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Clinch Nail lengths...

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Question maybe for the WC restorers here:

How do you select a length for Clinch nails? I've been looking into them for a project, and can't get a straight answer. Several sources agree that a nail that is too long is almost as bad as one that is too short. What I can't tell is how to define "Too Much." Is it a percentage of the material thickness? Dependent on the gauge of the nail? Fairly close to a constant?

If it matters, I'm probably looking at mild steel, rather than copper.
 
We use mostly brass ones although I have seen a lot of the larger ones made of copper. I would suggest that you need about 1/3 of the nail sticking through the work piece so that it will turn on itself and curl back over. They tend to ball up rather than form a precise U shape as you might expect them to.
 
Regular brass canoe tacks are 11/16” and are meant to join a rib 5/16” and planking 5/32”. Ribs and plank made of soft cedar. The goal is to bury the head in the plank below the surface of the wood and have enough length to turn the end into a J. Doing the math it seems you need a tack 7/32” or so longer than the thickness of the two pieces of wood. I think I did the math correct. Using steel instead of brass might change things, as might the characteristics of the wood. This should be a good starting point though.

Mark.
 
I used them long ago for scenery, and I'd say 1/4" longer than thickness is about right, pretty close to dogwood's 7/32".
 
Thanks for the feedback so far, and the new search term! I wouldn't have thought to call them "canoe tacks.'

I'm looking at fastening Red Oak, right about 1/2" total thickness, so in the same dimensional ballpark. I wonder if the brass would penetrate when clinched, or if it would just ball up on the surface?

Lee Valley seems to have a decent price, assuming that these are the right thing: https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/hardware/fasteners/tacks/40384-brass-canoe-tacks?item=91Z2605

Steel nails/tacks built on similar proportions seem to be a little hard to source, as well. Most suppliers start with 3D or 4D (1 1/4" or 1 1/2") for cut nails of various styles. The only ones that I've been able to find that are shorter are pointed at shoemakers!
 
Odd the way the link states it - driven through and then clinched. It was for me one step, driving it with a steel plate backer and it clinched as I was driving.
 
It's possible that the Ad copy was written by someone who has never used the canoe-sized ones. While doing some research, I found that larger clinched nails are often driven through, and then clinched as a separate operation.

The version that I've seen for boats was this Youtube video: https://youtu.be/240NwYVCnew (total 7 minutes, and shows the mushrooming thing Iskweo was talking about. Also claims to show how to avoid it.) Feedback on whether this looks realistic from those who have done it appreciated.

The steel nails I've been looking at are here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/935454...1&variation0=1779254633&variation1=1779254617 but I'm not averse to using brass if it would drive. (I know about pilot holes, I'm thinking of the clinched tip.)
 
Well, been digging around the interwebs. no matter which way I slice it, it looks like $60 worth of fasteners for what is supposed to be an experiment. Anyone have alternate ways of fastening fairly thin planking?
 
They look legitimate. I think if you call them you'll know right away if they're the real thing. Just ask them some questions about clinching, it should be obvious. Do you intend to use 3/4" copper tacks? Post some pics of your experiment. Mark Mark
 
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