Complex sentence: Nails were expensive and difficult to obtain in the American colonies families often had small nail manufacturing setups in their homes; during bad weather and at night, the entire family might work at making nails for their own use and for barter.
Split into simpler sentences: Nails were expensive and difficult to obtain in the American colonies. Families often had small nail manufacturing setups in their homes; during bad weather and at night, the entire family might work at making nails for their own use and for barter.