Pulling nails & hardware out of burn pile ash

[Runner]

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

Original post didn't mention pallets, but agree, even if you wanted to, it's almost impossible to get the nails out of pallets

 

[JeepHead]

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

Interesting! I burnt 3 couches in my back yard which is what made me buy this magnet. My yard is not smooth in this section as I drive the tractor around there constantly, but not heavily rutted either. I had thousands of staples and screws left over after the burn and this worked extremely well for me, and quick too!

 

[flyerdan]

I've always wanted to collect about five old automobile air conditioner pumps to salvage the clutch coils to make an electromagnet. They pull about 4 amps, so a 25 amp circuit should power a gang of them mounted to a board and skinned with thin material so stuff won't go up into the coils.

 

[Hughman]

I took a magnet from an old speaker and zip tied it to a metal leaf rake. It works well for finding the nails but you spend a lot of time pulling the nails off of the rake.

 

[Jstpssng]

I took a magnet from an old speaker and zip tied it to a metal leaf rake. It works well for finding the nails but you spend a lot of time pulling the nails off of the rake.

Good idea! Couldn't you just take the magnet off to release them?

 

[bigtiller]

How about a 3000lb. pull fishing magnet? I never tried one and have no idea how well it would work. This same site has a double pull at 2000lb. for half the price.

https://www.amazon.com/Pulling-Magnets-Degrees-Fishing-Treasure/dp/B097R5YRCL/ref=sxin_15_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.7f348b0b-9186-427b-9468-a5e99d647fd3%3Aamzn1.sym.7f348b0b-9186-427b-9468-a5e99d647fd3&cv_ct_cx=fishing%2Bmagnet&hvadid=241949790914&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9017874&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=4059362412970587211--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4059362412970587211&hvtargid=kwd-159086342&hydadcr=24661_10400816&keywords=fishing%2Bmagnet&mcid=a60809056db03e0b830cd159d6917e0c&pd_rd_i=B09FLD6P2P&pd_rd_r=312b506b-768c-4e8c-8cbe-81906117445b&pd_rd_w=CCPp7&pd_rd_wg=vQX4W&pf_rd_p=7f348b0b-9186-427b-9468-a5e99d647fd3&pf_rd_r=G58R8BB3NZY9YD065R2Q&qid=1762283674&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sr=1-1-e169343e-09af-4d41-85b1-8335fe8f32d0-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&th=1

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

1000 pounds should be enough & in a thick plastic bag makes it easier removing metal.

 

[mjonesnh]

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

Have that same magnet that I use to sweep around old buildings at farm before I bush hog. Amazed sometimes at number of nails I get sometimes.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I just got done cutting up a big flail mower pallet with a cordless chainsaw. Big pieces go to the woods. Burning them isn't worth the trouble, since they will vanish in two years. Medium-size pieces to the big landfill that takes construction debris.

The little local dump won't accept construction debris, so the little pieces with nails will either to go the big dump today, or I'll sneak them into the household garbage tomorrow and take them to the little dump.

I don't know the model number of the Harbor Freight magnetic rake, but it's the big one. I don't know if it's as good as the pro rakes, but Project Farm likes it.

 

[WinterDeere]

1000 pounds should be enough & in a thick plastic bag makes it easier removing metal.View attachment 4332166

Done. Fuddy has the winning solution, for me!

I suspect most plastic bags will just tear, trying to pull off that magnet full of nails, put perhaps an old grass seed bag or burlap bag... or even a sheet of plexiglass?