how often do seals blow on nail guns?

[Travis Conner]

My nail guns don't get used often, not sure if this is why or if they are just old. Most hae only been used a handful of times since bought back in 2008. So now everytime I go to use one all I hear is pfffffshhhhh!!!!! I have a brad nailer, finish nailer and a framing nailer. If I remember right I replaced all the seals and the bump stop on the brad and framing nailers. Went to use the framing nailer yesterday and it blew the seals too. It was kind of funny that both the brad nailer and finishing nailer blew the seals the same day. I got like 3 nails put in out of each. Of course the seal kit is almost as much as a new gun, but I seem to prefer these older porter cable nailers that you can still oil vs the new ones that are oil less.

Now I guess I can't complain since they are pretty old even though they hardly have a scratch on them, but is there anything I can do to preserve the life? I think it's the extreme heat we have around here most the year.

[Dwayne Watt]

The snarky answer to your question is "when you need the nail gun the most!".
So far, I have never had a seal fail on my guns (well maybe I came close on a cheapo finish nailer I bought for one project. It had other problems toward the end and I pitched it).
Internal corrosion would tend to explain the seal failures. So far, my nail guns are surviving Oklahoma summers but that said will now probably fail on the next use attempt. I don't use them very often.

[mike stenson]

If it's sat for years, without use, the seals will dry out also. I'm going through my dad's old stuff now, and he had new in box nailers that now need seals and replacement exhaust bodies, because the plastic also dry rotted. Actually, they last longer in use than in disuse IME.

[Tom M King]

Maybe 25 years. I have some that are still kicking after 40. Sounds like the Firing Seal from here. I have a big Senco framing nailer that was new in 1974, and the only thing that's been replaced is the firing seal, in 2016.

[Mel Fulks]

With a couple drops of the oil made for pneumatic stuff , I’ve seen few failures. That’s each use ….not each year.

[Mark Bolton]

+1 here on them drying out over time. Triggers go south all the time due to lack of use. Over oiling/under oiling, etc.. But just like a car. Sitting can be the worst thing

[Richard Coers]

By "blow" do you mean your seals actually disintegrate and fall out of the grooves? I've never had that happen. I have had seals dry out as others have mentioned. When I bought my first Duofast and Senco guns around 2000, a single drop of oil was recommended even if the manufacturer said no lube.

[Brian Runau]

Travis, I sold Chicago Rawhide oil seals for industrial applications for many years. Some 52" inside diameter & larger jobs for rolling mills, aluminum & steel mills. I suggest you look at your pressure setting for the gun and your compressor and if they are lubricated. Dry seals will fail and too much pressure is probably the reason. Brian

[Tom M King]

I've never had to replace a single O-ring in any of mine, and some were used when I bought them in 1975. My only problem is several of the white nylon (what it looks like) firing seals have developed a clean break. I'm not sure what causes them to break, but thinking it's probably age. They're in one piece. You have to heat it with a heat gun, to soften it enough to get it on.

I keep slip-on caps on the inlet quick-connects, when I'm not using them.

I have so many different ones, that some can go decades between uses, but I do use oil, even on the "oil-less" ones. I took it to mean that they need less oil, not no oil.

[Brian Runau]

I've never had to replace a single O-ring in any of mine, and some were used when I bought them in 1975. My only problem is several of the white nylon (what it looks like) firing seals have developed a clean break. I'm not sure what causes them to break, but thinking it's probably age. They're in one piece. You have to heat it with a heat gun, to soften it enough to get it on.

I keep slip-on caps on the inlet quick-connects, when I'm not using them.

I have so many different ones, that some can go decades between uses, but I do use oil, even on the "oil-less" ones. I took it to mean that they need less oil, not no oil.

Tom, I think the hydraulic guys call it a back up ring, does not really seal and I think it is supposed to be split. Brian

[Tom M King]

These aren't split. They're in one piece, and you have to heat them to get them on their seat. The gun blows air when you pull the trigger when one is split. These are in the old, Senco guns, and are called firing seals by Senco. Some are held in by a machine screw and parts, some snap on, but some, like for the SNIV, you have to heat.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16320623966...IAAOSwuPJfbU~B

edited to add: Looks like the proper name is Firing Valve Seal, but I've only ever heard them called Firing Seal.

[Brian Runau]

These aren't split. They're in one piece, and you have to heat them to get them on their seat. The gun blows air when you pull the trigger when one is split. These are in the old, Senco guns, and are called firing seals by Senco. Some are held in by a machine screw and parts, some snap on, but some, like for the SNIV, you have to heat.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16320623966...IAAOSwuPJfbU~B

edited to add: Looks like the proper name is Firing Valve Seal, but I've only ever heard them called Firing Seal.

Thanks Brian

[Myles Moran]

With a couple drops of the oil made for pneumatic stuff , I’ve seen few failures. That’s each use ….not each year.

I have a framing gun that sat unused for maybe 4 or 5 years. Before I left it that long I gave it a heavier dose of pneumatic oil (maybe 10 drops) and fired a few nails through it. I picked it up years later and it's still running fine. It probably helps that I always oil that one more aggressively since I'm not as worried about extra oil spraying out vs a finish gun.