Just bought my first nail gun this past summer (what a great tool!). I was just wondering, can anybody shed any light on why the nails are so expensive!?
A little package of 2″ 16ga nails for my nail gun is over $8.00 at HD. Is that because once you buy a nail gun, you HAVE to buy nails, so they pretty much got you?
Also on a related note. Nails for the hardwood floor nailer, Porta-Nail 401, cost $13.00 per box.
Are these nails harder to manufacture or what? Maybe I am not used to the prices of nails for nail guns and hardwood floor nailers, but it just seems a bit on the high side
Comments, inputs?
Replies
Gun nails have often seemed a little over-priced to me, but you have to bear in mind that their manufacture has to be a little more precise and the packaging is a little more involved.
The tradeoff is productivity and the ability to almost have a third hand at times (nailing pain-in-the-neck stuff like soffets comes to mind). Best of all, especially with framing, your elbows and wrists are going to last longer.
BUT, don't lose your skill at hand nailing, cause sometimes the gun isn't going to be handy, or you need to go where no gun can go.
You need to find a wood working store or professional store. I can get 5,000 18ga 2" brads for (hitachi)13$
remember that you are not just paying for the nails but the collation, and the extra package and depending on the nails they may only be made by the manufacturer, not aftermarket.( its like buying parts from your car dealer )
HArdwood floor nails are special. Much harder than
regular nails. Also have to do some special secret process
to make every 5th one bend over and break.
You get what you pay for. There are "off brands" of
collated nails. Quality control is not as good. You can
get imported brad nails for $2 a pack. This is a tiny
difference in cost when you're building a house. You can
also pay $50 a box for galvanized ring shank nails.
$30 more than it should be. Somebody is getting rich and its
not me.
Get over it! those strips of nails are saving you hours and hours of labor. no more spliting the wood,hitting your thumb,countersinking,reaching in your bags and jabbing a nail up your finger nail. Wait till you have to by Galvanized or Stainless nails, then you will really have something to complain about.Bob
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Just keep looking around and you will find clearance nails and brads at all the main places. I just picked up 10000 1.25 brads for $2, and 5000 1" staples for $3 damaged box at lowes. I have to stop looking because I have enought nails for 10 years worth of trim!!
Geeze I just bought 5000 2" Stainless Steel ring shank nails for my framing gun for $225 and I was psyched at the price. Beats the hell out of hand nailing claps.
SJ
Know a little about alot and alot about little.