[reible]

This maybe should be titled "What is it I use to:"

You just got that little fishing cabin (hunting, mountain.....) deep in the woods hours from the nearest hardware store. You notice that a shelf is about to fall down if it doesn't get fixed soon..... In fact you have been told that before you head out fishing in the morning this has to be done!!

You check you supply of tools, a hammer, a saw, and a box of 16D nails (the length of which are 3-1/2". This should be all you need and about 10 minutes you will be done.

You should have know it wasn't going to be this easy. As you examine the shelf it becomes clear these nails are going to be to long.... no way to angle them in or pound them over....... you're trapped, it is a long ride to the hardware store and back, it's late, you just need to have them an inch shorter, what to do?????

You look at the tools again (see picture) how in the world are you going to shorten these nail???????

You need help, that is where this game comes in. Someone here must know the answer of how to make these nail shorter without wrecking any of the tools and without it taking more then a few minutes.

Be the first one to post the answer I'm looking for and win 200 points! You will have to give me enough details so I know what you are talking about....

No magic shrinking rays, no finding another box of nails, no taking the toaster apart, no phoning in an air drop..... Just use the tools you have on hand.

Ed

 

[Billwolley]

I assume you are looking for a very temporary fix until you get time to use the right size nails. Seeing how you stipulated that the only tools that can be used are the ones pictured I would say that you could cut the cardboard box, using the saw, into the width that you need to shim out the back side of your shelf. Use enough cardboard to create the thickness of the nail length that you are trying to reduce. Using your hammer drive the nail through your shelf then through thick shim. GO FISHING.

VERY TEMPORARY but this would hold your cans of tomato sauce for a short while.

Bill

 

[reible]

Gee 41 views and only one guess?????

Hint time.

I'm talking about cutting the nails.......
The project uses only the nails and the hammer and the saw.........

Good luck!

Ed

 

[Bob N]

Ed,

Not sure if this is the answer you are looking for, but this is how I would approach the issue at hand.

First hammer the nail to the needed depth. Second using the saw cut a notch in the nail where it meets the wood. Third tap the head of the nail off with the hammer. Of course another way would be to notch the nail and tap off the uneeded portion with the hammer before driving the nail into the wood.

Now, can we go fishing?

 

[steveo]

Drive the required number of nails into an appropriate tree (or side of a wood post) exactly 1 inch. Using the tree or post as a guide, saw the nail enough to snap it off with the hammer, or saw the nail completly using the first or last couple inches of the saw blade (those locations won't wreck the saw, I never use those portions of the saw anyway, check your saws !! those teeth locations are just like new !!) Use the hammer and a rock or other hard surface to "bang" some semblance of a point on the nail(s) and put the shelf up ! thence onto fishing for the big one... hopefully its bigger than this "big one"....<grin>
steveo

 

[reible]

A couple of very warm answers!

Here is a sample I just did..... and no saw teeth were damaged......

Ed

 

[NewMontanaWorkshop]

Looks like the 'back' side of the saw to me....

 

[cabinetsetc]

Maybe you sawed a slot in some wood drove the nails in and bent them over to break them. Back and forth a few times.

 

[reible]

Looks like the 'back' side of the saw to me....

This answer is very hot....... so hot that I think we have a winner!

Yes, the back of the saw can cut a nail...... I can see the bar bets coming this next weekend. The next time you go out to the shop take a nail and give it a try.... might want to practice at least once so you see how it works. This is not likly to work with hardened trim nails but most other nails cut fine.

Winner!!!!!!!!