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After years of using a hammer for virtually every purpose, I’m looking to purchase my first air nailer. Last summer I rented a Stanley framing nailer and coiled roofing nailer. I couldn’t believe how fast the work went.
I’m going to be building another house soon, and I’m looking for a versatile framing nailer. I’d like to know if it’s reasonable to expect a framing nailer to frame dimensional lumber, deck floors, sheath roofs and nail siding. Eventually I plan to get a brad nailer for cabinet work, but for now, I’d like to get by with the one nailer. Is this possible?
I’ve looked in various catalogues and tool shops and find 4 or 5 nailers commonly available: The Porter Cable FR350 (about $275), the Stanley N95RHN and N80SB-1, the Hitachi NR83A and the Senco SN60 (all about $80-90 more). Are any (or all) of these nailers acceptable for the given jobs? What I’m most worried about is the Western Red Cedar bevel siding. Would a stapler be better for it?
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Ed
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Ed, I'd go with the Senco, Hitachi or if money is an object, the Porter-Cable. I've got the Senco SN60, I know others who swear by the Hitachi NR83A, and I work with a fellow who's used the less expensive Porter Cable FR350 with great success. As to the Cedar, Maze Nails (www.mazenails.com) has STAINLESS STEEL siding nails to fit the full head nailers mentioned. Just the ticket for a professional job.
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Thanks for the tips George! Stainless steel nails seem to be the way to go on the siding. Thanks for the URL reference. Is nail availability, cost or quality an issue with any of the nailers mentioned? How about weight and balance?
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Ed, in this area, many of the older guns run the clipped head nails. Most of the lumberyards that sold air nailers, sold clipped head Bostich, and ONLY carry the clipped head nails. TS for them as I only have to hear the "BUY BOSTICH" snide remark once, "It's all we EVER carried, what more do YOU need?" Like I'm new to the business...
I buy from three sources, usually Senco, or Maze though the Hitachi nails are good as well. The
Hitachi and Porter-Cable clone feed by pushing the nail heads, the Senco by the nail shaft... the Senco needs a rigid collation, while the Hitachi can use a softer collation as well. Pick up the tools, which feels better to YOU?
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Just talked with a rep. at Abtco this morning about siding nailers. He said they only recommend round head nailers with nails at least 1/4" in dia. Hot dipped of course. I have one of each, and I don't thnink there is any way around it. The siding is supposed to be nailed flush which implies some sort of depth stop, etc, etc.
Good luck - if you are doing most of the work yourself, you end up with an assortment of these things - and they aren't cheap.
Dennis
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Ed, you have reached the king of all nailing machine buyers! I have more on the shelf than I care to tell you about.
I will anyways.
I've got: 4 or 5 sn60's (i gave a couple away too). I started using senco products exclusively back in the 80's. I have several model changes. I am a loyal client, once sold, but will eventually look in other directions when the product fails.
My (ex)partner used Paslode. He never stopped to unjam, never had to drive the partially driven nail home, and never misfired. He was running his equipment at 120 psi, and it was blowing my tool apart. We simply started using differnet air supplies, but I got jealous because I had to constantly clear jams!
I switched to paslode. They take a senco nail, but I prefer the paslode nail, or a generic (they are smaller clips, the sencos get broken). I have been very happy with paslode, and now own 4 (three different series, each is getting more air efficient).
I use a paslode narrow crown stapler, wide crown stapler, and have a paslode coil, roofing nailer.
On the history shelf, I have a senco widecrown stapler, a bostich stapler, a duo fast framer (almost new), and I traded a hilti framer (almost new for the duo fast (that was the promotion).
I am going to trade one of the many sencos for a duo fast coil nailer (it works great for the siding, I've been told), and will also trade my senco wide crown for a duo fast stapler.
I still use a senco finish nailer (occasionally).
I endorse the paslode framer (will probably be buying a couple more this season), and all their tools. I am very rough on my stuff. I don't think twice about dropping the tools a few feet onto the decks or dirt. I'm below average at maintenance but it hits hard, and doesn't jam like the sencos.
I'm going to give the duo fast a second look on the other guns because of their promo (if I trade in one of the competitor models, I get the gun for 100$). The duo fast framer performed well, I didn't like the feel, and was already used to the paslode.
The Paslode framer will do all the jobs, but you will have to alter the tip (to prevent countersinking in inappropriate places).
I use the narrow crown stapler for all exterior trim except corner boards (that have to be flashed under).
The wide crown is for foam, and misc. applications (see my circular stair thread in "techniques").
Each man on my crew has a framer and a narrow crown; we share the wide crown.
I'm a three gun slinger,
Blue
*Blue, Are you using the new gun that Paslode came out with about a year ago? I have used that gun, and I think it is better balanced and more powerful than their old style. By the way, Hitachi stick framing guns are considered to be the "Cadillac" around here. Any news on the Wings? How are they looking for the stretch run and playoffs?
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Thanks to you all, I think. As always, there's no simple answer. I guess I could have easily asked whether you prefer Fords or Chevys, and someone could chime in with Toyota!
Sarcasm aside, I appreciate your professional opinions and realize that everyone has good reasons for recommending (or not) each product.
