Framing nailer

[Laurie Brown]

I'm looking to buy my first framing nailer. I and my nephew will be sharing it to use in projects like shed building and framing projects in his house. There are a ton of different framing nailers out there in a wide variety of price ranges. What should I be looking for in making my selection, and which ones do you guys suggest? I don't want to buy some cheapy Chinese offbrand that will be thrown out in a year or less. I'm not afraid to spend a bit on a quality tool that will last. And what are the advantages or differences between a pneumatic one and a cordless? I can go either way, not sure which would be better. Looking to buy fairly soon.

[Izzy Camire]

Laurie,
I have had a Bostich framing nailer for several years for home projects. It has the 28 degree magazine. I find it works well and I am very happy with it.

[Tom M King]

I just checked your local Craigslist, and there is a Paslode on there for $75 with nails, but it doesn't say how many nails. Senco is my favorite brand, but any of the major names should be okay. Check to see what nails are available locally. The angled nails come in a bunch of different angles for different manufacturers, and you need the right angled nails for whatever nailer you get.

The pneumatic ones are a lot faster, which only matters for nailing on sheathing, and subflooring.

[Neil Gaskin]

It depends on your budget or what you are willing to spend. If you want to buy a framing nailer once and only once, I would get a Hitachi NR83 A3, they are well built tanks. Most framers around me use it and we have a few in our remodeling company. We also have a few Porter Cable framers that aren't bad if you do not want top quality but still a good value. I would imagine most of the guns in the $200-$250 are similar to the porter cable.

The Hitachi should last a lifetime and then some, the porter cable might depending on use but may also crap out after heavy usage. In either case I would by air powered. The gas powered Paslodes have their place but not as your only framing nailer. The gas fired units also require a charged battery and way more maintenance/cleaning.

Oil the air powered with each use, just a few drops, and if it's stored for a long time put a cap over the air-fitting.

[Bill Space]

I have had a porter cable framing nailer for years and it has performed well and did not break the bank.

Sounds like I do what you plan to. If you are not a pro no need to buy top shelf. BUT always best to buy as much quality as you can afford. That being said, the porter cable has always done what I needed.

Bill

[Jim Becker]

If you plan on using the framing nailer on any work that will be subject to inspection, you really need to ascertain local requirements relative to "full head" vs "clipped head" before you plunk down your money. There are many jurisdictions that do not permit "clipped head" fasteners. If it's just incidental work then it really doesn't matter, but it may still pay to adhere to this kind of thing "just in case".

I have an older Senco framing nailer which was not "top of the line". It does a fine job for what I ask of it which is only very occasionally. I bought it because my wrists can't handle using a regular hammer and there are some times when using construction grade screws requires too many hands...

[Art Mann]

I have used a Porter Cable model FR350B (IIRC) for many years with no problems. I am not a house framer by trade but I have used it on several Habitat for Humanity houses. I agree with Jim about the clipped head nailers.

[Laurie Brown]

Whoops! That's not my local Craigslist any more, I've moved to Ohio. :) I will update my profile. Where I live we don't have a local Craigslist, I'm kind of in a blank area between PA, WV, and the major cities of OH.

[lowell holmes]

A framing nailer is a large, powerful tool. Be careful.

[Van Huskey]

For a no-frills framing nailer, it is hard to beat the Hitachi nailers.

[David Helm]

If you are not experienced with framing nailers you should know that they are very powerful tools. Get one that can be adjusted between single shot and bounce. Builders like bounce because it is faster, but is infinitely more dangerous. Single shot is definitely the way to go for casual users.

[Tom M King]

Be aware of the maximum length nail that any particular one takes. Most are either 3-1/4", or 3-1/2". One that will shoot a 3-1/2" nail will shoot a 3-1/4, but not the other way around. I have two Senco's, and a Dewalt. The Dewalt if lightweight, which is nice until I need to shoot long nails into hard woods. I still call on the heavy old Senco, that I bought new in 1974, when I need to shoot long nails into hard stuff.

[Mike Kees]

Full time carpenter here. My nailers are Paslode,where I live their nails are available everywhere. They last forever and have a good balance that just works well. Look in a pawn shop ,rebuild kits are about $30 and there is not much inside of them that can go wrong. Good luck,Mike.

[Cary Falk]

If you don't want to go the HF route then I would go Hitachi. My friend has a Hitachi and it has been going strong since 2009. You can buy a recon and save some money. I have a recon Hitachi 15ga that has never skipped a beat.

[John M Wilson]

I have a Bostich F21PL, which has the advantage of two nose pieces. You can switch from standard round head 3 1/2" framing nails to the shorter 1 1/2" nails, and with the positive placement head, can shoot nails into metal connectors, such as joist hangers. It's under $200 at Amazon, and I think they've got one in the warehouse that's a customer return for about $166.

