I’m usually not one to buy a ripoff tool, but I went ahead and bought the “Ramsond” hardwood floor nailer because I actually read some decent reviews on it, and I only had one install in my near future.
Well now I am experiencing a problem and I’m wondering if it is due to the tool, my inexperience, or the material.
I am installing a solid birch 3/4″ by 3.5″ hardwood floor. About 5 courses into the room I got down on the floor to sight down the joints to see if by some miracle they were straight, and for the first time I noticed that every single fastener I had placed had a mark the shape of the shoe plate of the gun on the board behind it. The majority of the marks were on the board in the previous course, so it is the backside of the gun that is making the marks.
I know birch is a pretty soft wood, but is it soft enough to cause this problem? The shoe plate seems really hard, but I have never picked up a hardwood nailer before. I expected the plate to be about the feel of the soft end of the mallet but it feels more like extremely hard plastic.
I believe the bostich gun has the same screw pattern so if the bostich plate is softer I may be able to switch it out.
Any ideas? Thanks.
(i just realized there are a lot of different types of birch with different janka hardnesses so I am trying to figure out exactly what I have.)
Replies
Are the edges of the sole digging into the wood? or maybe scratching it like sandpaper?
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
It is definitely not abrasive damage. It is the edges of the sole digging and making marks that are difficult to see unless the light is correct and you are at the correct angle.I made a little rudimentary sketch to show where the dents appear on the previous course from the backside of the sole apparently pivoting down. There is little to no damage on the board that actually gets nailed(until the next course that is).
Cant open that. have you thought about hitting the edges of the sole with fine sandpaper to break the edge?"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
the soft sole of the nailer is compressing and allowing the holding screws to "print the flooring...
or the screw(s) are loose or too long...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I own and used the Ramsond tp put down 500 sq ft of Bruce oak 2 1/4 ".
I had no problems.
You might double check the screws make sure they are tight. maybe try some tape over them? That gun comes with two shoes are you using the right one? I assume you are or the problem would be worse.
You also might try to lightly sand the shoe which is hard plastic, and try to smooth it a little. It does have some raised lettering on it maybe that is it. You can also get a prefinished flooring shoe for it which might solve the problem. http://www.nailershoe.com
Webby
Edited 4/4/2009 10:11 pm ET by webby
The gun does come with 2 shoes, but there is only one for 3/4 inch floor the other is simply for 1/2". The marks are not from the screws but from the edges of the shoe so I will try sanding them to "soften the corners". I was also considering taping a piece of cardboard or a rag or even a piece of shower membrane rubber to the bottom of the shoe but I don't want to impact the location of the fasteners too much.Thanks
I'd duct tape some cardboard on there and see where that got me.
I'd not be all too concerned about a thin layer of cardboard altering the entry angle too much ... remember ... these are flooring tools ... used by flooring installers ...
duct taping some cardboard to the bottom certainly won't be the worst offense taken against a production tool. My buddy Joe's flooring nailer blew some gasket about 10 years ago. It was easier at the time to just wrap a towel around the top and keep working.
That worked great till the rag got loose ... add duct tape. Then the towel got oil soaked ... add another rag ... and some more duct tape. Looks pretty silly ... but 10 yrs later ... he's still able to hold off that major repair! Oh yeah ... add oil when someone else has some gun oil on the site!
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Thanks, I am going to try some thicker cardboard and see how that works and if needed I will step it back to some thinner stuff.