Hi everybody;
I face of big problem of tools choice.
Reading the tool guide into “Nailers” (finehomebuilding.com) I’m amazed how many models of nailer you have whooaooo!!!!
And today I was checking, house wrap and roof wrap type when I noticed that we could nail wraps with nailer also.
But it seams that they use different nails… with caps and also they got different charger or loader of nails (right term missing..)
I already make a choice of nailer which is “Bostitch F21PL Round Head”.
Do I have to purchase other models of nailers for the different level of job (framing, roofing, wrapping, molding, etc.)??
Or it is helpfull to purchase big or small nailer (e.g: Bostitch – HP118K Pin Nailer VS Bostitch F21PL Round Head).
Thanks Fox from Tahiti.
Clide
Replies
Unless you will be building a lot of houses, there is no need for a cap nailer. I have been doing this for almost forty years and stil;l do that one by hand. I just bought a roofing nailer for roof nails a few years ago.
What you definitely need are nailer for framing that will generally shoot nails from 2" ( sometimes shorter ) up to 3/1/4"
and a trim nailer for the interior moldings that will shoot nails from 1" or 1-1/4" up to 2-1/2"
possibly a siding and ext trim nailer that shoots stainless nails with smaller shanks and head than frame nails and has an adjustment for how deep the head ios driven.
and possibly a roofing coil nailer for asphalt shingles.
Now take all this into consideration for you locale - in Tahiti? or are you just from Tahiti and building in the states?
If in Tahiti I imagine you might use the metric system.
and one of the first considerations for which pneumatics to buy is whether you can get nails, parts, and service in your area so check that out.
Also, if in Tahiti, your wood might be denser than the softwood lumber we use in the states for framing. That means that you want to look for nailers that have been tested to be able to penetrate the denser woods like LVLs. For instance, I use Paslodes. My gas fired framer will not penetrate LVLs or pressure treated lumber all the way but my pneumatic Paslode is one of the best at doing that.
There are lots of guys here with more experience than I have with pneumatics. Say more about your experience, location, and type of construction and lumber and let this be a learning experience for all of us while others add more info
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kal.... we use mostly Bostich guns
we have the coil roofer rn 46
coil sheather / light framer (10 d max ) cn75
the big stick framer sn88...with the convertible nose.... good gun to have
siding coil nailers cn66
some finish guns
and some pin nailers
we love the cap nailer ( need both caps & staples )
it's hard keeping an inventory of all the nails we useMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Hi Mike!
Thanks for those information but could you give me more precision, you know on Tahiti pneumatic nailer it's the BMW tool. Most uses hammer so I'm a bit lost.
regards
Kal
The model numbers Mike gave you are very good recommendations, and the bostich nailers are very good, AND the framers do well on denser woods if you run into that.For finish flooring, you want a flooring nailer also, and bostich makes the best.We get some lumber imported from New Zealand and Australia all the way up here in new England too. usually Radiata pine in doors and trim moldings.Where are your prefabs coming from?
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I forgot top clarify about the terminology - A coil nailer or a stick nailer is indeed based on the shape of the nail load and magazine.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
how do you buy these tools ? can you buy on Amazon ?
do you want to deal direct with a tool store ? can you use a credit card ?
what is your normal source.... Australia?, France?, US?, NZ?
when you need nails.... where will you buy them ?
