To Drill or to Hammer?
Duplex Screws and duplex nails are flanged-head or double-headed fasteners that are often used to build temporary structures such as braces, scaffolding and concrete formwork. They are designed to be easily removed, so they don’t go completely into the wood during installation.
First Came the Nail
Duplex nails are as strong as regular nails, but the double head makes them easier to remove with a claw hammer or crowbar. Workers drive the nail until the lower flange is flush with the material. With a pull bar or reverse end of a claw hammer, the nails pull out after the job is finished. Depending on the application, if too much force or bending is required to remove the nails, they are often not reusable.
William Arthur Collings of Kansas City, Mo., received a patent for the duplex nail in 1917. His description detailed how the double-headed nail was ideal for use on concrete forms because it was easy to remove, compared to regular nails, without damaging the forms.
Collings wrote: “After the concrete has set sufficiently, the forms are removed, but due to the fact that the heads of the nails are driven into the wood, it is very difficult to remove the nails without damage being done to the forms, which frequently have to be broken and even smashed to pieces in their removal, thus causing a considerable waste of material and loss of time.”
Today there are a large variety of styles and sizes of duplex nails made by manufacturers worldwide. Your local hardware store probably sells duplex nails as they are almost as common as regular nails.
Then Came the Screw
Duplex Screws feature a double-hex head, which accepts a variety of driving tools — a pile driver or hex-head screwdriver — for installation, and removal after use. The driver drills the orange hex-head screw until the stop flange is flush with the material and can easily remove it by reversing the drill. Since there is no need to force the removal, the screw maintains its shape and can be reused multiple times.
Duplex Screws are ideal for concrete forms, fireworks forms, storm proofing, stage and movie sets, and temporary structure that goes up fast and breaks down even faster.
Job Safety
Safety on the job site is always a big consideration. Hammers are notorious for causing hand injuries and are among the top four causes of injury in the construction industry. Most injuries involve broken or badly bruised thumbs and fingers. Although some power drills can be quite heavy, they are generally easier to use, and mishaps or injuries are rare.
To Hammer or to Drill?
It all comes down to convenience, cost and performance. duplex nails are readily available in a multitude of styles and sizes and are sold everywhere. Duplex Screws are only available from select distributors, and come in sizes 1 ¼”, 1 ⅝” and 2 ¾”, and cost more than duplex nails. Duplex Screws outperform duplex nails and are reusable. All these factors that must be weighed when deciding on what fastener is the right one for the job. In the long run , Duplex Screws save you money and time, as they are reusable and a reliable fastener solution.
In Stock at Advance
Advance Components stocks and distributes Duplex Screws in a variety of sizes from 1 ¼”, 1 ⅝” and 2 ¾” that ship in 25 lb. boxes. Contact the Advance sales team for more information or buy online 24/7.