Pulling nails & hardware out of burn pile ash

[Suburban Plowboy]

Magnetic rakes vary tremendously in effectiveness. A roof guy visited my house recently and told me the rake he used cost $200. No wheels. Just a long bar.

Harbor Freight has a good rake for about $50.

I have two of the low-end rakes, and they are no good except indoors.

 

[Runner]

After using the magnet, I would go over the area one more time with a metal detector. Then, next time, I would pull all the nails before burning.

 

[ponytug]

I just purchased a rolling magnet at Harbor Freight two weeks ago for this very reason and it works extremely well. LINK

That's what I have, and it does not work well for me in rough terrain or soft terrain.

I like @RjCorazza's 750lb magnet tool. That sounds effective.

All the best, Peter

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

You can always take the wheels off the Harbor Freight rake. The one the roofing guy had no wheels.

 

[ruffdog]

Here are some different magnets:

McMaster-Carr

 

[ponytug]

You burn pressure treated? They won't even accept that in the burn pile at the transfer station.

Oh, gosh, no! It's just that when we have had construction with pressure treated, the stainless steel screws seem to get everywhere, and then a leaf blower comes along and they end up in the burn pile.

PT disposal around here is a pain in the behind, big time. At one point, conflicting laws had no legal way to dispose of it, and no more than a certain amount was allowed to be stored on site, so... yeah, rock and a hard place. There's a "temporary" allowance for disposal at one location in about a fifty mile radius from here.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Runner]

This reminds me of a pro-tip: When I'm harvesting lumber off something like a crate or pallet, rather than go through the work of trying to pull the nails, sometimes I just cut the joints with nails off with a chainsaw and put just those pieces in the trash, saving the "clean" wood for re-use or burning.

 

[ponytug]

This reminds me of a pro-tip: When I'm harvesting lumber off something like a crate or pallet, rather than go through the work of trying to pull the nails, sometimes I just cut the joints with nails off with a chainsaw and put just those pieces in the trash, saving the "clean" wood for re-use or burning.

That's what I do. Pallets especially as they seem to use screw nails preferentially.

All the best, Peter

 

[Runner]

PT disposal around here is a pain in the behind, big time. At one point, conflicting laws had no legal way to dispose of it,

Anything up to and including a 4x4 will go through my chipper whether it's treated or not......

 

[WinterDeere]

Magnetic rakes vary tremendously in effectiveness.

Yeah, that's why I'm asking for specific links, before buying. I'd rather go with something that someone here has already tested, and confirmed good.

Harbor Freight has a good rake for about $50.

Good to know. Got a model number?

Then, next time, I would pull all the nails before burning.

lol... hell will freeze over, before I start pulling every nail and staple out of every pallet or other item I burn!

This reminds me of a pro-tip: When I'm harvesting lumber off something like a crate or pallet, rather than go through the work of trying to pull the nails, sometimes I just cut the joints with nails off with a chainsaw and put just those pieces in the trash, saving the "clean" wood for re-use or burning.

Yeah, I used to do that, and it works pretty well. But lately I'm using a pallet under a load of fresh brush or hedge and tree trimmings to provide airflow to an otherwise high moisture content load. Sawing the pallet apart would be counterproductive, to the forge effect I'm generating by inserting the pallet under the load I'm burning down.

I think a strong magnet dragged thru the ash is going to be "good enough" for my needs, here. Even better if it's an electromagnet, so I can shut it off to drop the material into the trash.