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Thread: Framing nailer

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
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    9,876
    Quote Originally Posted by John M Wilson View Post
    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

  2. #17
    Hitachi NR90AD
    paper collated nails with offset heads
    great gun
    as are alot of hitachi's products are
    Carpe Lignum

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    New England
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    2,474
    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.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
    Posts
    9,876
    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

  5. #20
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Alberta
    Posts
    2,162
    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.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Cache Valley, Utah
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    1,722
    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.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    6,976
    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. 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.
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Western Nebraska
    Posts
    4,680
    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.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Kamiah, ID
    Posts
    280
    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 ) 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.

  10. #25
    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.

  11. #26
    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.

  12. #27
    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.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Posts
    75
    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.

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
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    9,876
    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.

  15. #30
    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.

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