On 9/28/2011 2:50 PM, Arthur Shapiro wrote:
My very talented housekeeper has replaced the crummy baseboards in a couple of
my rooms with nice maple molding. She used a borrowed cordless nail gun that
apparently did (barely) the job, with a few of the nails needing additional
manual settings. But it mostly did a good job.

We liked it so much that I've purchased an additional 180 feet of baseboard,
which happens to be red oak as the maple pattern wasn't easily obtainable
right now from the merchant.

She complained that the nail gun in question was quite heavy and tiring to
use. Plus, it was borrowed.

I'm never one to turn down an opportunity to purchase a new tool. Can anyone
suggest what I need to consider? She was just given a small and inexpensive
air compressor, which seems to run for quite a while to build up pressure. So
I'm willing to purchase a pneumatic gun, but don't know if that's the best
choice - if there's such a thing as a best choice - for this application.
I've never owned a compressor and have absolutely no famliarity with air
equipment, but have no objection to air tools if they are appropriate here.

Advice and guidance welcome.

Quite an investment _only_ for one purpose--not to try to discourage
anybody from more toys, but...

A pancake compressor is sufficient for nailguns but will be of limited
use for other purposes hence for average homeowner use likely something
like the 5-8 gal oilless compressors from the box stores are the likely
alternate.

I'm partial to the Bostitch nailers but Senco and many others are good
as well. Even the HF can be ok for small-volume users.

If she didn't like the weight, for higher $$ one can get Mg frames and
hence lighter guns but that comes w/ the price tag...

Quite likely the gun and/or pressure could have been adjusted to have
set the nails previously more better (to use the vernacular ). I've
never had the Bostitch fail even w/ oak trim in very old yellow pine
once adjusted...

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