Nails and Cardboard: A Clever Technique for Finishing Parts

When it comes to finishing parts, I have a simple yet effective trick up my sleeve: using nails and corrugated cardboard. This method allows me to suspend the parts while their finish is drying, ensuring a flawless result. Let me walk you through the process and explain why this technique works wonders.

Leaving parts to dry after applying a finish can be quite challenging. While there are options like triangular strips of wood or dedicated plastic pyramids, one of my favorite techniques for many years has been using the nail tip method. It’s a cost-effective and easy-to-implement approach that allows the nail tip to support the weight of the part while leaving minimal marks behind. Plus, if you remember to position the less visually prominent facet of the part facing downward, the more visible side remains unaffected by the nail’s tip.

Plywood and nails is one way, but the corrugated cardboard technique is faster.

One simple way to create individual nail stands is by using small pieces of plywood measuring 2×2. Just insert a nail through the plywood, and you have sturdy stands to elevate your parts during drying. However, I recently discovered an even better alternative: corrugated cardboard.

Utilizing a piece of corrugated cardboard offers several advantages over plywood. It provides an excellent guide for arranging nails according to specific part geometries and requirements. For instance, when I needed to finish walnut strips recently, I decided to try this innovative approach. I found an old box, took a piece of corrugated cardboard, and with a simple poke of my finger, created nail holes that allowed the nails to protrude on the other side, perfectly matching the part’s geometry.

This endeavor turned out to be incredibly fast and easy. I no longer needed hammers or had to waste plywood. The cardboard proved to be an ideal material for this purpose, readily available and easily adaptable to various part shapes. I wholeheartedly recommend giving this technique a try in your own finishing work.