Need help shooting 2" 18 ga brads

[Garrett Ellis]

I've been having some problems with my dewalt 18 ga brad nailer (only about 2 months old)

I am trying to nail some 1x2 pine into the edge of plywood as "trim" but just about every nail i shoot comes out the side. is 2" just too long? or is there a trick to keep the nails from curving on me?

in the mean time i'm having to use a hammer and nails! :eek:

thanks!

[Gene Howe]

try 1 1/4". 2" is way too long.

[Steve Clardy]

3/4 thick material, I use 1-1/2" brads.

Also turn your gun 90 degrees sometimes helps. Brads like to follow the wide grain in pine.

[bill mullin]

I would use 1 1/2 brads for that.
also try slanting the gun slightly opposite the side blowing thru.
And try orienting the gun 90 degrees to the way you are shooting now. I find the most control when holding the gun parallel to the length of the trim.

[Mikail Khan]

+1 on the nailer orientation.

A brad nail has a rectangular cross-section (about 0.9mm x 1.2mm).

It is less likely to deviate in the plane of the wider dimension.

As Bill suggested keep the nailer parallel to the ply.

MK

[Paul Nienaber]

If you look at the tips of the brads, you will see that the points are cut along the length of the stick. If you hold the brad nailer paralell with the plys, the brads will angle towards either face of the plywood. Holding the nailer perpendicular to the plys, the brad will still angle, but into more plywood instead of blowing out. Finish nails are generally cut the other direction, therefore, you would hold a finish nailer paralell to the plys. HTH

PAUL

[Gene E Miller]

If you look at the tips of the brads, you will see that the points are cut along the length of the stick. If you hold the brad nailer paralell with the plys, the brads will angle towards either face of the plywood. Holding the nailer perpendicular to the plys, the brad will still angle, but into more plywood instead of blowing out. Finish nails are generally cut the other direction, therefore, you would hold a finish nailer paralell to the plys. HTH

PAUL

What Paul said.