double headed nails

[hatsgoods]

here is a little rant i did earlier just for something to do as i got ask the question "how do i use double headed nails" in the past. that person said this is a dumb ass question too. i said there is no dumb ass question when it comes to fireworks put together / safety. its always better to be safe than sorry so here the vid below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHfeXTV7cLk

[PyroManiacs]

Im looking into a duplex air nailer for this upcoming season. :) Used one last year on a show.... Work smart not hard.

[CTPYRO]

Im looking into a duplex air nailer for this upcoming season. :) Used one last year on a show.... Work smart not hard.

I've never understood the reasoning behind having to use double headed nails vs regular nails. I can honestly say I'm glad we use a nail gun for our display setups here in CT... faster and very reliable. Mass and NH require the double heads.. two on top and two on the bottom.. very time consuming and more labor

[pyroma]

NH you can have screws as an option. I can attest that its a lot of extra labor with double headed and learned early....36" crowbar for breakdown, LEAVERAGE saves your forearm from melting down (just be carefull if someone is behind you, I cut 6" off mine, its now a 30")...Kelli, I recommend in the off season to just practice hammering with a 16 oz hammer and invest in a crowbar. Based on shows I've crewed its easy to spot someone with no carpentry skills. 45 minutes of rapid nail removal on a warm night is brutal!!! (CTPYRO...nail guns are cool, I'll crew one of your shows anyday!)

[hatsgoods]

i am verry good with a hammer but i was sitting when i did the vid until at the end when i got up.

[hatsgoods]

i do use a crow bar but didnt bother getting it out.


i am verry good with a hammer but i was sitting when i did the vid until at the end when i got up.

[pyroma]

Just a contructive suggestion.... have fun this season!!

[PyroManiacs]

There are two good things that come out of using these nails. One... you get a consistent drive depth, as they will stop at the first head everytime. Unless of course you're smashing them in. Two...they will still create a strong support between the sideboard and rack while the space between the second head and first head/sideboard is where your prybar uses its leverage for biting against the nail to pull it out.

I honestly don't understand how you use single head nails and pull them out when you drive them all the way in. If you dont drive them all the way in, the sideboards will be loose and the back pressure from the lift has more of a chance to shake the side boards off because theres no support between the board and rack. No?

[CTPYRO]

Here in CT we use a nail gun on all of our setups. Two nails on the top and bottom at the beginning of each row of racks and then just one on the top and bottom of each until you get to the other end of the string. We never save the strapping and comes off by simply banging it off with a hammer which we have plenty of. Not once has a pod or string of racks come loose during the shoot. Mike.... we are def looking for guys this yr to work with us.

[hatsgoods]

i know im not mad and ill try my best this year after having a heart attack on thanksgiving
Just a contructive suggestion.... have fun this season!!

[pyroma]

Kelli , don't get me wrong. I just tried to express some tips on limiting energy used on working a show with double headed nails based on my limited experience. Long story short...theres many ways to tie racks together safely whether it be double headed nails, single shot nail guns, or screws....side boards? strapping? ratchet straps? blah blah blah....the only good benefit of a double headed nail IMHO...its a place to wrap an ematch too. Nail gun for set up and disposable 1x3 strapping would be the route I'd go if given options... you got a heart condition, and your eager to grow with pyro, don't let the set up and break down of a show kill you.

[hatsgoods]

thanks for the info im thinking of the 1x3 strapping lath.

[wizard7611]

I've seen people use nail guns, regular nails, screws, rebar, side boards, metal or wooden steaks, and even straps for mortar racks. Now we have double headed nails, which would be lots easier to get out than having to dig them out. Convenient!:cool:

[PyroManiacs]

Now we have double headed nails, which would be lots easier to get out than having to dig them out. Convenient!:cool:

Exactly brotha.

[algrant1]

Two heads are better than one!

[PyroManiacs]

Two heads are better than one!

Haha no doubt!

[hatsgoods]

in the vid i did for this post it was just my thoughts and why i like to use them. not to sell them or make people think they can only use them, but just what i use in the field, and company i work for uses those nails to. im sorry if i made any one mad. i was just showing you what i prefer.

[Fire Art]

We use double headed nails and nothing beats a 21 year old in great shape to pull the nails out! and move racks for that matter.

[displayfireworks1]

The two headed nail, that has Pyrotecnico written all over it. LOL
I remember back in the day working on one of their displays when they were a poor struggling company , part of the after lunch pyro- technician duty was to get into the nail bucket and get your hammer to straighten out the used nails. I remember helping on a display and having a bucket with all used nails. When you tore the display down you saved the nails and of course reused all the side boards.
The problem with using a nail gun to set up a display is it is a pain and ass to tear the display down. that nail gun really drives the nails in.
http://image.ecplaza.com/offer/w/whirlwindyang/4712592.jpg
http://image.ec21.com/image/lhhy5/OF0008106086_1/Sell_Double-headed_nails.jpg
.
If you look at some of my Pyrotecnico videos you will see the nails in the sideboards.

[PyroManiacs]

that nail gun really drives the nails in.

Not if you get one with pressure control. :)

[CTPYRO]

Nail guns we use for all the setups... tearing down is fast and labor saving

[aecpyro]

You know it's going to be a fun day when you bust out your nail bucket and it's all used bent nails especially common towards the end of the summer when the smaller township day shows begin.

I have to say through experience the nail gun is good in the summer months but as it gets cold the glue that holds the strips together for the duplex nails hardens in the wood making removal a real pain. Nothing worse than nails that won't come out even with a quality pry bar and the desperate need for sleep.

[mguerra]

I use (and re-use) Torx head screws with a drill. Fast and easy. Not as fast to assemble as with a nail gun, but easy as hell to disassemble. No effort other than squeezing the trigger with the drill in reverse. But, look at these, and be sure to look at both photos before you assume something that is not what it appears!!

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p23/camjoe63/Fireworks/racks013.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p23/camjoe63/Fireworks/racks004.jpg

Talk about no work at all!!! I am building a bunch like these now. You put eye bolts on the ends of your racks, slot your end boards for the eye bolts, and drop in tent stakes. Brilliant.

[PyroManiacs]

Nice pics in that album!

[mguerra]

I just built a 20 shot fan rack last night with the screw eye, tent stake method. I don't think there could possibly be a faster assemble/ disassemble design out there!

[Northern Sky]

Gotta love the Camo Joe rigs.

[hatsgoods]

here i did a second part.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3fqtLIn5xk

[hatsgoods]

i thought i would see what would work better for me and the crowbar won the battle by far. i give the hammer a 4 out of 10 - 10 being the best and the crowbar ill give a 8 out 0 to 10 scale. over all we all have our choices on what to use when it comes to putting racks together for a show. i pick double headed nails for my shows.

[hatsgoods]

after having a heart attack the crow bar takes less effort too. im gonna have to take this season slow in the beginning but by September i hope im rocking south jersey. but only time will tell. so all i can do at this point is hope for the best. :cool:


i thought i would see what would work better for me and the crowbar won the battle by far. i give the hammer a 4 out of 10 - 10 being the best and the crowbar ill give a 8 out 0 to 10 scale. over all we all have our choices on what to use when it comes to putting racks together for a show. i pick double headed nails for my shows.