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Tarmetto
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2014 18:24 - Edited by: Tarmetto
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I'm in the market for a framing nail gun, whatever nail gun I'll need for installing 2x6 T&G pine flooring, and 1x4-1x6 T&G pine (interior), and 3/4-1/2" sheathing/sub floor. (I realize that I need at least 2 nail guns).
I have a compressor, but I'm not ruling out self powered nail guns. I prefer VERY GOOD tools VS "it'll do" tools. The tool reviews are baffling!
Thanks in advance for any advice.
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2014 18:33
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Senco is best, IMO
Hitachi, Bostitch are good
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2014 18:39 - Edited by: bldginsp
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Been real happy with my Paslode gas framing nailer, which will do all you describe above I think. I got it cause I'm off grid. Only complaint is that at 4000 feet it doesn't always sink the nails so you have to go back with a hammer and knock em down. But that's often true of nail guns. I have a Paslode finish nailer but haven't used it enough to comment. Seems to work fine. It's nice not to drag a cord around and not have to listen to a compressor
Paslode has made a real effort to perfect the gas nailer and I'm impressed with the design, construction and function of these.
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Tarmetto
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2014 18:44
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Quoting: bldginsp Been real happy with my Paslode gas framing nailer, which will do all you describe above I think. I got it cause I'm off grid. Only complaint is that at 4000 feet it doesn't always sink the nails so you have to go back with a hammer and knock em down. But that's often true of nail guns. I have a Paslode finish nailer but haven't used it enough to comment. Seems to work fine. It's nice not to drag a cord around and not have to listen to a compressor
So...a single framing nailer would cover all of my listed needs? I hadn't considered that. I do have a finish nailer that I'm happy with.
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2014 18:49
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They make 8 penny nails for the framing nailer which will work for your 1 x 6, but the heads are too big for visible work. I'm not sure the nails for the finish nailers are big enough for holding 1 x 6 to the wall, maybe.
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TheCabinCalls
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# Posted: 26 Sep 2014 11:05
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You got a good list of brands so far - this is one that has been good and continues to get good results.
hitachi framing gun:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JPJGFY/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid= ATVPDKIKX0DER
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Malamute
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# Posted: 26 Sep 2014 11:33 - Edited by: Malamute
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Quoting: bldginsp They make 8 penny nails for the framing nailer which will work for your 1 x 6, but the heads are too big for visible work. I'm not sure the nails for the finish nailers are big enough for holding 1 x 6 to the wall,, maybe.
The Bostich finish nailer I have uses nails up to 2 1/2".
The angle head finish nailer is more useful than the non angled. You can get in places that the non angled cant was well.
I like my Hitachi framing gun, but after several years and several houses, I need to remember it likes to be oiled regularly or the ram can jam now and then. When it happens, oiling it always makes it stop (after taking it apart and freeing the ram/piston).
Changing your air pressure will have some effect on how deep the nails set. Using a flush nailer attachment helps with the framing gun for exposed nails, like 8's for log siding, so as not to blast them too deep.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 12:36 - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Quoting: Tarmetto So...a single framing nailer would cover all of my listed needs? I hadn't considered that. I do have a finish nailer that I'm happy with.
Air nailers 101 from a guy who has looked into this heavily and did loads of homework.
Do you have power at your place? If not, then a Porter Cable 6 gallon pancake compressor is in order. Its a diaphragm type, not piston and it will start up with ease on a Honda EU2000i in eco mode. If you have power, still consider this, start up is easy and energy consumption is low. You can get this with a nailer combo right now from Home Depot and it will come with a brad nailer, finish nailer and a crown stapler. For your T&G, I would think the 16 gauge finish nails would be the ticket, using 2+" nails. I think this is the longest you can get in finish nails. I also picked up a Porter Cable framing nailer. There is plenty of other brands. Make sure it shoots the "full round heads", not the clipped and uses the 21 degree collated nails. These are the most popular and what most framing nailers takes and easy to come buy at big box stores. My Porter Cable framing nailer can also shoot the siding nails, they come also in the 21 degree, full round head, with or without ring shank and you can adjust the end of the gun and air pressure to shoot these nails in. So no need for a siding nailer. This is also great for floor sheeting and roof sheeting.
I also picked up a Senco siding/pallet/fencing nailer, a Bostich coil roofing nailer and the hot ticket for setting those "Tikko" nails for joist hangers etc is the palm nailer. I have the Bostich 50 and 100, 50 is smaller, both will push any sized nail in as long as it have a full round head from Tikkos to 3.5" galvie framing nails. These are perfect for metal strapping/hangers. You hook air to it, stick a single nail into anvil, magnet holds it in place and then just push it into the wood. Its like shoving the nail into a cube of butter. Some joist hangers that nail from the inside require a flat drift punch to fully set the nail, not with a palm nailer. I cant imagine life without one now.
