I’m wondering about the Kobalt and other co2 setups for finish work. How do people like them? Any problems using co2 with o rings and such on your finish guns?
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Replies
I asked a similar question about a month ago. I looked at the kobalt system and while it would be handy when you need it I don't need it often enough to justify messing with the bottles.
I think when the time is right I will pick up the baby senco.
Webby
My guys got some 6 months ago, on sale for $50. First day, all I heard was "Man, these are great!" Then they ran out of gas...haven't seen them since.http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now you see this one-eyed midget
Shouting the word "NOW"
And you say, "For what reason?"
And he says, "How?"
And you say, "What does this mean?"
And he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milk
Or else go home"
FYI, every nailer that I have ever bought says not to use bottled gas in the owner's manual. I don't know why, but I'm sure that it will void the warranty. I'd say just use your beater guns on it just in case.
co2's fine, just lay off the propane...http://www.tvwsolar.com
Now you see this one-eyed midget
Shouting the word "NOW"
And you say, "For what reason?"
And he says, "How?"
And you say, "What does this mean?"
And he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milk
Or else go home"
I think that most of them are afraid that people will to connect unregulated and/or flammable gases..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
I did it once with my framing gun, had the gas too high, drove a nail completely through the 2x
I have done/do alot with co2 but i get it from the welding supply store... same bottles used on draft beer/soft drink systems.... i keep a bolle with a small regulator and a quick coupling... use it for everything from fix'n flats to spray'n paint & shoot'n nails... as i understand it co2 is dryer than air... so you might want to oil more often... but a co2 tank like we use lasts a very long time.... i use C02 for mig welding also.. there a use a ton and it's 1/4 the price of an argon mix which is usually 75% co2 anyway
p
I second the "Bevco" 20# bottles. They are a lot heavier to lug around but if you have enough hose you don't have to move it much. A framing gun might eat one up fairly quick but a finish nailer will run forever on 20#
the bottles are alum... and if you strap em to a cheap 2 wheeler... mine do seem to last forever... never framed with one...
p
I've used just a portable air tank (5 gallons I think?) filled up from my compressor. Its a bit bulky and you have to plan ahead, but in some cases its a lot better than dragging out the compressor, or stringing hose inside, for a very small job.
I have not kept close track, but I'd say its good for at least 30, maybe as much as 60, 18 ga nails.
Huge difference between a portable air tank and a co2 bottle.
I realize that, and I guess my post was off topic.
I've been using bottles for all my trim nailers for 2 years now. I don't even bring a compressor to the site with me anymore, I love the portability that much.
I find I can get a day of nailing from 1 bottle fill, using an 18ga nailer. Using a 23 ga. or 21 ga. headless pinner, even more. I can use a framing nailer, but obviously a bottle would not last long - besides, I'm a millwork finishing guy.
I make sure I start a job with 3 full bottles (all packed into an old cordless drill case). 1 for go, 1 for show, and 1 for backup in case I get really nail happy. Never have run out on a job. When I finish that second bottle and crack into the third, I make a point of getting two refills on the way home.
I'm considering buying a regulator for filling my own bottles from a CO2 supply tank, which would probably give me enough gas in my shop for nearly a year of fills, for about $50. And convenient too. Just fill every time you empty a bottle.
Wouldn't go back to dragging a hose around a jobsite!
I never use my Kobalt co2 kit as it is too big time sink stopping by the sporting goods shop for a refill.
I like the idea of a home fill kit but don't know if the entire concept is enough of an improvement over a small compressor to justify investing in the bottles and refill equip.Karl
One of the problems with using CO2 is that, the discharged gas is cold and if you fire too many shots too quickly it can freeze the O rings, making them brittle.http://woodsshop.com/
That's rubbish. Any compressed gas expanding quickly is cold. If you discharge -a lot- of the gas at once, as with a burst disk failure or trying to use a blow gun, yes - you might see some frost on the metal body of the regulator. But no nail gun uses that much flow.
All the expansion happens at the regulator on the bottle. Then it has to travel thru 6-12 feet or more of coiled or straight hose at room temperature. Then it goes into a nail gun that has been working for some time, with friction and body heat from your hands in its metal body.
If anyone is going to begin worrying about O-rings getting brittle from the cold...use some lube oil. Or get a hammer.
Edited 12/26/2008 12:43 pm ET by Nautilus2
OK, it's been a very long time since I used CO2 bottles, but I remember the gun getting pretty cold after nailing of 100' of fencing! Maybe it didn't freeze, but it got darn cold and that could have a negative effect on the o rings.http://woodsshop.com/
I run Nitrogen through my nailers all the time. Been doing it for years.
As for the cold, I don't think it'll hurt the guns. I have several different size bottles. The biggest one is 305 Cubic Feet. (This bottle is about 5 feet tall and 9 inches in diameter.) We have hooked this bottle up to the guns (3 framing guns) and shot till the gas was gone. It pushed about 3000 8d's through the guns and they never had any problem with the cold. Like you said, the expansion occurs at the regulator. When we were done, the regulator had a 1/4" of ice built up on it. (This was nailing off a section of roof in winter.) This was an extreme case though. In the summer it would get frosted, but no ice.
-Sawdaddy
Bought one of the kits on sale for $50. Only ran a couple of bottles (9oz) though the regulator. When I connected the last bottle, the gauge on the regulator pegged the needle. Got my heart thumping as I wasn't sure if the thing was going to blow up in my face. Got the bottle disconnected and haven't used it since. Need to contact Lowes or the manufacturer. Didn't get the number of shots/bottle that was advertized either. The jury's out on this purchase until I resolve the overpressure issue.
Here the solution to those silly Lowes Kobalt CO2 pieces of cr^p:
View Image
AMEN! Been using mine for 4 years. 'Nuf Said.
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These are the ones for the pros to get.4500 PSI !!!http://www.turanairsystems.com/Construction_Industry.php
I've seen their stuff online before. Very impressive. I'll guess expensive. No distributors ? Where to buy?
Tacoma, I personally wouldn't worry too much about overpressure unless the bottle was exposed to high heat.My understanding is that the bottle is full of liquid CO2 and the pressure is determined by the point at which liquid turns to gas. I think this is a factor of the temperature of the CO2 so unless you exceed a safe temperature (whatever that is?) you can't overpressurize the bottle.Karl
They have a pressure relief valve anyway. If it does go overpressure the gas will vent off before the tank blows