[Bill Dufour]

I have a Bostich F21PL, which has the advantage of two nose pieces. You can switch from standard round head 3 1/2" framing nails to the shorter 1 1/2" nails, and with the positive placement head, can shoot nails into metal connectors, such as joist hangers. It's under $200 at Amazon, and I think they've got one in the warehouse that's a customer return for about $166.

Are you saying it can shot standard plastic strip nails into connector holes? I think inspectors want the different color PP nails in the connectors so they can verify length.
Bill D

[phil harold]

Hitachi NR90AD
paper collated nails with offset heads
great gun
as are alot of hitachi's products are

[Dave Zellers]

Another vote for Hitachi. Only because I bought a used Hitachi framing nailer 20 years ago and it performs flawlessly for me every time I need it.

That said, this business has changed tremendously in the last 20 years. If you can find a Hitachi used, I would jump on it provided it wasn't abused.

If not, for sheds and light duty use, almost anything would likely suffice.

[Bill Dufour]

You are probably far enough inland that clipped head nails are still allowed. Personally I would recommend only considering a full head nailer as I think the clipped head nails may become extinct in my lifetime. They are extinct, or becoming that way, on all USA coasts for a good reason.
I pay about 1/2 of big box store prices for nails at a nail supply company in town.
Bill D

[Mike Kees]

The Paslode nailer comes with two different triggers one for "bounce firing" and a single shot trigger if you prefer that . Also the same nailer with no modifications fires either full round head nails or clipped head nails. I have one nailer that is 20 years old and two that are about 8-10 years old. With all the Hitachi recommendations on here maybe I will have to buy one and compare it to my Paslodes. for what the OP intends, honestly I would hit the pawn shops and buy one used,they are pretty cheap to rebuild if required. Mike.

[Dave Cav]

I'll throw in another vote for Hitachi. My framing nailer was old and used when I bought it at a pawn shop and it's still working great; I just used it to frame in my carport. You can still get parts and rebuild kits for them and they are solid and dependable. Check your local pawn shops.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I've had and used my Bostitch F28WW for about 11 years now. When I bought it, it was the most powerful framing nailer on the market.
It's rated for driving 3.5" full head nails into concrete - something I've done a couple of times - - the gun worked perfectly, just like it was supposed to.
It's a real beast. It works & will countersink 3.5" nails even at 75 psi.

I also picked up a Harbor Freight 3 in 1 framing nailer. (https://www.harborfreight.com/10-gauge-3-in-1-air-framing-nailer-98751.html) My Bostitch was put away "dry" and when I dragged it out for a quick job, it wouldn't work. After the oil soaked in for a couple of days, it worked fine, but, by that time I had already run out and picked up the HF gun.
(I had a bad experience with the HF 21 degree nailer - even when I cranked the pressure up to 125 psi, it failed to drive nails all the way into a 2x4.)
The 3 in 1 is a different story, it actually works & works well. - - but - - it needs a minimum of 90 psi to run well.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I have an old 602 Senco that I use often, and it's a flawless beast. Except for weight... It wears me out and I'm a big guy. A lighter gun would be easier to one hand. I have several Hitachi guns, and the recommendation for their framer is a good one. I'd also recommend bump fire only if you are comfortable with it, it will speed you up but it changes the safety. One thing no one has mentioned is coil framers. You burn through a lot of sticks on a framing job (2 per reload on my gun), and keeping them at hand and reloading is a time killer. A coil nailer holds a lot more nails, so less reloads. Hitachi makes a good one.

[Tim Bueler]

My most recent is a Hitachi NR83*** I bought new 15 or so yrs ago. Used professionally for over 10 yrs and still going strong. It had a selectable trigger, either bounce fire, like professionals prefer, or single fire. Any time I handed my gun to someone uninitiated I would switch it to single fire mode. I used single fire too, like when perched on a ladder with one foot hanging out the opposite direction of the nail gun, extended at full reach, nailing on a sub-facia. (Don't attempt this at home...the people represented here are trained professionals :D) Now that I don't use it all the time I tend to leave it on single fire mode...much safer. I built custom homes but when I'd cruise through the tracts so see how the other half lived the Hitachi was the gun seen most often.

Another note. I've had 2 Hitachi's and several Senco's. None of them liked cheap nails. Especially when driving into engineered wood products, those cheap nails will just fold up on you and often jamb the gun. Quality brands of nails I've used are (or at least were, when I was building full time) Senco, Hitachi and, my favorite from a cost/quality standpoint, Fanaco. Will depend on what is available to you locally. I believe Paslode also is a quality nail. I've seen many blame a "bad" gun that would work fine once a better quality nail was used.

