Sorry about the this new post. Previous post was high jacked by too many arguments.

Issue: 2" nails not (never) set below surface.
Answer: Bought a 2 gallon bucket of finish nails (various lengths) at a garage sale ($5) some years back. Said nails got mixed in with my new "Porter Cable" brand nails. Look almost identical. On closer examination I find the the 'no brand' nails are slightly fatter than the "Porter Cable". Did not 'mike' the diameters, but, comparing clips, 12 "porter cable" nails take up the same amount of space as 9 of the 'no brand' nails. No wonder the gun would not fire about one out of four times. Had to open the gun and manually push the nails ahead for the next shot.
Learned my lesson. Brand name fasteners only from now on.

Ivan Vegvary

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Sorry about the this new post. Previous post was high jacked by too
many arguments.

Issue: 2" nails not (never) set below surface.
Answer: Bought a 2 gallon bucket of finish nails (various lengths)
at a garage sale ($5) some years back. Said nails got mixed in with
my new "Porter Cable" brand nails. Look almost identical. On closer
examination I find the the 'no brand' nails are slightly fatter than
the "Porter Cable". Did not 'mike' the diameters, but, comparing
clips, 12 "porter cable" nails take up the same amount of space as 9
of the 'no brand' nails. No wonder the gun would not fire about one
out of four times. Had to open the gun and manually push the nails
ahead for the next shot.
Learned my lesson. Brand name fasteners only from now on.


That would make a lot of sense.

--

-Mike-

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Sorry about the this new post. Previous post was high jacked by too many arguments.

Issue: 2" nails not (never) set below surface.
Answer: Bought a 2 gallon bucket of finish nails (various lengths) at a
garage sale ($5) some years back. Said nails got mixed in with my new
"Porter Cable" brand nails. Look almost identical. On closer
examination I find the the 'no brand' nails are slightly fatter than the
"Porter Cable". Did not 'mike' the diameters, but, comparing clips, 12
"porter cable" nails take up the same amount of space as 9 of the 'no
brand' nails. No wonder the gun would not fire about one out of four
times. Had to open the gun and manually push the nails ahead for the next shot.
Learned my lesson. Brand name fasteners only from now on.

Ivan Vegvary

FWIW , finish nails come in at least two different gauges, 15 and 16 gauge
being the most common. So be aware that you can also buy the wrong size
"name brand" and continue to have problems. My particular Senco angle
finish nailer uses 15 gauge nails, larger diameter than the 16 gauge.

My Senco gun has never had anything but Senco nails shot through it. I
have probably had two misfires since I have owned it. My Bostitch framer
has only had generic nails shot through it an I have never had a misfire
with it. Same goes for my Craftsman brad nailer, and HF stapler. Grex
pinner had an o-ring go bad and would misfiire but that was a simple at
home fix. Senco palm nailer, well anything goes. :-;

While most brand name nails work better than no name, buying the incorrect
size will cause more problems than using a no name brand..

Good catch!

On 2/15/2013 10:42 PM, Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Sorry about the this new post. Previous post was high jacked by too many arguments.

Issue: 2" nails not (never) set below surface.
Answer: Bought a 2 gallon bucket of finish nails (various lengths)
at a garage sale ($5) some years back. Said nails got mixed in with my new
"Porter Cable" brand nails. Look almost identical. On closer examination
I find the the 'no brand' nails are slightly fatter than the "Porter
Cable". ...
Learned my lesson. Brand name fasteners only from now on.

I think the lesson you're describing you learned isn't the right one,
though--the problem is likely not what brand the others were but that
they are 15 ga and your nailer needs/is made for 16 ga

IOW, in the right nailer, the others will also work almost certainly as
well as will other brands of the proper size/angle in yours.

A ratio of 12/9 seems large, though, altho given that you say you didn't
actually measure the shank it's possible the head spacing inflates the
actual shank dimension ratio.

Nail use the SWG (Standard Wire Gage) for which a small subset is

Ga dia (in)
15 0.0720
16 0.0625
17 0.0540
18 0.0475

15 ga is equivalent to a 4D standard finish nail, generally, altho I've
seen some recent imports that are smaller.

