National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-07-29
Nails for Outdoor Work.

Every one Is familiar with the fact,
that piece of rusty iron, wrapped IN cot
ton or linen cloth, soon destroys the tex
ture of the fabric. A rlsting nail, for ex-
ample, if laid upon few rags, will soon |
produce large holes in them, or it will, at |
least, render every point that it touches
so rotten that the cloth will readily fall
to pieces at those points, and holes will
be produced by the slightest hard usage
Why this is so it is not our purpose to IN
vestigate. We merely state well-known
fact. and draw from 1t the conclusion
that iron, during the process OF rusting,
tends to destroy any vegetable f1bre with
which it may be in contact This ex-
plains. to a certain extent, the rapid de-
struction of the wood that surrounds the
nails in outdoor work, whereby the nail
is so soon left in hole much larger than
itself and all power of adhesion Is lost.
Part of this effect is, no doubt, due to the
action of water and air, which creep along
the surface of the nail by capillary attrac-
ton and tend to produce rottenness IN
the wood rs well as oxidation in the iron
But when we compare an old na1l hole
with IA similar hole that has been exposed
during an equal time, but has been filled
with a wooden pin instead of an iron nall,
we find that the wood surrounding the
wooden pin has suffered least, and We
NAV. therefore, attribute destructive ac-
ton to the l1lsting of the IRON 1t might,
at first sight, be supposed that, as the OK
ide of iron is more bulky than the pure
, iron. the hole would be filed more tight
ly and the nail held more firmly to IT.
place But. although this effect Is pro
duced in the first instance. yet the de
: struction of the woody fibre and the pull
; yerization of the oxide, soon overbalanct
: it, and the nail becomes loose. Of course
i the iron itself being also destroyed, it,
: strength is diminished, and we have
t therefore, n double incentive for pre-
} venting or diminishing the action tina
ii we have described. The only way t.
y prevent this action is to cover the mai
u with some substance that will preven
II oxidation. This might be done by TIN
u ming. as is common with carpet tacks
It which are now extensively timed for tn
purpose of preventing them from rustln
T. and thus rotting holes i'll the carpet
II Coating them with oil or tallow would !
eS efficient if the act of driving did not r.
Id, move lllt ploltttiiitS hi''.' "
~ A large portion of the surface. But, eve
lle then. it will be found that the oil or fat
:" stripped off the point and gathered abo
~ the head III such way as to prevent u
ii,S entrance of air and moisture INTO the hol
iio u The most efficient way to coat mails WI
u grease is to heat them to point slfiicle
ne to cause the grease to smoke and tn
1rS pour the grease over them, stirring the
ne in n not or other vessel When the ma
are hot, the melted grease will attach
ICE self to them more firmly than 1t won
''' have done if they We're cold-lndeed,
firmly that it will require actual abrasl
hs of the metal to separate it. In erectl
fences, laying plank or board sidewall
l''ii and the ike, it becomes an imports
ara matter to secure the nails against the
'oh auence that we have mentioned, and ,
'hs the work must be done rapidly n
m ''ii cheaply. Nails may be readily prepar
vas vas as described, or they may simply
l, lla' Dipped in oil oi paint at the nome
IKE when they are driven in. And we ha
u, 10 found, by experience that in cases wh'
igS it is not advisable to paint the wh'
uio fence it is, nevertheless, a good plan
up, 90 over the work and touch the head
'ho every nail with brush dipped in oil
.ho paint prepared so rs to be ot the Sa
9iie 9he color as old wood.