although this is probably more curiosity at this point than anything else, i'm stuck on the idea of making a nailing machine. i would want to say "nail gun" but this thing will probably look like a frankstein benchtop device, more for my own playing that any useful work.
i have a few pounds of nails, (common nail-- 2d, 3d?).. about 1" long, 1/16" diameter, with about an 1/8" or larger head. a finishing nail, of sorts, but with a head on it.
i'm trying to figure out how one (I) would go about sorting these things, orienting them, in order to feed them under an airpiston for driving.
a few books i have with 'engineering designs' show hopper/feeders, with some amazing ideas in them for sorting, but none seem applicable to my nail. for every idea i've come up with, i've come too two or three reasons why they would jam.
i'm hoping someone out there has experience and/or worked with such devices... who can maybe explain to me the basic concept of how this might be done with a nail.
i've considered purchasing nailgun nails.. already provided in 'cartridge' form.. but apart from them having no head, it seems like a copout, and i'd really like to figure out how to do it with a 'headed' nail. homebrew, of sorts.
thanks,
-tony