C'man finish nailers issue

[Jay Yoder]

I have had both a 16ga and an 18ga Craftsman finish nail guns for a few years now. They have hardly been used and always stored in their respective cases. My question and issue is this; is there a "correct" way to fire these guns? If i pull the trigger quick, the nail does not counterset and if i pull it "normal" and hold it for a sec, the nail goes in, but there is a bit of a divot. Is this normal for all guns or just the c'man? it almost looks like the piston is driving nail, then sliding off to the side. I was looking at the P-C combo kit w/pancake compressor at the BORG for like $300. I have started replacing the C'man stuff with better tools, but it is a shame b/c these guns are basically new.

[Dave Lehnert]

Pulling the trigger does one thing. Fire the gun. Just like flicking a light switch on and off. How you pull the trigger (quick or hold) should not effect how the gun fires. When you fire the gun, do you hold the gun firm to the wood?
I have a Craftsman gun for many years and they are good guns. Not much to go wrong with an air gun.
FYI DeVilbiss/PC made a lot of Compressors for Craftsman. The one you own may not be any different than the PC. I have owned a Craftsman compressor since 1993 and is very well built.

[Tim Sproul]

but there is a bit of a divot. Is this normal for all guns or just the c'man?


My PC 18 and 16 gauge guns and my Bostitch 15 gauge gun all appear to 'score' the wood a bit when countersinking. Then again, 15, 16 and 18 gauge pneumatic nails aren't exactly fine finishing tools. The bit of wood that appears to be touched but shouldn't (in theory at least), is just wood that is being pulled into the countersink by the nail as it is driven in. The nail crushes the wood fibers and pulls the surrounding wood in....giving the countersunk a bit of conical shape rather than a perfect cylinder.

If you are looking for a pneumatic nailer that will leave more invisible results, consider a 21 or 23 gauge pin nailer. Pin nailers are great for leaving near invisible results....with the cost of having significantly less holding power.

[Jay Yoder]

Thank you for your responses. I just checked again, and what it actually looks like is that it is "offset". In other words the nail is countersunk and this "divot" is right next to it. It is really strange, almost as if the hammer jumps sideways...

[Dave Lehnert]

Thank you for your responses. I just checked again, and what it actually looks like is that it is "offset". In other words the nail is countersunk and this "divot" is right next to it. It is really strange, almost as if the hammer jumps sideways...

Sounds like you have a combo gun. Nailer/stapler. Possible? That type of gun has a wider hammer/driver to set a staple.