Copper rivet (nail) mfg in Baltimore MD. (?)

[nedL]

There is a manufacturer of copper nails in the Baltimore Maryland (US) area that is named something like "Clendening". I remember the name from years ago, & found out yesterday that one of the 'prefered suppliers' of forumites here still buys their nails from them. Does anyone know the name or have contact info for them?
I'd like to contact them to see if they still make nails in different lengths. -- I've noticed that today if you want to buy a #9 copper nail it seems to be available in only 3" or 3.25" lengths. That is fine when riveting through ribs, but you throw most of the copper away when fastening just the laps. You used to be able to buy nails in different lengths, say a #9 in anything from 2" up to 3.5" in 1/4" increments. Anyone know if this is still available? Thanks.

[ 03-31-2004, 02:03 PM: Message edited by: nedL ]

[Karl A. Hilbert]

Try this:

Clendenin Brothers, 4309 Erdman Ave., Baltimore, MD, 410-327-4500. $50 min. purchase.

[Ken Hutchins]

Try Sta Fast (http://www.babbittsteam.com/special.htm) in New Bedford, Ma

[GROOVY]

I found this while looking for info on Adirondack Guideboats.
http://www.faeringdesigninc.com/fst-clen.html

Are you an experienced "clencher"?
are nail tack tips bent with grain or against?
Additionally what do you use for a clenching iron?

[nedL]

Thanks Karl!! That's exactly what I needed :D (sorry I kind of butchered their name). Wow, if they sell direct I might have no problem meeting $50!
Ken, I'll check Sta-Fast out for price & selection too.
Groovy, I am aware of Faering Design however they carry the square shank nails which are traditionally more European. The boat I'm rebuilding is very traditionally 'Jersey shore' built & the only nails used there were round copper common nails. These will be rivets (using copper burrs).
I think I'll let those more knowing than I answer the question of direction of clenching with certainty. (My old recollection is sort of 45 degrees to the grain on the plank laps.) As for a clenching iron I think that an autobody dolly for doing autobody work has a nice convex face that is good for the inside of planking (& pretty cheap too).

[On Vacation]

Please let us know of your findings. I am working on a 22 footer that will need a bunch. If you can't get a few let me know and we maybe able to bulk buy.

[nedL]

I'll be glad to let you know what I find out. I should be able to call today. smile.gif

[nedL]

Well, I called both Clendenin Bros. & Sta-fast. Clendenin was very pleasant, they do sell direct. Their price is $4.30/lb. They will do short length nails on special order(ex: they can make a #9 common nail down to 1" long.), however they have a 100lb minimum for all special runs. The stock length for a #9 is 3" & 3.25". To bad I'll never use 100 pounds of rivets :D .
Sta-fast didn't want to talk to me if I wasn't a distributor.

[Venchka]

Do you have to have 9 gauge? These folks do 10 gauge in 1", 1 1/4", 1 1/2", 1 3/4", 2", 2 1/2" and 3". $4.50/pound, 5 pound minimum. 9 ga, 3" up to 8 ga 6" at $4.45/pound, 5 pound minimum.

Copper Nails (http://www.stainless-fasteners.com/products.htm)

Look in the left column in the ROOFING nails section.

[ 04-01-2004, 01:46 PM: Message edited by: Venchka ]

[Nicholas Carey]

Why are you opposed to square shank nails: they're less likely to leak, since the pilot hole is the nail size across the flats. Used simply as a nail, they hold better than a wire nail.

The reason that American wire nails are restricted to just a few lengths for a given diameter is that nails are usally sized the old way: in pennies.

Penny sizes constitute both diameter and length: a 10d common nail is 3 inches long and made from 9 gauge wire (0.1483 ins). Here's a chart of American wire nail sizes:

http://www.engineersedge.com/graphics/nail_chart.gif (http://www.engineersedge.com/nail_size_chart.htm)

The rest of the world, AFAIK, sizes nails in a more straightforward manner: diameter x length, so there's more variations possible.

However, …

Try Swan Secure Fasteners (http://www.swansecure.net/) in Baltimore.

They make marine nails in silicone bronze, monel and 316 stainless (http://www.swansecure.net/fasteners106/shoppingcart/specialpage54.asp), as well as copper tile nails (http://www.swansecure.net/fasteners106/shoppingcart/roofingpage24.asp) and copper slating nails (http://www.swansecure.net/fasteners106/shoppingcart/roofingpage22.asp).

See also The Maze Group (http://www.mazenails.com/), 3 companies that manfacture all sorts of specialty nails.

Also see this recent thread:

http://media5.hypernet.com/cgi- bin/UBB/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=009070&p= (http://media5.hypernet.com/cgi-bin/UBB/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=009070&p=)

where other sources are listed.

[ 04-01-2004, 02:14 PM: Message edited by: Nicholas Carey ]

[Venchka]

Here you go:

9 ga 2"-2 1/4" (http://www.woodenboat.org/store/folder.asp?f=211&start=1)

9 ga 2 1/2" (http://www.woodenboat.org/store/folder.asp?f=211&start=11)

Support a worthy cause!

[nedL]

I guess I am pretty stuck on the idea of round shank nails. I am aware of the advantages of square shank nails. However I grew up with the boats & boatbuilders of the N.J. shore where they all used round shank nails, so there is just something that doesn't look 'right' to me about square shank nails in a Jersey skiff. (I've even seen some pictures of a Jersey built boat that was restored & refastened with square shank nails & that sort of stuck right out at me as being 'not quite right'.) I guess I see it kind of like looking at a nicely restored sailboat from a hundred years ago or so & seeing modern Harken hardware used, 'better'-yes, but doesn't look right to some. All in preferences I suppose.
I've seen copper slating & roofing nails available in different lengths, unfortunately the head is quite different from that of a common nail (quite a bit bigger & thinner)and not really designed for use as a rivet.
The "Wooden Boat Foundation" does seem to carry them Thank you Venchka, Unfortunately I do need to consider cost (they are about 2 1/2 times more), maybe when I look at how many more there are per pound it might be close.