Workmen have sometimes a custom of dipping the ends of bolts into tar, in order to make them drive more freely: as tar is injurious to the bolts, oil should rather be used for this purpose.
RAG-POINTED BOLTS, Rag-Bolts, or Barb-Bolts, are such as have their points jagged or barbed, to make them hold the more securely: these are used chiefly where common bolts could not be clinched.
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SPIKE-NAILS, or SPIKES. A name for nails of four inches and
upwards in length. DECK NAILS are a kind of spike, with larger heads,
commonly made in a diamond form. Spikes are used for ceiling &c. In some
parts of the Continent of Europe, they are frequently made use of also for
fastening the bottom planks of vessels, although, if iron be employed for
this purpose, bolts (whereof the greater part ought to go through and be
clinched inside) are greatly preferable.
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TREENAILS. Cylindrical pins (generally made of oak or
Dantzic fir) driven through the sides and bottom of a vessel in order to secure and bind her planking and timbers together; to assist in preventing the treenail from starting either way, a four cornered pin of hard wood with a sharp point (called a treenail-plug) is then driven into its outer end, and a wooden wedge of hard wood into its inner end. Iron bolts are sometimes used in preference to treenails for the topsides and wales, because the planks are apt to rot, should any bad treenails happen to be employed. In the parts below water good treenails are preferable, on account of the tendency of iron to corrode. By a recent regulation of Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping, every vessel which would rank ten years A1 or upwards, is entitled to an extension of two years on that class, if fastened with copper or yellow metal bolts to the exclusion of treenails.
Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius
Sjöhistoriska Samfundet | The Maritime History Virtual Archives | Shipbuilding | Fastenings.
Copyright © 1996 Lars Bruzelius.