If I have to narrow it down to several nailers, my bread and butter work horse nailers, covers most anything would be my Porter Cable framing nailer (does siding nails also) and my trim nailer (16 gauge) then for an extra, add in my Bostich 50 palm nailer.
You can build an entire home with those 2 nailers. If you use composition shingles on the roof, a roofing nailer too. But that is limited to just roofs, while the framing and finish nailer has such a huge coverage.
My air nailer inventory:
Porter Cable framing nailer (does siding 8D too)
Porter Cable finish nailer (16 gauge)
Porter Cable brad nailer (18 gauge)
Porter Cable crown stapler
Senco fencing/pallet nailer (coiled/rapid fires)
Bostitch roofing nailer (coil/rapid fires)
Bostitch PN-100 palm nailer
Bostitch PN-50 palm nailer
Like to add Porter Cable pin nailer (23 gauge) but low priority.
I have 2 coil type nailers, drawback in the box of nails are large in side. So they consume lots of storage space. Coiled nails make the nailer compact. But those nails are harder to find except roofing nails, they seems to be all coil type only.
Big advantage to air nailers is the fact you dont beat apart your work when hammering nails in. A loud bang from the framing nailer, the wood doesnt shift and its pinned in place for good without beating everything else lose. The framing nailer is the only real noisy one, rest are quiet and consume little air. The palm nailers are noisy, sounds like a quick burp, more like the Vulcan rotary cannon in the A-10 Warthog (which is a super cool sound I might add) and the palm nailers consume lots of air.
And for taking anything apart you just nailed (framing) a sawzall with hacksaw blades. I use a Milwaukee Sawzall and like the 12" long hacksaw blades. Another tool I couldn't imagine life without.
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Malamute
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# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 16:50 - Edited by: Malamute
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Good post.
I was also thinking about the Warthog when you mentioned the palm nailer. I've used them a bit, but not quit enough to justify buying one. They are really fast and simple when doing ticos (joist hanger/hurricane tie nails).
Something to keep in mind with framing nailers. I don't know if the new guns still have the contact setting, but theres very few situations that I use the contact setting on my gun. I've seen people get hurt with them, including a guy that shot a framing nail through the palm of his hand. I've seen, and had, the gun fire 2 or 3 nails when it rebounded from firing the first one.
The contact setting means that if you hold the trigger, any time the safety guard on the end of the gun is pushed in, the gun will fire, its sort of like full auto. Yes, you can nail off sheet material pretty fast like that, I've also seen some really sloppy work when done that way, even from some experienced users. One guy I worked with had quite a lot of framing experience, and always used the gun on contact. He didn't do that clean of work on his nail location, and I didnt see any real advantage to it for framing in any event. I don't mind using the gun with single shot setting (trigger has to be pulled for each nail to be shot, like a semi-auto). Do as you please, but overall, the single shot setting is safer, especially for a novice user.
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Gregjman
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# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 18:15
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I just picked up the new bosch. They apparently arnt being received in the construction world all that well (so you can get some good deals on them). I've used plenty of nailers and these are defiantly worth looking into.
I just put up a new garage and it never jammed once. I only needed to seat nails with the hammer when the compressed was running low. They don't use air to cycle the piston so they won't run your compressed as often( I wouldn't be able to tell the difference honestly.).
I liked it so much I bought the coil nailer for roofing.
I also use pasload for my 18 & 16 gauge brad nailers. And use cheap crown staplers.
The bosch ran 260 normally and I picked mine up at menards on red tag for 129$ 149$ for the coil nailer same deal. Have absolutely nothing bad to say of either one.
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Borrego
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# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 19:06
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I've owned/run construction companies and seen/used about everything out there..the good ole Hitachi seems to be the favorite of carpenters...but that may be because they're cheaper usually. Although I've never seen one fail either. Ridgid makes some good guns as well, but my favorite as far as quality and smoothness was a Makita - hard to find and expensive, but well worth it. Also, you can get a nail gun that just shoots Tikos if you're going to do a lot of them!
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turkeyhunter
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# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 21:18 - Edited by: turkeyhunter
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when I built my house 17 years ago all were driven by HAND!!! even the trim!!!...no air guns for me back then
BUT...now at 54....air guns are awesome!!! framed my cabin with a 40 dollar yard sale passload framer...did a great job but died after the frame up was complete..i have 3 nails guns now~~a framer...a medium and a small nail gun ..all off craiglist....like new cheap money... all Hitachi or Bostitch brands
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