Hi,

One of the jobs I've not got round to is building a shed in the
garden. I've read here how using a nailer speeds up the whole process.
I see that Hitachi sell nailers for half the price of a Plaslode. Are
the Hitachi models any good?

I understand you can get two types of nailer: one for round head nails
and the other for clipped nails. I understand the round head nails are
supposed to hold stronger but cost more. What would/do you buy/use?

I guess if I went down this route I'd end-up having to buy two: one
for first fix and one for second fix. At least I could swap the gas
and batteries between them. Is there a reason they can't make one gun
that would accept both sizes of nail and adjust the angle?

BTW, the wiki mentions using 4x2 but I was thinking of using 2x2. The
ones you can buy from places like Wickes and B&Q seem to use something
nearer 1x1, so would 2x2 be ok? It is for a shed for storage, not a
workshop. It would be about 6' x 8'.

TIA

On 09/12/2011 22:48, Fred wrote:
Hi,

One of the jobs I've not got round to is building a shed in the
garden. I've read here how using a nailer speeds up the whole process.
I see that Hitachi sell nailers for half the price of a Plaslode. Are
the Hitachi models any good?

I understand you can get two types of nailer: one for round head nails
and the other for clipped nails. I understand the round head nails are
supposed to hold stronger but cost more. What would/do you buy/use?

I guess if I went down this route I'd end-up having to buy two: one
for first fix and one for second fix. At least I could swap the gas
and batteries between them. Is there a reason they can't make one gun
that would accept both sizes of nail and adjust the angle?

BTW, the wiki mentions using 4x2 but I was thinking of using 2x2. The
ones you can buy from places like Wickes and B&Q seem to use something
nearer 1x1, so would 2x2 be ok? It is for a shed for storage, not a
workshop. It would be about 6' x 8'.

TIA

Seems a lot of money to me just for that one job, especially if you buy
two of them. Last shed I built, about that size but tacked on to the end
of a garage, I used mostly 2x2, with feather-edge board, fixed with
screws. I know nails are cheaper and potentially quicker, but with a
good cordless drill and modern screws it is much easier to correct mistakes.

On Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:48:12 +0000, Fred wrote:

BTW, the wiki mentions using 4x2 but I was thinking of using 2x2. The
ones you can buy from places like Wickes and B&Q seem to use something
nearer 1x1, so would 2x2 be ok? It is for a shed for storage, not a
workshop. It would be about 6' x 8'.

I suspect the wiki is describing a shed for a sheddie rather than
somewhere to keep a fork and spade...

Our commercial 6 x 8 shed is frames made from about 1 1/2" maybe 1
1/4" square with shiplap T&G boarding. OK it's had the roof blown off
once and picked up an rolled over but now it's staked to the
ground(*) and the roof attached with metal strapping to the side
frames it stands up quite well.

(*) Literally, bits of treated timber same size as the framing
timbers driven 18" to 2' into the ground at each corner and bolted
through to the frames.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 09/12/2011 22:48, Fred wrote:
Hi,

One of the jobs I've not got round to is building a shed in the
garden. I've read here how using a nailer speeds up the whole process.
I see that Hitachi sell nailers for half the price of a Plaslode. Are
the Hitachi models any good?

They are ok from what I have heard... although like paslode cost a bit
to run compared to a pneumatic nailer.

I understand you can get two types of nailer: one for round head nails
and the other for clipped nails. I understand the round head nails are
supposed to hold stronger but cost more. What would/do you buy/use?

The clipped head ones usually have a steeper sweep angle to the magazine
and hence can nail into a tighter corner. Not sure there is any real
difference in holding power.

I guess if I went down this route I'd end-up having to buy two: one
for first fix and one for second fix. At least I could swap the gas
and batteries between them. Is there a reason they can't make one gun
that would accept both sizes of nail and adjust the angle?

A gun will normally take a number of sizes (certainly a number of
lengths even if the gauge is fixed). The sweep angle is fixed though
usually. Steeper angles require the clipped head so that one nail does
not catch on its adjacent one when fired.

BTW, the wiki mentions using 4x2 but I was thinking of using 2x2. The
ones you can buy from places like Wickes and B&Q seem to use something
nearer 1x1, so would 2x2 be ok? It is for a shed for storage, not a
workshop. It would be about 6' x 8'.

Commercial sheds are build on stuff not much more than 1x1. They stand
up and keep the rain off stuff. Much depends on what you want the shed for.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Dec 9, 10:48*pm, Fred wrote:
Hi,

One of the jobs I've not got round to is building a shed in the
garden. I've read here how using a nailer speeds up the whole process.
I see that Hitachi sell nailers for half the price of a Plaslode. Are
the Hitachi models any good?

I understand you can get two types of nailer: one for round head nails
and the other for clipped nails. I understand the round head nails are
supposed to hold stronger but cost more. What would/do you buy/use?

I guess if I went down this route I'd end-up having to buy two: one
for first fix and one for second fix. At least I could swap the gas
and batteries between them. Is there a reason they can't make one gun
that would accept both sizes of nail and adjust the angle?

BTW, the wiki mentions using 4x2 but I was thinking of using 2x2. The
ones you can buy from places like Wickes and B&Q seem to use something
nearer 1x1, so would 2x2 be ok? It is for a shed for storage, not a
workshop. It would be about 6' x 8'.

TIA

My experience is with the Paslode IM350, and I find I only want and
need 2 nails sizes in practice, 63 * 2.8mm and 90 * 3.5mm - one for
fixing floorboards, and the other for fixing studs.

If you buy any gas nailer, buy it where you will get good sales
support. My first paslode had problems (spark ignition got
intermittent), and Screwfix replaced it instantly.

Pros - it's really fast and effective.

Con's - batteries are expensive and charge very slowly (though last
well). Had to buy a no-mark nose as an extra. Depth adjustment fiddly
(don't have to use it very often though).

I believe the very-expensive IM500 overcomes most of the above fairly-
minor defects.

What I've read of the Hitachi (and Makita) gas-nailers has been very
positive, but not handled them.

For construction I would definitely go for larger rather than a
smaller nailer, and the IM350 is still the workhorse you see in every
builders hands. I'd guess I've put about 12-15,000 nails through mine,
and it's still like new.

On Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:43:25 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

I suspect the wiki is describing a shed for a sheddie rather than
somewhere to keep a fork and spade...

Thanks for the replies.

Like you, I think the wiki might be talking about workshops rather
than sheds for storage.

I don't know what I'll do about a nailer. I suppose I should see what
they cost to hire first. I plan to do some stud walls, so a first fix
nailer would get used again.

OTOH air tools might be cheaper (only I don't have a compressor yet!)
and have the disadvantage of a hose to trip over.

Thanks again.