copper nail setting

[Len Charlebois]

I've bought some of the copper nails and roves offered by Jamestown Distributors and I'm curious about the right way to set them. They have a head with a shallow pyramid shape on them (is this the Scandinavian style?) and I'm wondering how deep to set the heads. The tests I've done seem to sink them to the top of the pyramid. Did I set them too hard? Are these heads supposed to stand a little proud? If they are supposed to be countersunk, what would be the proper way to finish them i.e. putty over, then paint? If they don't sink in that much, do I need a holding iron with a hole in it?

Thanks for any comments!

Len

[Len Charlebois]

I've bought some of the copper nails and roves offered by Jamestown Distributors and I'm curious about the right way to set them. They have a head with a shallow pyramid shape on them (is this the Scandinavian style?) and I'm wondering how deep to set the heads. The tests I've done seem to sink them to the top of the pyramid. Did I set them too hard? Are these heads supposed to stand a little proud? If they are supposed to be countersunk, what would be the proper way to finish them i.e. putty over, then paint? If they don't sink in that much, do I need a holding iron with a hole in it?

Thanks for any comments!

Len

[Len Charlebois]

I've bought some of the copper nails and roves offered by Jamestown Distributors and I'm curious about the right way to set them. They have a head with a shallow pyramid shape on them (is this the Scandinavian style?) and I'm wondering how deep to set the heads. The tests I've done seem to sink them to the top of the pyramid. Did I set them too hard? Are these heads supposed to stand a little proud? If they are supposed to be countersunk, what would be the proper way to finish them i.e. putty over, then paint? If they don't sink in that much, do I need a holding iron with a hole in it?

Thanks for any comments!

Len

[Thad]

It's up to you, though the nail head will not oxidize if you countersink and cover it. The depth and covering material depends more on the thickness of your planking and your choice of finish than anything. There is nothing wrong with putty and if the planking is thin you would not want to countersink deeply enough to bung. The more wood under the head the better. If you must have bungs and there is planking to take the quarter inch countersink, nothing wrong with that except you will need a backing iron with a little nib on it to reach the head.

[Thad]

It's up to you, though the nail head will not oxidize if you countersink and cover it. The depth and covering material depends more on the thickness of your planking and your choice of finish than anything. There is nothing wrong with putty and if the planking is thin you would not want to countersink deeply enough to bung. The more wood under the head the better. If you must have bungs and there is planking to take the quarter inch countersink, nothing wrong with that except you will need a backing iron with a little nib on it to reach the head.

[Thad]

It's up to you, though the nail head will not oxidize if you countersink and cover it. The depth and covering material depends more on the thickness of your planking and your choice of finish than anything. There is nothing wrong with putty and if the planking is thin you would not want to countersink deeply enough to bung. The more wood under the head the better. If you must have bungs and there is planking to take the quarter inch countersink, nothing wrong with that except you will need a backing iron with a little nib on it to reach the head.

[Len Charlebois]

Sorry, Thad, I should have mentioned that I'm building the 14' peapod from John Gardner's book, that calls for 3/8" planking. It's just that these "rose-head boat nails" from Jamestown tended to pull into the wood as I headed over the nail, instead of ending up flush with the wood, as a flat head nail would. By the way, it's nice to talk with you again; we spoke at the Wooden Boat show a couple of years ago. You had a very traditional looking small boat there with (I believe it was) a pine tar finish. In any event, beautiful.

[Len Charlebois]

Sorry, Thad, I should have mentioned that I'm building the 14' peapod from John Gardner's book, that calls for 3/8" planking. It's just that these "rose-head boat nails" from Jamestown tended to pull into the wood as I headed over the nail, instead of ending up flush with the wood, as a flat head nail would. By the way, it's nice to talk with you again; we spoke at the Wooden Boat show a couple of years ago. You had a very traditional looking small boat there with (I believe it was) a pine tar finish. In any event, beautiful.

[Len Charlebois]

Sorry, Thad, I should have mentioned that I'm building the 14' peapod from John Gardner's book, that calls for 3/8" planking. It's just that these "rose-head boat nails" from Jamestown tended to pull into the wood as I headed over the nail, instead of ending up flush with the wood, as a flat head nail would. By the way, it's nice to talk with you again; we spoke at the Wooden Boat show a couple of years ago. You had a very traditional looking small boat there with (I believe it was) a pine tar finish. In any event, beautiful.

[ishmael]

Hi Len,

If I've got you right, I think you may want a different rivet for this application. The place I've seen the kind you seem to have was on Scandanavian style craft, oil finished with the heads of the nails left proud. With a painted boat, I think you want the kind of rivet with a head that looks like a beefy iron 'penny' nail's. In light planking, set below the surface slightly and puttied. The rivets I've always seen and used on painted boats have a flat head. Best of luck.

[This message has been edited by ishmael (edited 09-18-2000).]

[ishmael]

Hi Len,

If I've got you right, I think you may want a different rivet for this application. The place I've seen the kind you seem to have was on Scandanavian style craft, oil finished with the heads of the nails left proud. With a painted boat, I think you want the kind of rivet with a head that looks like a beefy iron 'penny' nail's. In light planking, set below the surface slightly and puttied. The rivets I've always seen and used on painted boats have a flat head. Best of luck.

[This message has been edited by ishmael (edited 09-18-2000).]

[ishmael]

Hi Len,

If I've got you right, I think you may want a different rivet for this application. The place I've seen the kind you seem to have was on Scandanavian style craft, oil finished with the heads of the nails left proud. With a painted boat, I think you want the kind of rivet with a head that looks like a beefy iron 'penny' nail's. In light planking, set below the surface slightly and puttied. The rivets I've always seen and used on painted boats have a flat head. Best of luck.

[This message has been edited by ishmael (edited 09-18-2000).]

[Len Charlebois]

Thanks, Ishmael. I ordered the rose head nails from the Jamestown web site because I somehow didn't see the common nails (they're certainly there now). They do have a nice square shank on them, (as Mr. Gardner recommended) but I'll order up the common nails for this boat, and save the rose heads for another (I've always liked faerings...

[Len Charlebois]

Thanks, Ishmael. I ordered the rose head nails from the Jamestown web site because I somehow didn't see the common nails (they're certainly there now). They do have a nice square shank on them, (as Mr. Gardner recommended) but I'll order up the common nails for this boat, and save the rose heads for another (I've always liked faerings...

[Len Charlebois]

Thanks, Ishmael. I ordered the rose head nails from the Jamestown web site because I somehow didn't see the common nails (they're certainly there now). They do have a nice square shank on them, (as Mr. Gardner recommended) but I'll order up the common nails for this boat, and save the rose heads for another (I've always liked faerings...