Shiner
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.
Also called missed nail, exposed nail
Reviewed
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.
Related
- Pallet nail schedule: how many nails a pallet needsHow many nails a pallet needs: 2 per joint for boards up to 5-1/4 in wide, 3 up to 7 in, 4 up to 8 in (Uniform Standard). A 48x40 GMA pallet takes 84 nails.
- Pallet tolerances: allowed variation in size, flatness and squarenessWood pallet tolerances per the Uniform Standard: size +1/4 / -1/2 in, flatness 1/4 in corner to corner, board thickness +/-1/16 in, lead boards within 1/4 in.
- SplitA split is a lengthwise separation of wood fibers through a board. The Uniform Standard limits deckboard splits to one third of length on reusable pallets.
- Pallet nails: types, sizes and how manyPallet nails are usually 2 to 3 in helical or annular threaded nails, 11 to 12-1/2 gauge. A GMA 48 x 40 uses 84 nails: 2 or 3 per joint by board width.
- ShookShook is lumber cut to finished size for pallet parts: deckboards, stringers and blocks ready to assemble. Pallet mills cut shook from cants or rough lumber.
- Single-faceA single-face pallet has a top deck only, with the stringers or blocks resting directly on the floor. A skid is the most common single-face pallet.
Sources
- Uniform Standard for Wood Pallets (NWPCA, now Woodpack Global), 2012 edition