[Carroll Ball]

I picked up a used Ridgid at a local flea market a year ago for $70 that was in good shape. The guy had a compressor so he drove a couple of nails to show me it worked. I've used it for repairing my shed and it was a lifesaver when you are working by yourself, and trying to hold an 18x48 inch sheet of plywood while driving a nail. I think the Ridgid will shoot 2 1/2 to 3 1/4 full head nails. My one comment is to make sure whatever kind you get that it will take nails from several manufacturers so you will not have a hard time buying nails.

[Jim Andrew]

I bought a new Senco SN4 years ago and could never make it through framing a house without having it repaired at least once. The yard I bought my lumber from kept the guns working for free if you bought it from them. Then I got a Hitachi, and never had it fixed once. My problem with bostitch, is the O rings must be the cheapest money can buy, because they always fail after while.

[Warren Lake]

no surprises there with new tools compared to tools from the past. Have an old Hitachi off craiglist for 125.00 works fine, its big and a bit heavy takes a strip., Picked up Hitachi Coil today used one in a pawn shop, surprised how heavy it was 200.00 too much id say but likely a good tool. Put a swivel fitting on mine makes it better.

I have lots of old senco up to 40 years old or more with no issues, some newer stuff from auctions half of it is broken. I talked to one dealer that some of the new senco looks pretty good, he said yeah if it works so he had some issues. Senco sales guy in the US decided he liked me emailed me back found me an old Roofing nailer the model I wanted, told me to take the one up here back and he called them and I did. Excellent service and was a good amount cheaper shipped from the US by post office. Heard he passed away sad to hear that he was a good caring guy.

[Eric Anderson]

I would also recommend one of the Hatachi coil guns. The NV90AG can shoot up to 3 1/2" full head nails down to being able to shoot siding nails and fencing nails. I have had the NV75AG for years (discontinued now) that shoots up to 3" nails. I've used it for building sheds, sheathing, and hardi siding. It's a great gun. I think for your purposes a coil gun with a wide variety of uses might be the ticket, and Hatachi guns are pretty much the industry standard for building contractors.

[Bill Dufour]

I put a HF mini regulator on the gun. Makes dialing in nail depth easy. Make sure it is a regulator some of what they call a regulator is just a needle valve. which does nothing.
Bill D.

[Jim Dwight]

I have Bostitch, Porter Cable, and Harbor Freight pneumatic nailers and a Ryobi cordless 18 gauge. For trim work, the Ryobi is the first choice and I use a pneumatic only if I need a bigger or smaller fastener. I also have harbor freight staplers including one that is 5 years or more old. The newer ones are much better than my old one - it never would drive the 1.5 inch staples it is supposed to handle. None of the newer ones I own have that problem.

I've only had a framing nailer for a year or so. I've used a friends Senco and a Rigid. I do not see much difference between the more expensive and the cheaper nailers. None of mine has worn out - but I do not do this professionally. My HF flooring nailer has done over 1,000 square feet and leaks a little air but still works fine. No issue with their framing nailer (mine is full head).

Not all HF tools are worth buying but their pneumatics are fine IMHO.

But if I had unlimited funds, I would have all cordless nailers. I have a little Senco compressor that is easily transportable but it is still easier to just grab the nailer and nail. I don't know if the cordless framing nailers are like the trim cordless but if the are it is a great way to go for convenience. But I bought my 30lb Senco compressor and my HF 15 gauge trim nailer for less than a 15 gauge cordless nailer costs. The compressor works the other pneumatics, of course. Now you can buy a cordless compressor, I will probably pick one up. I think everybody needs at least a 18 gauge 15 or 16 gauge and a framing nailer (plus I really like my 23 gauge). Doing all those in cordless is just more than I want to spend.

[Bruce Wrenn]

For a handicap ramp build, I bought a HF 3n1 nailer. It performed flawlessly, but was HEAVY,and BIG. Ramp was 90' long, and 6' wide. Last winter Lowes put the Hitachis on sale for $149, so I jumped on it. Hitachi is half the weight of the HF gun.

[Jim Becker]

One other important factor for framing guns...they generally require more air than the smaller pneumatics which means that it's best to have a beefier compressor unless you want to do a bit of waiting from time to time and also have a larger diameter hose. A 1/4" hose doesn't perform as well with a framing gun as a larger diameter hose does.

[Art Mann]

I am afraid I am going to have to disagree with Jim's assessment, based on my experience with a Porter Cable "pancake" air compressor. If a person is using a framing nailer at the rate of a normal do-it-yourselfer, then a small compressor will keep up just fine. Of course it will cycle every once in a while but that is just normal. You don't have to wait for it to cycle on and off. The reason i know this is I have used mine on several Habitat of Humanity houses and so have other people I know. The same is true of roofing nailers.

