I took it home. It worked great as it was - for pulling nails upwardly vertical, but did not function as intended for removal of any nails that were not vertically oriented "heads-up". 

It would not pull nails downwardly vertical (as in wrecking temporary formwork in multi-story building). It also did not work to remove horizontally embedded nails (a million uses there). As a matter-of-fact, it wouldn't even remove nails that were just slightly diagonal as opposed to perfect vertical heads-up! The initial guys working on the project were frustrated and seemed as though they were going to market a product with lots of shortcomings. (In case anyone is wondering, I DO NOT APPROVE OF THAT PRACTICE!)

I "worked-out the kinks" in one evening - by adding a simple conforming leaf spring! The product then went into production and has not been properly marketed ever since, IMHO. In short, they have grown unhappy with it. Their original inventory has still not become depleted! The owner and I talk about once or twice a year - we are no longer "good friends". I will leave the reason unmentioned. My oldest daughter is the office manager at that company, I left June 20, 2010; when I decided to tell the owner to self-install an enema! Since my daughter still works there, I spoke to her briefly on this subject just yesterday. I requested that she get me a complete inventory of finished product and parts and provide me with a price to buy-out the entire (small) lot of left-overs that are unsold. It is a fantastic product, but that company expects their products to sell with minimal marketing efforts. Sad, but true!

She is yet to get-back with me on this. She can be reached at 866-256-4499. Her name is Emily and she can sell you one or more. I am getting ready for a Dental Appointment, but will make photos of mine and show how it works. My guys are all out-of-town today, so there is nobody to take photos - so "action shots" are going to be (very near impossible) difficult today.

Expect "fair" photos later today...
Otis


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

*Photos for my friend Theo:*

Well, no new cavities at the Dentist's Office, today. Back home, I have gone downstairs, and as promised - I made some photos for you Theo. I hope these help you "get a feel" for what I mentioned...

The dimensions are in inches (you can get an estimate) measured from my personal FNP, The whole thing is made of Nickel-Plated Steel (as shown), except the teeth (black) are made with some kind of hardened steel (replaceable) and there is a nice-feeling secure rubber grip over the end of the handle.

One of the photos shows my finger between the teeth and another shows me holding the spring pressure as-if this thing were being used to pull a nail. Note: A pipe wrench is able to grab because its jaws are loosely working together - and this thing does the same, in a sense. Headed or headless nails are easily removed with this tool. Simple pressure to grip the nail shank tightens the teeth about the shank. You can see the ratio of handle length to fulcrum distance is impressive. A lot of engineering went-into making this cool tool, but I am no longer "in tight" with my former partner - so I do not care if anyone buys them or not - because I will buy-up what is left and probably give them out as gifts, etc. I think they are selling these for about $45.00 each and they are made in Buford, Georgia.

Good luck if you decide to pursue this!
Otis


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Thanks Otis. I'd have to have one in my hot little hands before I really understood how they work, but I at least now have a rough idea, from your photos. And one of those will actually pull out pallet nails, eh? 

I searched the Duck Bill Deck Wrecker while I was at it. Interesting tool. Simple, and so functional. Then got distracted, and started looking up some other stuff, shown at the end of the video. Eventually ran across this video, on pallet busting. Looks like a very workable tool, but it's sort of hard to believe it would pull spiral pallet nails so easily, and consistently. The Pallet Pryer - YouTube


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## MartinW (Jun 26, 2013)

Otis,

very simple and yet effective mechanism, as it looks like.
Some hands-on would probably show it's full genius, I suppose.
The praise surely goes to you, my friend 

Martin


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