Replacing clenched planking nails?+

Hi,

My Father and I are restoring a 30 ft sydney built timber cruiser built in the 60s,she has been out of the water for approx 18 months and the planking is loose in some places,I have just read a thread that says when replacing the copper nails in the planking, drill the head of the nail and then punch this through from outside to inside and then remove with a pair of pliers.there are some areas in this boat where structural timber is on top of the ribbing that cannot be removed,does anyone have any suggestions on replacing these nails,could I use ring nail silicon bronze nails?

Newboaty

 

The older wood in the frames probably won't hold the nails all that well. Also, a ringed nail will hold less than a clenched one. Drilling the head of nails seems to be a typical advice. Hoever,it is very difficult to cut the head with a drill bit and not get it to wander and make a mess. Also, copper is notriously hard to drill. It is very malleable and bunches up in front of cutting edges. It is much easier to cut the inside and drive the nail out. Once it is partly pushed it can be pulled with pliers or a nail puller. Some clenched nails can be tightened too.

 

I don't try to drill out small clenches, they just piss you off, for the reasons stated by Gonzo. Use a pair of diagonal cutter and clip off the bent over part on the inside and tap the shank partly through with a small punch. The head can be grabbed from the outside, she'll come out with a simple tug. Clenches can sometimes be dogged down, but often, particularly on old fasteners, the clench fatigues and breaks, usually at the bend. Yep, sometimes there's going to be a stringer or something in the way of fasteners. Welcome to the world of re-fastening. Most often you'll need to remove the pieces in the way.

If you're replacing planking, then skip the clipping part with the diagonal cutters and just yank them bodily out of the planking with a pliers. You'll have to gouge the surrounding wood a little, but it's getting replaced anyway. On fastener to structural members (frames, etc.), clip these as you'll do damage to the surrounding wood during removal.

Many boats that were sound afloat will dry out and the fasteners will appear loose. When the wood swells up after re-launching, these may tighten back up. Clenched construction doesn't like wet/dry cycling, the bent over points open a little each time and then become useless as a fastener. Roves and through bolts are more tolerant of wet/dry cycling then clenches. Ring shank nails are the weaker cousin to clenches, roves and bolts (in that order of strength).

 

I have gone with the option of drilling the heads of the nails and punching them through and this is working well.
All nails have punched out so far and we have replaced a ribbing at the back of the boat clenching nails.
We haven't quite got the hook at the tip of the nail right yet but we are getting there.

newboaty

 

Use Clout Nails if the ones that came out of the boat have a squarish look. They bend and do not break like ring nails do. You could also go with common type of copper nail . Be sure that the hole you use is the same on the planking and of course new on the frame or rib.

You can get clout nails from Noah's Marine supply in Toronto or Jamestown Distributors or even Lee Valley Tools.