for a long supply chain... i'd think you would buy your guns where you intend to buy your nails.... and where you will get your guns serviced
Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
you can get a general purpose framer
and a sidewall sheathing / siding gun
if you use ashalt roofing shingles.... then you can use a roofing gun
for finish work... a finish gun
for detail finish work... a brad gun... and / or a pin nailer
if you have a rust problem (salt air )...you need stainless steel nailsMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Do you use SS for all framing too,Mike?we use galvanized except where exposed or in pressure treated where we do the stainless. I've never been to Tahiti except for watching Mutiny on the Bounty, but I reckon it must be similar to your island or mine for salt air
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not for framing....but most of our finish fasteners are ss
just seems easier to inventory ss instead of risking someone using bright when they should have used ss
my first boss lost a court case about some cedar clapboards fastened with bright
funny thing is BOTH the cedar and the nails were provided by the homeowner
never fails .... if the wrong nail is on the job..... it will get used in the wrong applicationMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
yes. few years back, when I was on vacation to Ireland the guys were building a garage for me, and weren't yet convinced how important it was to use the ss in PT. A week later the galvanized nails had rust streaks running down the block wall under them. Had to be renailed with the SS sitting right there in the trailer.I haven't even SEEN a bright in years. I use galvies on all the framing and sheathing too.
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hey Mike advice me please!
tell me which bostich nailer do I have to purchase. I mean you said 'general purpose framer', so...
here is what I choose:
Framing nailers: Bostitch F21PL Round Head- HN90 powerlite
Roofing nailer: Bostitch FN16250K2
But no idea for the rest
I mean:
Trim and siding nailer??
Thanks see you
kalkeiv..
new models keep comming out... so my model numbers are not the ones you can buy today
i'll take a look on line .......OK...here you go:
View ImageGeneral Purpose framer.........F21PL2
View Imagethis is our favorite general purpose and light framer......
N75C-1 - Coil Sheathing/Siding Nailer
View Imagethis is our siding gun ....N66C - Coil Siding Nailer
View Image
Roofer.....RN46
View Image
Finish.......SB-1664FN - 16-Gauge Straight Finish Nailer Kit
View Image
Brad nailer......BT1855K - 18 Gauge Brad Nailer Kit
View Image
pin nailer..........HP118K - 23 Gauge Headless Pinner Kit
and stop at my favorite tool store..... warning...dangerous place
but seriously.... i can buy different brands.....like Hitachi.....Grex.....Max...
the ones i posted above would be my choice if I wanted to stick to Bostich.....and I do own all of the ones i showed ....just older models of the same
Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 2/20/2009 11:37 pm ET by MikeSmith
Ho! whaaoo!!!! Hey Mike what a good job.
Thank you very much, I did not expect that kind of answer
Thanks again.... Tool expert!
It gets me help like a step on the moon!
well...
don't be a stranger... we'd all be interested to learn how things work in Tahiti
and pictures would be great !Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
HI Mike!
Hmmm... what do you mean?
Stranger...
What we planned it's to send pictures when houses will be build up, sure.
I could tell you this, our first project is 5 modules on a butiful Atoll
named "Raroia"on Tuamotu archipelagos. We could define this atoll as a secret spot (checks on google map).With secret blue lagoon, secret surf spot (no secret holes for golf sorry...)wammy fishes (and girls too...ahahah). And we try to send those pictures on "finehomebuilding-gallery".
But we are going to be very busy, because there is a lot of process to put in place.
See you
good news.... i look forward to your storyMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Hi Mike Thank you very very much for those informations.
So there is patented shop over here representing "DO it center" from U.S.
Then I can have all from him knowing that he can deal with many supplier on U.S.A.
Rigth now he asked me to update my list of tools order.
He planned to go mid-march to USA.
On Tahiti our major products are importated from France, I mean electric tools. But most of them are koreen brand like "Makita" etc. The reasons, runs french trade then others countries but the trend changing. Before, when I purchase for exemple bostich roof nailer costing 200 us$ in USA, if fact you pay 450 us$ throught local tools shop on Tahiti. Like Mr Bruce hornsby said "that's the way it is".
Anyway, I guess we going to buy a stock of nails and like you discussed with puffin it should be better to get nailer tools in stainlees steel...
