The House of Nails Trick
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 running time 07:07
This week a puzzle (involving nails) that stumped Brian!
The Challenge: Grab 10-13 nails. Hammer one nail into any surface (in a pinch, you can just have someone hold it solidly), and challenge your mark to balance ALL the remaining nails on just the head of the first nail. Assure them it can be done, and without any other external apparatus of any kind.
The Method: once they give up (and of course, buy you a drink for the answer), lay down one of the nails flat on the table and begin setting the remaining ones side by side, pointing opposite directions, with the heads resting on the first laid-flat nail. Then, set the very last nail pointing the opposite direction directly over the first. You should now have a "nail sandwich" (see the video for a more direct explanation).
When you lift your "nail sandwich", you'll find that the weight of the opposing nail heads will pinch then against the top nail, locking them in place. As long as you carefully set the structure on the original, planted nail, you'll be home free.
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Highlights
united states
(
6:22, 6:22
)
hardcourt
(
3:43, 3:43
)
barely hear
(
1:08, 1:08
)
brushwood
(
0:29, 0:29
)
united states
(
6:22, 6:22
)
hardcourt
(
3:43, 3:43
)
barely hear
(
1:08, 1:08
)
brushwood
(
0:29, 0:29
)
Automatically Generated Transcript(may not be 100% accurate) ( more )
" This week the trick that pulled me. And it involves nails I should totally noticed one. Simpson -- in school of rock you by my company's next. After practice Greg Oden. Welcome to the only school whose mascot is a demonic hand puppet Scam School the only show dedicated to social engineering."
" At the bar and on the street. A -- Brushwood and this week we have a scams don't do that I learned that less than 24 hours ago. After my stage show last night in Arkansas Josh tally came up and challenge to me."
" And beat the dealer so let's learn the trick that the old Brian. The house of nails."
" I've gone Brian. Katie and Eric Eric it is good to meet you guys all right. And I know the moment you see Bryant and nails and hammers. That's going oh -- this is actually more of a problem as we can barely hear you don't mind. The question is and there's a bad tasting beer on the line. Is it possible. To balance all of those nails to suspend all the sales. -- on the head. Figure it out so I'll buy you guys Bolivia that's true for one I'll give you into the -- and begin looking to find me here for the answer. It's really good. Family thought I would actually hammer right. And table rather gratifying drinking establishment I didn't want to that's an out going to sacrifice their -- out of they do that -- that would be clever that the -- it percent of all of them it's not that there's nobody like that right. -- big enough but you really get hands on and actually play because of --"
" Email. Have to be suspended. And on and on the head of the civil."
" Big deal was. The latest. Nevermind I'm."
" I want the."
" And why hypothetically there. -- Yeah."
" About everything -- yeah."
" Now. I don't know --"
" What's the matter. I don't feel no matter how they're Steve Bryant meals. You've got the it's hard."
" Table to table. All the off the table on the cards and suspended only --"
" Yeah. Indeed you into the zone but the answer -- down. Visit great made him bend man. -- The minute man now we'll look you've got hardcourt really good -- and some kind of little weird key -- there. Because anybody at thirty are -- getting give up in its. First reactivate the people who makes -- to -- possible. Godaddy.com. Web hosting for godaddy.com includes 99.9 and apply."
" What would force -- to affordably access delta connection people to install over thirty free applications sure to help. The war we'll play a website don't forget that we're going to be getting the best -- that happened to -- dot com we're gonna create a little Hall of Fame there. Plus we've got the -- code to registered domains back to enter codes game three when you check out the -- may only cost seven dollars and 49 cents and the point where we want for free. Some restrictions apply see site details the northeast of the Internet at godaddy.com."
" Twelve nails on one side and they'll -- possible unless you do this."
" All right. This clearly showed me."
" That is the kind of thing."
" the moment you see it you're gonna kick yourself. Because like all good to stand. You're gonna field. Like you should have found the entire time we get there is already. There. Particles that are -- more --"
" Still believe in it. Yeah."
" And here it. Good it's backed -- up."
" Yeah."
" Yeah dad. Foreclosed on the upper hand it's burning up our."
" It is automated it doesn't matter what size -- you've got as long as they all hell."
" A relatively big man that you don't want now the good you know males you -- strength and I would actually love to I didn't have to have the big ones that will be used some of those giant thirty many nails that he is sitting in -- blocking that anything. Instructions these wonderful -- Put together doing."
" Yeah it's been yeah."
" They think the -- tally of Arkansas for teaching me this damned if you want to share your favorite board game right directly at Brian at revision. And we got off the reflective about this third you've got video pulling off this damn picture of both about the boards have a big. Agree dot com slash -- school of course as always you can follow my business all of the United States -- twitter.com slash flu. That we've put -- away from cooking -- we're gonna bring drive beer -- seasoning before. The board freeze dried."
" Yeah."
" This week the trick that pulled me. And it involves nails I should totally noticed one. Simpson -- in school of rock you by my company's next. After practice Greg Oden. Welcome to the only school whose mascot is a demonic hand puppet Scam School the only show dedicated to social engineering."
" At the bar and on the street. A -- Brushwood and this week we have a scams don't do that I learned that less than 24 hours ago. After my stage show last night in Arkansas Josh tally came up and challenge to me."
" And beat the dealer so let's learn the trick that the old Brian. The house of nails."