--

On 2/16/2013 9:41 AM, dpb wrote:
On 2/15/2013 10:42 PM, Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Sorry about the this new post. Previous post was high jacked by too
many arguments.

Issue: 2" nails not (never) set below surface.
Answer: Bought a 2 gallon bucket of finish nails (various lengths)
at a garage sale ($5) some years back. Said nails got mixed in with
my new
"Porter Cable" brand nails. Look almost identical. On closer examination
I find the the 'no brand' nails are slightly fatter than the "Porter
Cable". ...
Learned my lesson. Brand name fasteners only from now on.

I think the lesson you're describing you learned isn't the right one,
though--the problem is likely not what brand the others were but that
they are 15 ga and your nailer needs/is made for 16 ga

IOW, in the right nailer, the others will also work almost certainly as
well as will other brands of the proper size/angle in yours.

A ratio of 12/9 seems large, though, altho given that you say you didn't
actually measure the shank it's possible the head spacing inflates the
actual shank dimension ratio.

Nail use the SWG (Standard Wire Gage) for which a small subset is

Ga dia (in)
15 0.0720
16 0.0625
17 0.0540
18 0.0475

15 ga is equivalent to a 4D standard finish nail, generally, altho I've
seen some recent imports that are smaller.

--

Actually the 16 gauge finish nail guns have been around a relative long
time, I had the choice of 15 or 16, 20+ years ago. Almost every brand
offers both.

Some manufacturers consider 18 gauge to be finish nail size. Comparing
18 to 16 gauge the 12/9 ratio would be "about" right.

As for head spacing, all of the finish nails and brads that I have used
and or seen are glued next to each other, the heads in one dimension are
the same width of the nail. Typically only large headed nails, like
framing and or roofing nails, are spaced apart from each other.

I would think that he probably had some, more commonly referred to, 18
gauge brad nails mixed in the batch.

On 2/16/2013 10:03 AM, Leon wrote:
On 2/16/2013 9:41 AM, dpb wrote:
....

15 ga is equivalent to a 4D standard finish nail, generally, altho I've
seen some recent imports that are smaller.

....

Actually the 16 gauge finish nail guns have been around a relative long
time, I had the choice of 15 or 16, 20+ years ago. Almost every brand
offers both.
....

Yes; I'm well aware of that--I was relating back to a standard 4D finish
nail for comparison purposes for OP....

I thought about the 18ga brads as well, but that just seemed too big a
stretch to have not noticed a priori...I looked but never did see that
OP gave what the actual gun he has is for actual lookup.

--


--

Leon wrote:

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Sorry about the this new post. Previous post was high jacked by
too many arguments.

Issue: 2" nails not (never) set below surface.
Answer: Bought a 2 gallon bucket of finish nails (various lengths)
at a garage sale ($5) some years back. Said nails got mixed in
with my new "Porter Cable" brand nails. Look almost identical. On
closer examination I find the the 'no brand' nails are slightly
fatter than the "Porter Cable". Did not 'mike' the diameters, but,
comparing clips, 12 "porter cable" nails take up the same amount of
space as 9 of the 'no brand' nails. No wonder the gun would not
fire about one out of four times. Had to open the gun and manually
push the nails ahead for the next shot. Learned my lesson. Brand
name fasteners only from now on.

Ivan Vegvary

FWIW , finish nails come in at least two different gauges, 15 and 16
gauge being the most common. So be aware that you can also buy the
wrong size "name brand" and continue to have problems. My particular
Senco angle finish nailer uses 15 gauge nails, larger diameter than
the 16 gauge.

My Senco gun has never had anything but Senco nails shot through it.
I have probably had two misfires since I have owned it. My Bostitch
framer has only had generic nails shot through it an I have never had
a misfire with it. Same goes for my Craftsman brad nailer, and HF
stapler. Grex pinner had an o-ring go bad and would misfiire but
that was a simple at home fix. Senco palm nailer, well anything
goes. :-;

While most brand name nails work better than no name, buying the
incorrect size will cause more problems than using a no name brand..

Good catch!

Most brand name nails are made in the same manufacturing plants as
the unbranded .

All the major tool manufacturers subcontract out the fixings

On 2/16/2013 10:13 AM, dpb wrote:
....

