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RE: "Clip head nail"

To: <shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: "Clip head nail"
From: "Randall Young" <ryoung@navcomtech.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 16:02:05 -0800
> >Any major disadvantages to using a framing nail gun that uses "clipped"
> >head nails.  I would imagine that since the head is missing a bit of
> >area, they won't hold quite as well as a regular nail, but how much
> >less?...

Depends on the application.  If the piece of wood on top is at least as
thick as the distance the nail penetrates into the piece on the bottom (and
is the same kind of wood), then the nail head is irrelevant.

> The other question that's always bothered me is why the wood doesn't
> slip off the pointy end.

Friction between the wood fibers and the nail shank.

> Oh yeah, and the electricity seems to be escaping from my pickup.
> I've heard that alternators have diodes that prevent electrical leaks.
> Does anyone know how to check these things?  It's a Ford.

Unlikely to be alternator diodes, IMO.  But, get a milliammeter (one of
those cheap DVMs from Harbor Freight will work just fine), disconnect the
output lead from the alternator (the heavy wire, usually fastened with a
nut), and connect the milliammeter through a small 12v test lamp from the
alternator terminal to the hot post on the battery (or the disconnected
wire).  (The test lamp is to help protect the milliammeter in case the
diodes really are bad.)  Anything more than 1ma indicates a problem inside
the alternator.  (I once found a single strand of fine wire inside my
Chevy's alternator, so don't automatically assume it's bad diodes.)

Randall





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