I'm getting ready to finally chop my '32 sedan and I was wondering if any company made a special tool to remove the nails in the body wood? I mainly need to remove the rear window wood and rear quarter wood to shorten it, as well as the nails on the B pillars to lift the top off. The wood is all brand new that was in the body when I got it and I plan on reusing it. I guess I could modify a chisel or screwdriver to pry them, I've heard of guys doing it this way. If anyone has any pictures of tools they've bought or made, it's be greatly appreciated.
I have done a fair amount of this kind of work and it can sometimes go your way and sometimes be very difficult. You may likely find the need to separate two pieces from each other and cut the nail to remove them and then remove the nails on the bench. The nails are likely rusty and may break off before they pull out. Any damage to the part can be repaired, glued or whatever it takes to make it reusable. Here are some of the tools I have around that would be useful. Tack puller, mini cats paw, Dyckes. old chisel, mini hack saw and recontoured putty knife. Also pry bar, drill, nail set. I use a pair of end cutters ground down to a sharp edge for pulling frets from guitars and they would also be handy.
Guys who shoe horses use nail puller nips made by GE Forge. Pricey (higher than giraffe pussy), but do a great job at this. Horse shoes are nailed on, to reshoe the nails have to come out with out messing up the horses foot. Sold through horse supply outfits. I bought a pair and they were a good investment. I've used them on other things where any thing else just would not grab what I was after.
I'll pick up one of the tack pullers tomorrow. I'm not too worried about the nails breaking as they're brand new, I just need to be able to get under the head of it and pull it out. I guess its time to get creative now!
Sorry I went and looked, What I meant to say was "crease nail pullers". Diamond Forge makes a serviceable pair of those for about $50. Ain't nothin about a damn horse cheap. My wife had several of 'em for years.
Use the brad puller to start pulling the nail. Then use a vice grips and pull toward the round jaw untill the nail is out. It the nail head breaks off with the brad puller take a small wood chisel and make a relief around the nail big enough to get the small vice grips locked on it and again pull toward the round jaw. As a furniture maker I use very few nails but when I do they sometimes do go array and this has always been the only way to get them out of oak.
I took a needle nose pliers amd ground slots in the jaws right at the tip with a cut off wheel. Slots bite the nail head nicely.
Around here you buy them in a Mennonite town they are way cheaper than that. That is what I was going to suggest.
I'm assuming it's hardwood you're dealing with so that makes nail removal more difficult. I've found that a bit more working room around the nail head helps a lot and a small diameter hole punch works well to form a shallow recess around the head. Just tap it down and dig out the loose wood until you have enough room to work with. I use several nail removal tools plus vice-grips and pliers. One of the best is this tool from Lee Valley tools, although I'm guessing it's also available from other suppliers as well. Just make sure you have a good lock on the nail head before you try to yank it out and don't break it off - then the real fun starts! Good luck http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32014&cat=1,43456,43399
I just use my dykes. The are great for those stales that break. Grab the nail, brad or staple with the toe and rock the pliers down. Once it comes out some, slide it all the way in and lift the pliers and you can walk it completely out. I've never had a nail that it couldn't remove on the size nails involved in this application.
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