"Glue and Nail" with the Ryobi brad nailer

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jfhbc
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"Glue and Nail" with the Ryobi brad nailer

Post by jfhbc »

Quick question for the hive mind:

I've read here that the "Glue and Nail" method with brads and a (Ryobi) airgun is faster/preferable. However I'm a little puzzled:

With "Screw and Glue", the screws are used first as locators to ensure re-alignment, then removed. Glue is applied between the two surfaces to be mated, then they are screwed together again, using the screws as guides to reposition. This time the screws act as compressors as well, to hold the mated surfaces together. Then comes the fillet to finish the joint.

With "Glue and Nail"... does the method omit the glueing together of the parts, with just the fillets holding the joint? I don't see how the brads can be used as locators, since they can't be removed. Is it enough to clamp the two pieces together, slap a couple brads in to hold them in place, then fillet?

I feel like I'm missing something - how does using a Ryobi nailer allow for dry-fitting, then glueing between surfaces?
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Re: "Glue and Nail" with the Ryobi brad nailer

Post by pocketyacht »

The glue and nail method works like this in all areas of the build except the centerboard trunk and the attachment of the bow and transom.

As an example: A cleat to the top of a bulkhead- Clip clamp the cleat in its position to ensure it fits nicely. Remove it, wet out the to be glued surfaces (on the bulkhead and the cleat), add thickened epoxy, clip clamp it back in place and pin it with a few nails using the Ryobi nailer. Remove clip clamps and move on to the next cleat.

Fillets ar one part of the bond process, nails replace clamps but are not fasteners per se, they offer clamping in a very efficient manner.

So for any wood to wood attachment point- wet out, addd thickened epoxy to one of the surfaces, align and either clamp, nail or screw until cured.

The Ryobi airstrike nailer is an amazing time saver and if done correctly nails are left in place. This means the nails must be stainless steel, which are not carried by hardware stores but can be ordered on line through amazon etc.
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Re: "Glue and Nail" with the Ryobi brad nailer

Post by jfhbc »

Thank you!
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Re: "Glue and Nail" with the Ryobi brad nailer

Post by SCAMP333 »

Why do the brads need to be stainless steel? I’ve used galvanized with the understanding that they will be buried inside the wood and covered with epoxy. There’s no exposure of the fastener.
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Re: "Glue and Nail" with the Ryobi brad nailer

Post by jfhbc »

For me it comes down to this:

In theory, I agree there's no exposure of the fastener. In practice, I don't want to test the theory. The few dollars in difference between a pack of 1,000 stainless brads, vs a pack of 1,000 galvanized brads, when compared to the cost of all other materials and my time, is so negligible that I went with stainless.

Having said that, if all I could find was galvanized then I would have used galvanized without a second thought. Because there's no exposure of the fastener.
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Re: "Glue and Nail" with the Ryobi brad nailer

Post by pocketyacht »

Stainless is simply a better option even though nails will or should buried in glue and epoxy one never knows over time. Galvanized even zinc coated can rust over time particularly if exposed to salt water, why take the chance of rust streaks a few years down the line should a nail become exposed. The zinc coating will slow down the oxidation but this said nails fired from a nailer can have the zinc coating compromised. Smart move going with stainless.
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