I thought about the 18ga brads as well, but that just seemed too big a
stretch to have not noticed a priori...I looked but never did see that
OP gave what the actual gun he has is for actual lookup.
....

Actually, if that is the case and he really does have an 18 ga brad
nailer, that would go a long ways to explaining his earlier thread on
shooting baseboard...

--

On 2/16/2013 10:25 AM, steve robinson wrote:
Leon wrote:

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Sorry about the this new post. Previous post was high jacked by
too many arguments.

Issue: 2" nails not (never) set below surface.
Answer: Bought a 2 gallon bucket of finish nails (various lengths)
at a garage sale ($5) some years back. Said nails got mixed in
with my new "Porter Cable" brand nails. Look almost identical. On
closer examination I find the the 'no brand' nails are slightly
fatter than the "Porter Cable". Did not 'mike' the diameters, but,
comparing clips, 12 "porter cable" nails take up the same amount of
space as 9 of the 'no brand' nails. No wonder the gun would not
fire about one out of four times. Had to open the gun and manually
push the nails ahead for the next shot. Learned my lesson. Brand
name fasteners only from now on.

Ivan Vegvary

FWIW , finish nails come in at least two different gauges, 15 and 16
gauge being the most common. So be aware that you can also buy the
wrong size "name brand" and continue to have problems. My particular
Senco angle finish nailer uses 15 gauge nails, larger diameter than
the 16 gauge.

My Senco gun has never had anything but Senco nails shot through it.
I have probably had two misfires since I have owned it. My Bostitch
framer has only had generic nails shot through it an I have never had
a misfire with it. Same goes for my Craftsman brad nailer, and HF
stapler. Grex pinner had an o-ring go bad and would misfiire but
that was a simple at home fix. Senco palm nailer, well anything
goes. :-;

While most brand name nails work better than no name, buying the
incorrect size will cause more problems than using a no name brand..

Good catch!

Most brand name nails are made in the same manufacturing plants as
the unbranded .

All the major tool manufacturers subcontract out the fixings


I would not doubt that for a moment. The only reasonable possible
problem with a no name over a name brand in the same brand tool is the
no name not having the right specs for that particular gun. This is
especially true with nails that are attached to each other at an angle.

On 2/16/2013 10:13 AM, dpb wrote:
On 2/16/2013 10:03 AM, Leon wrote:
On 2/16/2013 9:41 AM, dpb wrote:
...

15 ga is equivalent to a 4D standard finish nail, generally, altho I've
seen some recent imports that are smaller.

...

Actually the 16 gauge finish nail guns have been around a relative long
time, I had the choice of 15 or 16, 20+ years ago. Almost every brand
offers both.
...

Yes; I'm well aware of that--I was relating back to a standard 4D finish
nail for comparison purposes for OP....

I thought about the 18ga brads as well, but that just seemed too big a
stretch to have not noticed a priori...I looked but never did see that
OP gave what the actual gun he has is for actual lookup.

--


--


AND... ;~) I mentioned that these style nails have heads in one
dimension equal to the width of the nail. That is not entirely true.

Take my gun for instance, duh! It has an angled magazine. The nails
are stair stepped at an angle and the heads hang over the nail on 3
sides. The 4th side is flush with the side of the nail so that they can
all be glued to each other.

On 2/16/2013 11:37 AM, dpb wrote:
On 2/16/2013 10:13 AM, dpb wrote:
...

I thought about the 18ga brads as well, but that just seemed too big a
stretch to have not noticed a priori...I looked but never did see that
OP gave what the actual gun he has is for actual lookup.
...

Actually, if that is the case and he really does have an 18 ga brad
nailer, that would go a long ways to explaining his earlier thread on
shooting baseboard...

--



Thank goodness we have discussed every aspect of what did not happen. ;~)

On Feb 16, 8:24*am, Leon wrote:

While most brand name nails work better than no name, buying the incorrect
size will cause more problems than using a no name brand..

LMAOF!!!

I might have complicated my response earlier. I completely take for
granted that folks will put the right nails in the right guns.

OTOH, there are a lot of folks in China making nails these days, and
the only way you will get nails or brads made with the quality control
needed to make the gun shoot consistently and reliably are the brand
named nails. The have real quality control and require a better
product for their name.

