Find Hidden Nails in Recycled Wood With Rare Earth Magnets
Reclaimed wood can be a great solution, but nails can get stuck inside and can be difficult to find and remove. Here’s a trick using rare earth magnets to find hidden bugs before they destroy your saw blade.
An eye test is simply not sufficient when checking pallet nails or recycled wood. The heads of the nails can be easily cut off by leaving a piece of metal deep inside the wood. If you do not remove the nail, it can damage the band saw blade or table saw blade and cause a dangerous kick back.
Use a group of rare earth magnets tied to a fishing line to reveal invisible nails. Run it directly over the lumber and look for it to pull in one way or another. If it wobbles, then you probably have a hidden nail that you can dig out.
How to remove nails | John Peters “Art and Home” (YouTube)