tree nails

[grumpie]

does anyone know what a tree nail is and how its used?

[scubafreek864]

TREE NAIL
tree·nail
[tree-neyl, tren-l, truhn-l] Show IPA
noun
a wooden pin that swells when moist, used for fastening together timbers, as those of ships.
Also, trenail, trunnel.

Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English trenayl.  See tree, nail

[grumpie]

they were used for ship construction to hold the ribs and the planking together.  the ships appear to be build from the inside out. the planking done inside first and then the out side.
the holes for the trunnels were hand drilled and then the trunnels were hand set. small wooden wedges were set in the trunnel to tighten them up

[DetectorGuy]

Trunnels were used in timberframe construction as well for houses and barns up until the mid 1800's. I heard once that in the early 1700's iron nails needed to be shipped in from Europe. These iron nails were in such short supply, that outdated/unused buildings were burned and the iron nails were pulled from the ashes to be used on the next building. This shortage of iron nails extended the use of trunnels quite a bit in America compared to Europe.

As far as planking the inner layer first... The inner planking was the structural layer, and the outer layer of planking was a sacrificial or expendible layer that ship worms could bore into and not effect the structural layer. This sacrificial layer could be replaced every so often as needed. In the late 1750's they started using copper sheathing instead of this second layer of wood to prevent worm damage. Lead was also used to clad a ship but not that common as it had bad reactions with the iron fittings. So if you find a ship that has copper cladding, it was either built or re-fitted with copper cladding after the late 1750's.

[Terry]

                             John, I remember diving as copper clad hull years ago, then the price of copper went thru the roof and we, I mean others, of course, turned her back in to strictly wood hull. :o
                             I normally dont get the chance to ask carpenters much anymore, well, other then to get out of the way,  but wouldn't tree nail's be effectively used the same as dowels in wooden furtiture, allbeit on steroids?

[DetectorGuy]

Yep, wood dowels are the same kinda deal. I used wood dowels to attach the two halves of the oak chainsaw bar guard that I almost made for you... >

[Terry]

                  Appreciate the thought John, but in the end, glad you didn't, the complaint I heard against my saw before I bought it was, she's too heavy. When I picked her up the first time from the Hugo Feed Mill, thay said it again, and I thought maybe they need to toughen up. It wasn't till I cut down the first 60' elm did I realize they were right. The plastic guard is only 8 bucks, and light enough on a windy day out on the ice she'd blow away if not for getting tucked in somewhere.
                   

[grumpie]

The old shipyards had their own blacksmith shops where they made all the hardware for the ships as they were being build. About the only things they did not make was sails and cordage. they  had warehouse on site to store the other stuff.

[Hydro]

google says you are all wrong, this is what tree nails are:






although heres a more legit pic




how to make one


hot to install one


even more installation