Glossary
Shiner
Also called: missed nail, exposed nail
Reviewed
A shiner is a nail that misses the stringer or block it was meant to enter, so its shank or point shows on the side of the member or sticks out of the pallet. The Uniform Standard allows no shiners on exposed faces, because they give no holding strength and can damage product and hands.
Why shiners happen
Shiners usually come from nailing too close to the edge of a stringer or block, a board that is out of position, or a nail driven at an angle. On automated lines, a misaligned nailing head can produce a row of them.
What the Uniform Standard says
- No shiners on exposed faces
- At most one open split with a visible shank per connection, and at most one third of components may have one
- Nails must penetrate at least 1-1/4 in into the stringer or block (1 in if the deck is 1/2 in thick or less)
Why shiners matter
A nail that misses the member carries no load, so the joint is weaker than the nail schedule says. Exposed points and shanks can also tear bags, puncture cartons and injure people handling the pallet. Shiners are a normal item in incoming pallet inspections and quality specs. See pallet tolerances.
Questions
- Are shiners allowed on pallets?
- Not on exposed faces under the Uniform Standard. They add no strength and can damage product.
Sources
- Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets (NWPCA, now Woodpack Global), 2012 edition