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Hardi board (not panel)

manchuian | Posted in Tools for Home Building on October 5, 2010 12:49pm

  Hello all ,

           This has probally been addressed already but can find achives .I am installing 75 sheets of hardi board pre finished with color plus (never again) . This is the siding that looks like T-111, (seiera 8)  aka woodpecker food, Unlike with the clapboard or other blind nailing ,nail placment is critical. I have been hand nailing and setting every nail.The Question is ,has anyone found a gun (that will shoot 2 1/2 inch ring shank SS nails) that was able to be ajusted somewhat accuratly ? I don’t mine a little proud . If this has come up before ,my apoligies.

                                                                                             Chris

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  1. Scott | Oct 05, 2010 09:20pm | #1

    >>>Question is ,has anyone

    >>>Question is ,has anyone found a gun (that will shoot 2 1/2 inch ring shank SS nails) that was able to be ajusted somewhat accuratly ?

    Absolutely. Siding nailers are very common and have the all-important depth of drive adjustment.

    Me, being cheap, and not needing a dedicated siding nailer, bought an add-on attachment for a Bostich coil framing nailer.

    In my experience, if you have a compressor with a regulator, and cut-in pressure is set above that of the regulator (e.g. regulator set to 90, cut-in set to 100), then a proper nailer will shoot consistently accurate nails. It's much faster and probably more accurate than what can be done with a hammer and set.

    1. manchuian | Oct 06, 2010 11:06am | #2

      hardi panel not hardi board

      Thank you Scott , will try soon as I get the gun .   Excuse me ,got that bass ackwards .......(the topic that is)  I am looking for a gun that would handle this job ,and oyher siding(wood) as well .

  2. makita | Oct 21, 2010 04:24am | #3

    gun for Hardie

    Chris I am residing my house with hardie plank. I bought a Senco framer on closeout for $150 ,smokin deal, but I couldn't get the depth of drive backed off enough to keep from blowing out the back of the board. Took it back and got a Porter Cable FR 350A  for $169. It has a thumbwheel that dials in any depth you want and stays where you set it. It comes with a soft nosepiece that stores securely onboard the gun. As per hardie, I am setting heads snug not flush. I'm shooting 2 3/8" ringshanks with no problems.Once in a while I hit a hard spot or a knot, and have to give it a couple of taps with my hammer but this is pretty rare. I've done some framing with it too and, when you want it to,it sets em 1/8" deep.This is the perfect gun for me as I am retired and didn't want to lay out $280 for a dedicated sider. Hope this helps.

      Also Chris

    1. frammer52 | Oct 24, 2010 07:36pm | #5

      Did it ever occur to you to adjust the air preasure ?

      Dial a depth are fine, unless you have too much air  in the first place.

  3. Hokuto | Oct 21, 2010 11:49am | #4

    I'm using the Makita AN611; it has an easily adjustable ring to dial in pressure, and works well. But nothing is 100%. You'll still rarely get an overdriven or underdriven nail. Not a problem with blind nailing, but with the panel stuff, you mayl have a bit of careful caulking to do on overdriven nails.

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