Brad nails are not the same as regular nails. This is common knowledge to a seasoned woodworker, but we all learned it somewhere. I learned it by brad nailing together a small book case for a friend. When it fell apart like a movie prop in a fight scene I knew that I made a mistake.
As a rookie woodworker, I made several mistakes along the way. I still make my share of mistakes to this day, but they are now father and fewer in between.
One of my most epic was using brad nails to make a book case for a friend. I had been making guitars for a while at that point, and I saw the book case as no real challenge.
After all, I was making instruments, and a book case didn’t have to sound good when I was done with it.
Having wanted a brad nailer for a long time, I saw the project as my opportunity to buy a new tool.
I celebrated the fact that I could shoot fifty nails in the time that you could pound one with a hammer, and I shot nails into that book case like they were free.
Being so excited to play with my new tool, and having no idea that I needed glue in the joints, I just shot the entire thing together. It didn’t take long before it fell apart when I tried to move it.
A quick little bit of research showed me my mistake, and I re-built the piece.
The moral of the story is that brad nails are really just small clamps. Their purpose is to hold a piece together long enough for the glue to dry.
The glue is the real source of strength in a piece like this, not the tiny nails. If you are considering buying a brad nail gun, do yourself a favor. Buy a bottle of glue at the same time.
If you have any questions on Brad Nails are not the Same as Regular Nails, please leave a comment and I will be glad to answer them. Also, please share my work with your friends online. It helps me reach more woodworkers, and share my projects. Happy building.
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