Framing nail guns : positive placement good for regular framing, as well?

[Dan Friedrichs]

I'm starting a deck project, and am thinking of finally getting a framing nail gun. But I also need to nail in some joist hangers, and I'd prefer to not do that by hand, either. Can a positive-placement joist-hanger nailer (like the Bostitch MCN250) also be used as a regular framing nail gun? Or is the maximum length (2.5") not sufficient for some framing tasks?

[johnny means]

I would bet a house built wirh that gun as framet wouldn't pass code. IMO, thats much to short for an all around framer. Going through top or bottom plates into end grain would be pretty flimsy.

[Kevin Bourque]

2.5 inches is too small for house framing.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Ok. Can a regular framing gun be used for joist hangers? (I mean, I understand the advantage of the positive placement gun is that the nail point can be precisely placed through the hole in the joist hanger, but is that necessary? Would a regular framing gun that could shoot through a metal joist hanger work as well?)

[John R Green]

Bostitch F21PL - shoots 21 degree stick framing nails and has an attachment that converts its to a positive placement nail gun.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Bostitch F21PL - shoots 21 degree stick framing nails and has an attachment that converts its to a positive placement nail gun.

Oh, awesome! That's what I was looking for - thanks, John!

[fred klotz]

I don't expect a building inspector is going to pass any hangers, etc, without proper placement of proper nails (in the manufacturers' holes)

[Rich Engelhardt]

You can also use a palm nailer for the hangers.
The nicest thing about a palm nailer is that you can use any nails in it you want. You aren't limited to only what types and lengths the guns take.

Plus there's a big grin factor to using a palm nailer.....

I love the "machine gun" - Brrrrrrrrrtttttttttt sound it makes..

[Adam Shapiro]

Bostitch F21PL - shoots 21 degree stick framing nails and has an attachment that converts its to a positive placement nail gun.

I bought this gun about 5 months ago and I've been happy with it so far. I haven't used it much, so I can't speak to reliability, but it's certainly got enough power and jams haven't been an issue. If you're a pro, I could see the downside to the size and weight compared to a dedicated joist hanger gun, but for me it's a nice compromise.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

You can also use a palm nailer for the hangers.
The nicest thing about a palm nailer is that you can use any nails in it you want. You aren't limited to only what types and lengths the guns take.

Plus there's a big grin factor to using a palm nailer.....

I love the "machine gun" - Brrrrrrrrrtttttttttt sound it makes..

Rich.....I agree.

I bought a cheap Ridgid palm nailer for a 1 time use while working on a soffit with tight space restrictions between overhanging roofs. I love the thing. Unless I was doing a lot of decks, for a few joist hangers, I would use my palm nailer and buy whatever framing nailer would work best as framing nailer.

[Peter Quinn]

I bought this gun about 5 months ago and I've been happy with it so far. I haven't used it much, so I can't speak to reliability, but it's certainly got enough power and jams haven't been an issue. If you're a pro, I could see the downside to the size and weight compared to a dedicated joist hanger gun, but for me it's a nice compromise.

Ive had one for several years, have beat the snot out of it, still works fine. Not the gun I'd buy if positive placement were a huge part of my work, but it's nice having the option.

[Dave Atkinson]

Rich.....I agree.

I bought a cheap Ridgid palm nailer for a 1 time use while working on a soffit with tight space restrictions between overhanging roofs. I love the thing. Unless I was doing a lot of decks, for a few joist hangers, I would use my palm nailer and buy whatever framing nailer would work best as framing nailer.

I bought a palm nailer when I was building a deck, and used it for every joist-hanger nail and the framing nails too. For casual carpenters, it's hard to beat the price and versatility. Plus a palm nailer is great in tight spaces and can be used in some really awkward positions. I recently found another use for mine: I used it to "undrive" a bunch of nasty ring-shank flooring nails from the crawlspace below, which was far less aggravating than prying them out from above.

[TODD RAYMER]

I work at a lumber yard and have sold a lot of the Bostitch F21PL stick guns to our local contractors.They seem to be a very releiale nail gun. The only problem some people have with it is you have to change the nose pc from regular nails to joist hanger nails and they mis place the nose pc. Usually it is the joist hanger nose pc and they are $52.00 to replace so keep it in a safe place.

[Dan Friedrichs]

So I ended up buying the Bostitch F21PL. Very nice gun. Switching between positive placement and standard tips is a 1-second operation - excellent design. I put up 40 joist hangers and 20 deck joists with it today, and was very pleased. Thanks all for that suggestion!

[Van Huskey]

This will help me in my decision! Very similar situation but I hadn't started "shopping" yet.