Next spring I’m going to start siding some out-building with hardi plank. Sort of a test run before I do my house.
Any way after reading the hardi spec sheet, I’m going with the recommended 6d roundhead in probably SS.
What experience do you have with the various coil nailer for siding?
I’m looking at getting the Bostitch N66C-1
Any other suggestions?
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When we resided our house (many years ago) with Masonite Woodsman (almost as hard as Hardie) we (after the first few boards) ended up pre-drilling all the holes (and hand nailing). We'd do this on sawhorses, measuring out where the nails went. (Goes a lot faster than you'd think.)
No problem with missing the studs.
Of course, if I did it now I'd consider an air nailer, but not sure I'd do it differently.
I'm eventually going to do some similar work at my place. The brand that keeps getting mentioned here is Max. That's what I have my eyes on.
"The brand that keeps getting mentioned here is Max. That's what I have my eyes on."
1st what model?
Why Max? Bestest or simply cheapest that will get er done?
After selecting a gun next up is a deceant compressor, I doubt mu little pancake compressor will cut it.
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The Woodshed Tavern BackroomThe Topics Too Hot For Taunton's Breaktime Forum Tavern
Elephants are grey, but not all grey things are elephants.
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Based on comments here, I got a MAX CN565S nailer and I love it -- best gun I own, hands down. (My others are Senco and DeWalt.)
View Image
The big plus for this gun for Hardi is that it has a great depth setting adjustment, and it's light & powerful. That said, lots of folks use a roofer when blind nailing.
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PAEverything fits, until you put glue on it.
Edit: A pancake will do the job -- after all, you're not machine-gunning nails when siding.
Edited 10/5/2009 12:42 pm ET by MikeHennessy
"The big plus for this gun for Hardi is that it has a great depth setting adjustment, and it's light & powerful. "
Ya that is another important criteria is solid depth control or so it seems from reading the hardi threads.
Thanks I'll look into the max.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Woodshed Tavern BackroomThe Topics Too Hot For Taunton's Breaktime Forum Tavern
Elephants are grey, but not all grey things are elephants.
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I will say that I've always preferred coil roofing guns or hand banging roofing nails for Hardie blind nailing. I like the nail's head size, and adjust the depth to snug the nail to the Hardie surface. Just my .02.View Image
Trouble with roofing nailers is you cant always blind nail. Soffits in particular and some times you need to tack down an exposed joint or board.
I hae used the Hitachi. I liked it. I have also used a Makita coil framing nailor with 6 penny framers. Both worker well. I think Mike Smith uses a roofer that shoots 1 3/4 nails.
Any of these will work. I would not hand nail, as I have never had good luck doing so.
"I think Mike Smith uses a roofer that shoots 1 3/4 nails."
Ya I've heard that alot, used my roofer gun, but if your going to purchase a gun FOR hardi and use if for secondary stuff I'm kinda leaning with the siding gun.
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The Woodshed Tavern BackroomThe Topics Too Hot For Taunton's Breaktime Forum Tavern
Elephants are grey, but not all grey things are elephants.
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They work well both the one pictured and the Hitachi!
Personnally I use a framing gun.
"Personnally I use a framing gun."
Most of the threads I've read in researching were people repurpose their main pneumatic tool, either a coil roofer or a framing gun. For the amount of framing I do hand nailing is fine and dandy. Also the coils look more balanced/compact so that should minimize fatigue on me.
All of my pneumatic guns are the brad/finish/stapler type run a on a pancake.
So I'm looking for a gun specifically for siding and I'll repurpose it for other tasks.
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The Woodshed Tavern BackroomThe Topics Too Hot For Taunton's Breaktime Forum Tavern
Elephants are grey, but not all grey things are elephants.
http://www.drawingwithlight.smugmug.com
good
scare.... the thread about RFH Ranch has a lot of hardie shots
we usually blind nail... and we use a bostich RN 46 roofer.....
for wider hardie (like 6" exposure ) we want a positive clamp... so we use a 1 3/4 Maize hot dipped galv... the only gun that will shoot that is our Max roofer
for all the exposed nailing we use SS nails and we use our Bostich coil nailers for that.... N63, N64 & N66
so...all our nails are either Maize HDG... ( blind nail )....or SS BostichMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I plan to mostly blind nail w/galv nails. I went and checkout your thread thanks. I thinking heavily toward the Max 565 now.
Next on the agenda is a hotdog compressor. I'm curious if people have problems with consistent depth adjustment doing siding if it could be related to inconsistent or low air delivery. Even though I may not run more than two guns I think I'll consider getting one that can handle 4. After this project it can live in my shop and I'll look into some air tools for sanding.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Woodshed Tavern BackroomThe Topics Too Hot For Taunton's Breaktime Forum Tavern
Elephants are grey, but not all grey things are elephants.
