On 5 June, 10:32, (Steve Firth) wrote:
Matty F wrote:
In a recent programme of "Grand Designs" it was stated that UK
builders building new houses tend to use hammers to drive in nails
rather than use nail guns.
Is this true at all?

Yes, it's true. There are exceptions, but not many. Builders dont' seem
to like Passlode type nailers except for specialist applications - too
costly for nails and the nailer, I suspect. Compressed air nailers
aren't liked because of the trailing hoses.

I have both a coil nailer and a couple of small staplers/bradders. I
prefer them to swinging a hammer. They are fast and create a good
finish. Air nailers are IMO superior to other types because they set the
nail properly and have little or no kickback. Worst of all are the
electric nailers/staplers. I have a Tacwise model and it's useless.
Noisy, kicks back, makes a mess of the wood.

The problem is cost a efffect. You need the work to make it pay
otherwise an hammer is cheaper. some contracts are worth buying one
for. Some hiring is less expesive.

Most builders don't have space for storage. And getting a 300 quid
tool ripped off is a lot of money to feed a smack-head's habit for a
couple of days.

The other factor is that most British work tends to vary widely from
one job to the next. Repairing an old house, building a shed, fitting
a porch, replacing windows.

A British joiner is expected to know how to do all this stuff. And
having a nailgun at home in the garage to do any of it isn't as handy
as carrying a hammer on a belt for immediate use as and when.

A lot of Canadian and US construction is compartmentalised into
specialist part trades. Some of the workforce are ace with nail guns.
Most of the workforce never see an hammer.

Where they are worth having is when the shoddy specs allow the use of
skimpy materials. the days of the 5 x 2 stud partition went before my
time and the 4x 2 went when I was young.

These days 2 x 3 white pine is a rarity and composite studwork
requires guns not hammers. You can't use a nail on a piece of 2 x 2
that will be strong enough and long enough without being wide enough
to last long. And you will need to use a lot more bracing.

It will just split the wood. But shoot it at high speed and it will
not split and you can use brittle, hard nails. But you must use many
more of them or they will just snap. But they help as bracing.