Hardwood flooring nailer

[Tom M King]

Only solid wood for me too. I may be the only person who still uses a manual nailer. I can control how hard I hit any cleat, and how tightly any spot can be pulled up. I had a pneumatic one for a short while, but didn't like it. Back when I built one spec house a year (with my hands-not a telephone-built and sold last one in 2007), I only put in one floor a year though. With me, you get to choose one, and it's neither fast, nor cheap.

[Larry Edgerton]

Tom, I went from a manual to a powered, back to a manual because I did not like it and then tried a Primatech, and was sold. Really, by contoling the air and getting it to the point where it dependably drives the nail, you still control the fit with the hammer. That is what I did not like about the first power nailer I tried, the timing was off is what I am thinking and it just did not give me consistantly good fits.

If you get a floor and want to try it I can send it down to you to use. Like you I am getting older and I don't do so many any more, so its just sitting on the shelf most times.

Later, Larry

PS, thanks for the tip on the pencils. I bought a box to try and then bought the rest...........

[Mike OMelia]

Maybe made snese for a pro - - back when the Bostitch was "home grown" and sold for around $700.
The Bostitch these days goes for little over $200 & I'd bet dollars to doughnuts it's made in a similar, if not the same, Chinese factory as the Harbor Freight one.

Yes - cleats with the nice big head. Make sure you use quality Bostitch cleats though.


They don't have to be.
The 240F is a DIY version - w/the fixed base plate, not the roller one.
They can be had for $299
http://www.primatech.ca/Buy-online/Tools/

With that nice compact head, they claim to get in closer to walls by 4 1/2 inches.
Nice!
Drilling and hand nailing those last few rows was a pain on my ancient knees I could have done without.

I am leaning your way. This smaller gun, is it very effective?

[Mike OMelia]

Bump it, thanks

[George Muff]

I installed 3/4" acacia on the whole ground floor of my home using the Harbor Freight nailer and Bostich cleats. It was much cheaper than renting as the work was done over an extended period of time. I have no complaints regarding performance of the nailer and would heartily recommend it. The only jam experienced was attempting to run a cleat into a nail in the sub-floor. The one I have is orange and I notice the new ones are silver. Not sure if other changes have been made. Another item from Harbor Freight which was inexpensive and came in very handy was the flooring jack. http://images.harborfreight.com/manu...8999/98787.pdf Although it looks like they may have discontinued this item.

George

[Larry Edgerton]

I am leaning your way. This smaller gun, is it very effective?

The gun is not smaller, its just a smarter design.

The air cylinder is shorter but of a larger bore, the actuator is shorter and only moves 1/4". Both of these thing lower the center of gravity and let you get closer to the wall. Effective? Ah, I think I already covered that and I own one. Not sure about the $299 one, but the design is the same without the frills it appears.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Opps - sorry Mike - I missed this.
But, yeah, Larry nailed it.
The overall design is the same, but, they do use a different power unit in the DIY and Pro versions.

I don't have one myself, but, I'm strongly considering one since I want to put hardwood floors in my dining room and living room.

They make & sell a small hand held nailer - similar in size to an 18 ga brad nailer, that has an angled head that fits the tongue, for getting in closer to the wall than the traditional flooring nailers.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/WEN-4-in...FUbGwAod3bIFNg
If the $299 Primatech can get in even a row or two closer, without having to buy the small 18 ga type, it's worth it to me.

One of the more nasty aspects of laying a hardwood floor is crawling around, drilling and hand nailing the boards that are too close to the wall to use the big flooring nailer.
I don't know why that bugs me so much, but, it does.