About to start a commercial framing job and making my order for fasteners when I picked up an oversight on my part. There is an egineered detail that requires continuous Simpson strap in several locations, over 400 ft in total. I had assumed I’d be using the usual paper-collated joist hanger nails for my Bostitch Strapshot and was making a count for the order when I noticed that the engineer has specified 3″ (16d) nails for these straps. A check in the Simpson book indicates the same requirement. The Strapshot fires 1 1/2″ nails and can’t go bigger than that. Since I have over 5000 nails to set in these straps, an air gun would be a big money saver. Can anyone recommend a positive-placement nailer that can drive 3″ collated fasteners?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story

Engineered-stone shower panels are waterproof, but proper installation relies on tight seams and silicone sealing.
Highlights
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
- Home Group
- Antique Trader
- Arts & Crafts Homes
- Bank Note Reporter
- Cabin Life
- Cuisine at Home
- Fine Gardening
- Fine Woodworking
- Green Building Advisor
- Garden Gate
- Horticulture
- Keep Craft Alive
- Log Home Living
- Military Trader/Vehicles
- Numismatic News
- Numismaster
- Old Cars Weekly
- Old House Journal
- Period Homes
- Popular Woodworking
- Script
- ShopNotes
- Sports Collectors Digest
- Threads
- Timber Home Living
- Traditional Building
- Woodsmith
- World Coin News
- Writer's Digest
Replies
Bostitch F21PL will work (up to 3 1/2"). It is not a dedicated positive placement nailer, it comes with two nosepieces, so it can frame too. Note:A 3" nail is a #10, 3 1/2 is #16. Make sure the shank is the right size, it's probably 8 or 9 gauge. Should be specified on the plans.
EDIT:
Check with Bostitch since there are discrepancies on the length of metal connector nails it can use, I've seen 2 1/2, and 3 1/2 maximum length nails specified.
another option...
The older bostitch N88 RH will shoot a 3" nail with the MCN nosepiece attachment.
3 1/2" nail is a no-go.
If it is a strap like the CMST12, you can use 16d OR 10d fasteners... but to use the 10d you need to use more and the strap section needs to be a little longer. See the table here:
http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/CS-CMST.asp
Hitachi strap
nailer shoots 2-1/2" x .148 paper collated nails. Might be worth asking the engineer if those are massive enough.