Tip O' the day from the Village Idiot.

[Rick Potter]

I must be really learning a lot since I seem to make so many mistakes.

Anyway, I was putting together a quickie shop cabinet, had it all glued up and tacked it together with 16 ga brads while I screwed it together just for a bit of added strength. At this point I realized I had put the nail strip at the top of the cabinet up too high, and I couldn't get the top on properly.

The glue was setting up and I didn't want to try to spread out the whole cabinet to pull the brads (the dado's in the shelves were glued and screwed already), so since it was a simple but joint I reached for my hacksaw to squeeze it in and cut the brads. It didn't seem like a good idea because of the wet glue in the joint would probably gum it up anyway. I needed something really thin and strong. Hey!! There's my putty knife.

I tapped the joint just a bit open, slid in the putty knife, gave it a sharp rap with a hammer, and it sliced right through that brad, a little farther down and it took out the other one too. This joint came apart cleanly and easily, and went right back in without trying to remove the brads like you must do when you pull a joint apart. I had to do that with the other end of the nail strip when I pulled it off. Thinking back, I wish I had used the putty knife there too, but as I said..I make a lot of mistakes.

I used a stiff bladed putty knife, but I think any would do the job, brads are pretty soft.

Rick Potter

[Jim Dunn]

I'm supprised that brads are soft enough to slice them off with a putty knife. Even one with a stiff blade. Nice save on the cabinet.

That said, I've remodeled a room or two and used old cftsmn chisels to cut off finish nails. (Don't tell those guys in the neander forum, blasphemy to use any chisel like that.)

[Don Bullock]

...That said, I've remodeled a room or two and used old cftsmn chisels to cut off finish nails. (Don't tell those guys in the neander forum, blasphemy to use any chisel like that.)

Jim, I think that's probably the best use for my old cftsnm chisels.

Rick, nice save. I guess you didn't catch the mistake in the dry set-up or did you forget that step. I sure feel you pain and have been there before. I'll most likely be there again. Thanks for the post. It helps reminds us all to check everything before applying glue.

[dan moran]

Jim, I think that's probably the best use for my old cftsnm chisels.

Rick, nice save. I guess you didn't catch the mistake in the dry set-up or did you forget that step. I sure feel you pain and have been there before. I'll most likely be there again. Thanks for the post. It helps reminds us all to check everything before applying glue.

i keep a 1" crapsman chisel in my framing bag to slice the occasional nail..
i wouldnt do it with a nice one though..

[Ted Miller]

I keep my dikes close by just for the um mistakes with brads and nail gun mishaps...