" I've gone Brian. Katie and Eric Eric it is good to meet you guys all right. And I know the moment you see Bryant and nails and hammers. That's going oh -- this is actually more of a problem as we can barely hear you don't mind. The question is and there's a bad tasting beer on the line. Is it possible. To balance all of those nails to suspend all the sales. -- on the head. Figure it out so I'll buy you guys Bolivia that's true for one I'll give you into the -- and begin looking to find me here for the answer. It's really good. Family thought I would actually hammer right. And table rather gratifying drinking establishment I didn't want to that's an out going to sacrifice their -- out of they do that -- that would be clever that the -- it percent of all of them it's not that there's nobody like that right. -- big enough but you really get hands on and actually play because of --"
" Email. Have to be suspended. And on and on the head of the civil."
" Big deal was. The latest. Nevermind I'm."
" I want the."
" And why hypothetically there. -- Yeah."
" About everything -- yeah."
" Now. I don't know --"
" What's the matter. I don't feel no matter how they're Steve Bryant meals. You've got the it's hard."
" Table to table. All the off the table on the cards and suspended only --"
" Yeah. Indeed you into the zone but the answer -- down. Visit great made him bend man. -- The minute man now we'll look you've got hardcourt really good -- and some kind of little weird key -- there. Because anybody at thirty are -- getting give up in its. First reactivate the people who makes -- to -- possible. Godaddy.com. Web hosting for godaddy.com includes 99.9 and apply."
" What would force -- to affordably access delta connection people to install over thirty free applications sure to help. The war we'll play a website don't forget that we're going to be getting the best -- that happened to -- dot com we're gonna create a little Hall of Fame there. Plus we've got the -- code to registered domains back to enter codes game three when you check out the -- may only cost seven dollars and 49 cents and the point where we want for free. Some restrictions apply see site details the northeast of the Internet at godaddy.com."
" Twelve nails on one side and they'll -- possible unless you do this."
" All right. This clearly showed me."
" That is the kind of thing."
" the moment you see it you're gonna kick yourself. Because like all good to stand. You're gonna field. Like you should have found the entire time we get there is already. There. Particles that are -- more --"
" Still believe in it. Yeah."
" And here it. Good it's backed -- up."
" Yeah."
" Yeah dad. Foreclosed on the upper hand it's burning up our."
" It is automated it doesn't matter what size -- you've got as long as they all hell."
" A relatively big man that you don't want now the good you know males you -- strength and I would actually love to I didn't have to have the big ones that will be used some of those giant thirty many nails that he is sitting in -- blocking that anything. Instructions these wonderful -- Put together doing."
" Yeah it's been yeah."
" They think the -- tally of Arkansas for teaching me this damned if you want to share your favorite board game right directly at Brian at revision. And we got off the reflective about this third you've got video pulling off this damn picture of both about the boards have a big. Agree dot com slash -- school of course as always you can follow my business all of the United States -- twitter.com slash flu. That we've put -- away from cooking -- we're gonna bring drive beer -- seasoning before. The board freeze dried."
" Yeah."
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mari1ee
Started discussion: June 25, 2009 @ 1:07pm GMT
Episode 67: The House of Nails Trick [Discussion]
This week a puzzle (involving nails) that stumped Brian!
Watch or download this episode now!
Guytheninja
5 months ago
Cool Trick!
However, I thought the solution involved magnetizing the nails by striking them with the hammer. :D :D
However, I thought the solution involved magnetizing the nails by striking them with the hammer. :D :D
BlueToad
5 months ago
I am a new watcher....
and I am finding all this shit AMAZING!!!! from the balancing nails, which I tricked my boss today and got a 6 pack HELL YEAH and thanks!, to eating fire!!!!!!!I wished I had my digi cam again, someone stole it, to post me coping? the show!
but yeah any ways if I get one, I got a couple ideas/tricks for the show! Also Shwood you have excellent ways of getting people to fuck off when you need them to, like that fatty who stayed on the stage " no no I think we're done. Everyone give Emery a hand!" and POOF bitch-gone... pure intelligent. oh and thanks for "the drink on the thumbs" trick, I really needed something like that.
keep up the awesome work!!!
jacemullen
5 months ago
I immediatly knew how this worked, why you ask? It is in the Boy scouts of America Troop planning resources :)
*hey dad! in scouts today we learned how to get free beers*
*hey dad! in scouts today we learned how to get free beers*
mathijsdemachtige
5 months ago
I remember seeing this on tv with more nails for a world record.
but good scam anyway.
but good scam anyway.
Capotasto
5 months ago
Ha! Just yesterday somebody challenged me this one, I recognized it and won a drink off the dealer. Now -that's- a good feeling X)
lokified
4 months ago
Strangely enough, my mother taught me this trick. She uses it in her Sunday School classes (though I'm assuming not to win free beers) as a metaphor for a community holding together. So there! Who said church never taught you nothin'?












I do have the most uncanny sense of deja vu, it's as if I've seen this one before but can't quite place where...
Regardless! Now I'm capable of doing two things with nails (Bar, y'know... Nailing stuff) I've got enough incentive to go buy some for the bar.
If I think about it for a moment that's gotta be a payoff and an intro trick right there, if I try and categorise them as in the two part ep we saw a while ago. All we need is a nail related tweener and we can go through entirely on nail related trickery!