When I go get nails or brads at Texas Tool and Fastener (I think you
have those in Houston) one trip I will buy Spotnails brand. Then the
next trip, the only brand they have in the store in the fast moving
sizes is Senco. Sometimes it is Bostitch. Other times it is
Palode. I never know, but I only buy brand names and can shoot
several hundred through my guns (roofing guns, maybe a few thousand)
without a hitch.

The guns you buy are important too, as some are just more picky than
others. Top guns on my list these days are Bostitch and Hitachi in
their industrial line. I can shoot any brand (of the correct gauge!)
of nail that will fit in the guns.

Robert

On 2/16/2013 3:38 PM, wrote:
On Feb 16, 8:24 am, Leon wrote:

While most brand name nails work better than no name, buying the incorrect
size will cause more problems than using a no name brand..

LMAOF!!!

I might have complicated my response earlier. I completely take for
granted that folks will put the right nails in the right guns.

OTOH, there are a lot of folks in China making nails these days, and
the only way you will get nails or brads made with the quality control
needed to make the gun shoot consistently and reliably are the brand
named nails. The have real quality control and require a better
product for their name.

When I go get nails or brads at Texas Tool and Fastener (I think you
have those in Houston) one trip I will buy Spotnails brand. Then the
next trip, the only brand they have in the store in the fast moving
sizes is Senco. Sometimes it is Bostitch. Other times it is
Palode. I never know, but I only buy brand names and can shoot
several hundred through my guns (roofing guns, maybe a few thousand)
without a hitch.

Hey! We have had several Texas tool traders in Houston and for many
years. AAMOF that is where I bought my nails for the Bostich framer
when I lived in the other house, the store was a 5 minute walk away.
Who knows what brand but that store moved tons, pallet loads, of nails.
I never went into that store and did not see a dolly loaded down with
boxed nails going out the door. I truly believe that nails was 90% of
their business.


The guns you buy are important too, as some are just more picky than
others. Top guns on my list these days are Bostitch and Hitachi in
their industrial line.

No doubt about the origin although IIRC Senco still claims American
built. I was often suspect at to who who was really building the guns
when PC and Milwaukee suddenly had a full line of nailers. Compressors
are like that.


I can shoot any brand (of the correct gauge!)
of nail that will fit in the guns.

Now your lern'n. G, D, & R'n


Robert

On 2/16/2013 3:33 PM, Leon wrote:
....

AND... ;~) I mentioned that these style nails have heads in one
dimension equal to the width of the nail. That is not entirely true.
....

Which is why I figure it is _possible_ it could be a factor in his
comparison...

--

On Feb 16, 4:06*pm, dpb wrote:
On 2/16/2013 3:33 PM, Leon wrote:
...

AND... ;~) I mentioned that these style nails have heads in one
dimension equal to the width of the nail. That is not entirely true.

Which is why I figure it is _possible_ it could be a factor in his
comparison...

Along with the fact that some angle nailers are different in their
"angle". I have an old 15 ga angle nailer that shoots one angle, and
my newer Bostitch that shoots nails glued at another. They will fit
in the magazine, and since there is only a 5 degree difference, I
didn't notice the first time I bought the wrong nails.

Evident when placed in the gun magazine, not so when in the box.

Robert

dpb wrote:
On 2/16/2013 3:33 PM, Leon wrote:
...

AND... ;~) I mentioned that these style nails have heads in one
dimension equal to the width of the nail. That is not entirely true.
...

Which is why I figure it is _possible_ it could be a factor in his comparison...

--

But still those nails bodies are glued right next to each other with no
gaps. The angled stair step orientation allows for the head to be wider on
three sides.

On 2/17/2013 9:15 AM, Leon wrote:
wrote:
On 2/16/2013 3:33 PM, Leon wrote:
...

AND... ;~) I mentioned that these style nails have heads in one
dimension equal to the width of the nail. That is not entirely true.
...

Which is why I figure it is _possible_ it could be a factor in his comparison...

--

But still those nails bodies are glued right next to each other with no
gaps. The angled stair step orientation allows for the head to be wider on
three sides.

It all depends on how he laid 'em out together...

--