Unlike Blue, who seems to have more tools than he can shake a stick nailer at, I have to make do with a few versatile time savers. Since I have a house, barn, garage, built-ins, trim and cabinets to build and another house and barn to reroof, I could certainly use a framing nailer, coiled roofing nailer, and some form of brad or finish nailer. But the crown nailer is probably not in the budget.
All your information has caused me to rethink my tool needs. Before we leave this thread, let me rephrase my question and pick your brains a bit. What air guns to you think are essential for my needs (as listed above)? What's the minimum I can get by with? Thanks for your help.
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Ed,
Stick Framer. 15 ga. Finish Nailer. Coil Roofer.
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Blue
I have a hilti 9017 farmer did you not like the hilti or was it jest the promotion, I love hilti but thank there air tools are less than there name
thank Jeff
*I have 3 of those new Paslodes, and they nail real well, but I won't say better than the old ones(of which I still have 2) The old ones are the 350's that will drive a 3-1/2"nail, the new ones max out at 3-1/4 which is fine. The new ones are lighter and that made the old ones obsolete in my crews eyes....sissies. They are rugged and have taken a few spills, some accidental, some on purpose,ok mostly on purpose. KC
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I do have three of their new ones, and they are better balanced. They sound good, feel good, hit good, and are quite reliable.
I haven't shot a hitachi.
The wings are not playing up to par. They are missing three starters,and if Ken Holland doesn't make a trade, they are not going to threepeat.
Ken has indicated that he will not destroy the future by trading away young talent for oldguys that will help us win it a gain. I don't believe him. Look for a blockbuster trade soon! It will invlove a young goalie (theyre all young) and a star forward (shanahan maybe?)
Blue
*To add to the bias list; I like the PC FR350 and either of the finish nailers. Cheap, reliable, use almost anyone's nails and are easily repaired. Certainly not Cadillac but F-250.Staples for Western Red Cedar T&G? I don't, I use blind nails. But then in this area I don't claim to be an expert so I'll just say the first bundle of Cedar I used had a wrapper that said nail, I didn't know any better so I did. It worked and I've been doing it ever since. If there is a better way I'm willing to change.
*Iv'e sot at least one old one (3 years old). I've seen reeeeel old ones that still pound them home though.The real advantage of the new ones is air usage. They are extremely effiecient! I run four framers off on one pancake compressor! And it's plugged into the same 20amp circuit that our four saws are! Blue
*Staples won't work, they're too short for most siding applications.Blue
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George and all,
Thanks for the list; I'll make good use of it. It's that third gun I wasn't sure about. Having seen discussion of brad nailers, finish nailers, crown staplers, etc. I knew I couldn't get them all.
The framing and roofing need to go quickly to get the place safe from bad weather, but the rest of it could be done with my trusty hammer. I'm afraid too many weeks of watching "Norm" has caused me to reject the old standard tools. Things sure go quicker with power.
You've been a great help. Thanks
*Just one thing to check before you buy your nailer, some states require full head nails for framing.
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Ed; on that third gun. if you plan on cabinets and trim, I suggest you consider a 16 gauge, as opposed to a 15. With the 16, you can assemble cabinets, and do most of the trim you will run into (15 gauge is too heavy for cabinets and the nails are more expensive). Here is something I didn't know (if it is true). I was at a dealers this week, he told me Porter Cable guns are made in the same factory as the Taiwanese line he sells. he showed me both, and they were identical. I bought a couple of Primes, which is a new brand to me but are made in the Duofast factory ( I have always used Duofasts in the past, the smaller finish guns, and I like them). Anyway, these primes seem solid, they are reasonably priced, and they are the only guns I can get serviced locally if I need to, with loaners.
*I used to thimk staplers were junk but I bought a porter cable ms200 for cedar shingles. I have used it for sheathing and wood shingles and the biggest problem is that it holds better than nails, if you make a mistake with the sheathing you have to cut the staples. The price was $209 and stainless staples are a lot cheaper than stainless nails.
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Maze Nails makes really great hand-driven nails (and has for years) - but now has Hot-Dip Galvanized and Stainless Steel stick nails for 20-degree nailers and coil nails for a bunch of 15-degree coil nailers. Check out their web site at http://www.mazenails.com!
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After years of using a hammer for virtually every purpose, I'm looking to purchase my first air nailer. Last summer I rented a Stanley framing nailer and coiled roofing nailer. I couldn't believe how fast the work went.
I'm going to be building another house soon, and I'm looking for a versatile framing nailer. I'd like to know if it's reasonable to expect a framing nailer to frame dimensional lumber, deck floors, sheath roofs and nail siding. Eventually I plan to get a brad nailer for cabinet work, but for now, I'd like to get by with the one nailer. Is this possible?
I've looked in various catalogues and tool shops and find 4 or 5 nailers commonly available: The Porter Cable FR350 (about $275), the Stanley N95RHN and N80SB-1, the Hitachi NR83A and the Senco SN60 (all about $80-90 more). Are any (or all) of these nailers acceptable for the given jobs? What I'm most worried about is the Western Red Cedar bevel siding. Would a stapler be better for it?
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Ed
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Clipped head vs. round head framing nailers...
Other than price, what is the attraction to clipped head nails/nailers?
TIA