[joseph f merz]

The cost is in the nails . A coil gun means you are stuck buying boxes of coils .Though I love coil guns .shorter ,easy to get into small spaces and best of all your not running back and forth for nails so often . You can buy small boxes of strip nails at supply houses . I have had a few brands and have had junkers or troubles with them all . The only times I have had air leakage/seal problems with them is seemly when they have been stored . Dought OP will need the 3 1/2" compacity based on that I have boxes of the common 3 1/2" that I do not know where to use .
I would want to know if Op has a favorite cordless line .Maybe cordless is smarter .
I would want to know if OP has a compressor to run it . Framing guns suck alot of air .
Anyhow cost in the nails ,I have boxes of different nails , galv ,.148 shank and .113 shank . ring or smooth etc .Just bought another box for siding -80$ .
Why does OP need the best built one if only going to use once a year to shoot 100 nails or less .Just a thought .

[Tim Bueler]

Pro Tool Reviews posted a review of a new model Paslode this morning. I think they did a head to head comparison of framing nailers a while ago, can't remember for sure. You can also enter for a chance to win a "free" Hitachi framing nailer. There you go, your problems are solved. :D

[Van Huskey]

The same is true of roofing nailers.

While I agree a pancake can more or less keep up with a framing gun in the hands of an average DIYer you have to be a pretty slow DIYer nailing shingles (especially 6 nail) for a pancake to keep up, that said asphalt shingles are one use I recommend against pneumatic.

[Van Huskey]

Pro Tool Reviews posted a review of a new model Paslode this morning. I think they did a head to head comparison of framing nailers a while ago, can't remember for sure. You can also enter for a chance to win a "free" Hitachi framing nailer. There you go, your problems are solved. :D

They did. I think the Milwaukee came out on top and the very inexpensive Estwing was 2nd or 3rd. The Hitachi they tested came in the middle of the pack but they just tested the cheaper one recently and it did better. While the test might point to buying the Estwing at the price and how well it did in the test buying a newer product compared to Hitachi, Senco or Paslode seems a little iffy. That said I don't know who makes the Estwing.

[Jim Becker]

Art, no question one can use a very modest compressor with a framing gun. My intention was to state that "more optimal performance" comes with a little more air and a more generous hose for these larger guns that have larger "innards" to charge with the air.

[Jerome Stanek]

I have a Senco snIII and sn4 I used them for 20 some years without any down time The only things I replaced was a couple o rings and worn out drivers I used them on hundreds of houses.

[Tom M King]

When I was building new houses, I had a 5hp 2 stage in the step van. When sheathing a roof, the plywood was nailed down on one edge by hand, then lines snapped, and the rest bump nailed. On a good sized house, I'd have to wait for that compressor one time. For the rest of the framing, a small compressor would do fine, but there would often be some waiting involved.

I noticed several people saying they're still running the old Senco SN4. If yours is about as old as mine, the firing seal (big white one) may be due to split any time now. You can get them off ebay with free shipping. You have to heat it with a heat gun to get it on. There is no flange to take off for access. Mine is working again like new now. It still gets called on when the lightweights are not quite up to the job.

[Stan Coryell]

I have a 21deg Bostitch nailer that I'm happy with. It is a factory reconditioned model (I don't think it was ever used and was about 30% off) As others have mentioned, clipped heads aren't always allowed by code. My buddy bought a Dewalt clipped head and gets some form of full head that fits it, I'm sure they are more expensive. I don't like it. It's very uncomfortable. I think anything you buy would be fine, but I would make sure you like the way it feels full of nails when toe nailing over head. The degree makes a difference, as the clip can get in the way.

Stan

[Tim Bueler]

Estwing also makes an excellent cordless framing nailer. Back in the day we would've called it a hammer. Then there are the wonderful cordless screw drivers made by Klein and I still have, and occasionally use, a Diston cordless saw. :rolleyes: :D

Thought you were messing with me for a minute there Van...I had to go back and find the review. That's what I'd do to rookies on the job site when they'd ask for a cordless something. It was great entertainment for the older guys. Simple minds, simple pleasures! But we had a lot of fun!

[Todd Mason-Darnell]

I am a experienced DIYer and have the Porter Cable. It has worked well for me. A cordless would be nice, especially when working on a ladder, but you pay for that convenience.

Two recommendations:

1. Oil the tool with every use--they are not joking about that part.

2. Forget about using the bump fire option. Unless you use it every day, you are just asking for trouble.