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Whats the size ( tank and compressor h.p.) of the compressor you have now? Who's the maker? The compressor you have now may be enough. Your running just one gun off it.
I dont think it would be worth renting the shears. Malco makes a hardi shear attachment for ones drill. Think you can bet them for $100 - $120. Dont remember the model number, can look it up if you like. Believe Mike Smith uses them and likes them alot.
Live by the sword, die by the sword....choose your sword wisely.
"Malco makes a hardi shear attachment for ones drill."
Really?! Ya got a part number.
I've got a little pancake I bought 7/8 yrs ago when PorterCable first started running their combo deals.
hey your not trying to thwart the purchace of a new compressor are you? ;(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Woodshed Tavern BackroomThe Topics Too Hot For Taunton's Breaktime Forum Tavern
Elephants are grey, but not all grey things are elephants.
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For cutting get Ridgids new fiber cement saw. NO DUST. Literally none. Fifteen minutes after plugging it in I wanted to kiss the engineer that designed it. Unless it was a guy engineer. NTTAWWT.Naive but refreshing !
I agree! That is a really great tool. Not only does it cut down on the dust, but it is very well designed and comfortable to use and has the best blade I have seen for cutting cement siding.
Malco turbo shears, sorry for the long url:
http://www.amazon.com/Turboshear-TSF2-Fiber-Cement-Backer/dp/B0014E9WN2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1255004975&sr=1-4
Please forgive me, I dont know what I was thinking about trying to thwart another tool purchase. If I remeber correctly, that PC was a 1.5 hp motor with 4 or 6 gal tank. You could probably get by with that but...........the recovery time for the tank to fill would be much to long, and you cant have that can you :)
I was actually looking at the rolair that you posted. Almost seems to good to be true ( price, performance, weight). But rolair did/ does make very good compressors.
Could check Craigslist for an older emglo, hitachi, etc. See those things listed every now and then for ~ $100 or less.
Live by the sword, die by the sword....choose your sword wisely.
If you are planning blind gal's, I'd just find a used roofing gun somewhere.
We've been using the Hitachi siding for 5+ years and I've been very happy with it. We've replaced the rings once and had to have the safety rod straightened (from a long fall). We started with a Kett shear, which is OK, but I wanted a cleaner cut, so I picked up a Makita F/C saw. We use it with a HEPA vac attached and it makes a much nicer cut. It's a pretty bulky saw, though, and the sight line sucks, so we're looking pretty hard at the Rigid saw.
I have the MAX siding gun, but for blind nailing I use the roofing gun.
I've got the N66C-1 and so far it has been a good gun. Hitachi is a good one too.
I've got a Max 565 that has done miles of Hardi with never even a burp.
I went and checked out the Max 565 at the local purveyor of fine homebuilding tools and it does feel solidly built and well balanced. Seems a bit more powerful than the Bostitch too at least according to the specs. Bonus it's $100 bucks more expensive. :)
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The Woodshed Tavern BackroomThe Topics Too Hot For Taunton's Breaktime Forum Tavern
Elephants are grey, but not all grey things are elephants.
http://www.drawingwithlight.smugmug.com
That's the one you want. Will double as a sheathing nailer.
"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking." — Sherlock Holmes, 1896
Having a good depth adjustment is key...there's no point in using a coil nailer if you have to go back and set your nails by hand. I've used the Hitachi gun for quite a few jobs with little complaints.
Ive used that nailer on a bunch of hardie, it wont let you down, its a fine choice. I prefer the roofer with 1 3/4" I like the way they hold. the smaller 6d nails seem to blow through easier (or be overdriven not really blow through) and spend more time adjusting the pressure and depth. Overdriven is a big no-no.
You'll love the Bostitch siding nailer. Use 1 3/4" ringed nails in either galvanized (if blind nailing) or stainless if your nails will show. Get them in .090 shank and set the depth so it does not sink into the face of the Hardi. The stainless nails are expensive. Also buy the Kett fiber cement shear. No dust involved and cuts very accurately.
"Also buy the Kett fiber cement shear. No dust involved and cuts very accurately."
Since this is a DIY project I'll see if I can rent one, thanks. I've been going back and forth either shear or my miter saw w/cement blade but I'm sure it's pretty rough on the saw.
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The Woodshed Tavern BackroomThe Topics Too Hot For Taunton's Breaktime Forum Tavern
Elephants are grey, but not all grey things are elephants.
http://www.drawingwithlight.smugmug.com
The Max is a great gun.
Carp Eater