St. Landry democrat., 1884-11-15
Economy in Using Rails.


shown in the use of nails Tor different
kinds of work. Sometimes the fault is
with the foreman and sometimes with
the workman. Ten-penny and twelve
penny nails are frequently employed
when six-pennies would subserve more
satisfactory, as well as a more econom-
ical purpose. Every workman who has
occasion to use nails of various sizes,
should provide neat na,l-box, having
about six compartments, for as many
different kinds of nails, A suitable box
for holding nails may be made of thin
boards. eighteen inches long by ten
inches wide, with fiaring sides, and a
division board through the middle 1t
should be provided with suitable han
die in the UPPER part, and such nail
box will always be found more conyen-
lent than some old dish that may be
turned over at a touch.
If workman is not sufficiently inter-
.ested in choosing nails of the most suit
able size for given piece of work, the
intelligent boss should point out to him
the ad vantages of using nails of proper
size. When one is mailing down floor
ing, for example. it viii be found mat
ter OF economy to use eight-penny nails,
especially if the joist or sleepers are
hard timber. Whenever an eight penny
nail will hold board or stick of timber,
it will be more economical to use eight
penny than nails of a larger size. In
many instances, when q workman is
mailing on siding, the studs, posts or
beams, in certain places may be unu-
.sually hard and gnarly; in all such
places, q six-penny nail can be driven in
with facility, whereas, ten-penny nail
viii double up and very likely split the
siding or casing before it Is driven half
its length.
When balloon frames are being erecb-
ed, the sides Of the ioists are often
nailed TO the studs with thirty y-penny
nails, which argues great lack of
economy, as more than an inch in
length of every nail viii protrude be-
yond the stud. By employing for this
purpose ten-penny nails which will
barely extend through the joist and
stud, and driving in two or three mores
the joint will be rendered much sitter,
even by the use of less weight OF
nails.
There is also great lack of economy
when more nails are used than are abb
sOlutely necessary for the well doing of
the work, though nails enough to hold
the work permanently together will be
found a satisfactory sufficiency. And
whatever may be used beyond re-
quisite number may be computed as so
much clear loss.
The ioists of a building are often
placed only twelve inches apart. Work
men frequently drive two nails through
every board into each ioist Oae-half
the number of nails would serve the de-
sired purpose quite as well, thus saving
not only the nails but the time en-
pIoyed to drive them.
When making picket fence, for ex-
ample, two ten-penny nails are frequent
ly employed at one end Of picket,
where one eight penny nail would an
swer quite as well, if a ribbon was
nailed over all the pickets, with few
thirty-penny nails reaching well into the
rails or runners of the fence, The same
economy may be exercised when one 8
putting on battens over the joints OF
vertical siding. II the studs are suffi-
.ciently hard to hold ma ] as well as
hemlock, small eights may be emplo ed
rather than tens. And this sort of
economy may be exerc sed in numerous
kinds of mechanical operations with adj
vantage to the work itself and with profit
to the proprietor.
During the operation ofbuilding board
fences, where the posts are made OF
hard seasoned timber, it is a common
occurrence to see workmen using la~ge
ten-pennY and even twelve-penny build.
ing-nails at a great disadvantage, as
such nails, in most instances. cannot be
driven half their length into hard wood.
Economy in time, in material. also, and
in completing the work in more sub,
stantiaf manner. would argue in favor
OF using short and strong fence nails in
Sian nf 1nnr and slender building-nails