But right now we don't know yet what size of nails we have to use is in work out. There a really nice guy from Hawaii representing Simpson Strong tie throught the south pacific who proposed us to fix that problem.
well.... the import /export laws would have a lot to do with your problem...
but it is a global economy
we have guys who post here from NZ & Australia... but don't know how much their experience will help with you
and... just between you and me....it's Piffen....not puffin.... although you might be on the right track ( his initials are P-F-N )Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Hey Hyou sane, it's piffin, not piffen, LOLI don't care - it is funny how many different ways that has been mis-spelt over the years
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
piffin...puffin...hey you.....this is one long damn wintersupposed to be a mix of rain / snow tomorrow... still hoping for some golfMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
use those bright neon coloured balls tomorrow.We got 8-9" out of this last one and they forecast anywhere from 3" to 9" tomorrow PM, depending whether it turns to rain or stays snow.
I'm down to two cords or so of firewood.Tahiti sounds nice right about now.
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Hi Piffin!
Thank you very much for your answer.
I live in Tahiti and we are about to launch our business as importator and contractor of prefabricated house using green concept.Yes you're right we use metric system.
you gave me an interesting information about the hardness of wood.
Tahiti use to import wood from U.S.A, New Zealand, Chile, Canada and Australia which is most of the time southern pine....
But which information do I have to consider if the nailer matches with the wood density?On Tahiti hammer still the best tool but since years most uses to build concrete house with steel roof. Local people define those materials as "durable". "fast" is our main goal if we consider the time taking to import (2 months) and the time to set up the house which is basically 3 months.
But our goals is 28 Days from the ground to the roof and it seams possible.
So we need tools that allow us to reach that goal.
In sum, framing nailer, coil nailer and trim nailer (1"to 2") should be get then?
But those lasts could be
Technical term get me a bit lost... could you give me little more?
We call "Coil" nailer because of the shape of the magazine is rounded?Could you check if it is good:Flooring: Framing nailer
Walls: Framing nailer
Siding: Trim nailer-coil nailer
Carpenting: Framing nailer
Roofing: Coil Nailer
Molding: Trim nailerRegards
I don't know if cost is an issue, but my Omer pin nailer ran about three hundred, my Porter Cable framing and Max siding nailers about four hundred each. If you want to test something without a lot of cash outlay, check the classier pawn shops (yes, we actually have one which is pretty clean and sells some pretty nice stuff. I've gotten some bargains (the Pawn Exchange). When buying in pawn shops, I judge a book by its cover. If it looks bad, it had better be cheap (heck, if it looks good, it better be cheap). Now days, you should be able to get even more bargains.I like all my more expensive nailers. I have a Paslods brad nailer I really like. It was my first and it's been true blue and I bought it used. I have a few Ridged units (for simple brad nailers and staplers) an a couple small Porter Cables for staples and brads. The only one that went south was the 18 gauge PC, which is why I own a couple Ridges from Home Depot. I bought them as back up and they've been fine too. For no good reason, I don't have a Bostich or a Senco. My old compressor ran everything, until I got my siding nailer. It left way too many shinners, so I upgraded to a Makita for my portable jobs (with two ports) and have never missed a shot since.
I wonder if they have classy pawn shops in Tahiti...I like my Psalode nailers, but I hesitate to recommend that line for the location if there is not already an established line of supply and dealer since cartridges and parts would be in short supply.The Paslode is a French tool tho, so that may be a less difficult line of procurement than some others.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Mike and Piffin already mentioned it, but how/where do you buy your nails? Knowing you can readily get the nails for your gun(s) is key.
By the way, I have the Bostich 21 also, and it's been a good tool. I have the model from a few years ago that has an interchangeable positive placement tip for shooting nails into hangers/straps. I expect in tahiti you use a lot of straps and hurricane ties.
k
At one time Bostich would just give you the nailer if you bought a pallet of nails.If stored right they do have a good shelf life. Sounds like a good size project, some one here can give you a sq ft to nail number.If you do have order in then buying lots all at once may save on shipping.
Been to long a winter here also, -25 this am.