My wife said I could finally get a nail gun.

Wow.

Now, after thinking about it, I'm debating either electric or air. Both
about the same price, I don't have an air compressor big enough for one.
I will primarily use it for crafting, i.e., birdhouses, shelves,
etc,........But, I want one big enough to use in a bind, like on the
side of the house, etc.

Will I be happy with an electric, or should I just go ahead and get an
air compressor and air gun?

Whatdayathink, huh?

Thanks,

Cleve

"Cleve L." wrote in message
...
My wife said I could finally get a nail gun.

Wow.

Now, after thinking about it, I'm debating either electric or air. Both
about the same price, I don't have an air compressor big enough for one.

DO NOT get electric. Air. is the only choice if you want it to actually do
what you expect it to do. With electric you eill need to keep a hammer near
by to finish what the electrics start.
If you have an air compressor with a tank it will likely be large enough to
power most any nail gun with the exception of some palm nailers. Air nail
guns are Low volume High pressure users.


I will primarily use it for crafting, i.e., birdhouses, shelves,
etc,........But, I want one big enough to use in a bind, like on the
side of the house, etc.

Chances are you will need 2 nail guns for bird houses and exterior house
repairs.

Thanks, good advice.

Cleve

"Cleve L." wrote in message

Will I be happy with an electric,

No. No one I've ever run across has been.

You'll find having a small compressor around very handy also.

Will I be happy with an electric, or should I just go ahead and get an
air compressor and air gun?

Whatdayathink, huh?

Air. I got a bostitch deal at lowes, and it came with a free palm nailer.
The nailer was about 3 times the price of the compressor I use to run it.

On Wed, 13 Oct 2004 18:08:18 -0500, (Cleve L.)
wrote:

My wife said I could finally get a nail gun.

Wow.

Now, after thinking about it, I'm debating either electric or air. Both
about the same price, I don't have an air compressor big enough for one.
I will primarily use it for crafting, i.e., birdhouses, shelves,
etc,........But, I want one big enough to use in a bind, like on the
side of the house, etc.

Will I be happy with an electric, or should I just go ahead and get an
air compressor and air gun?

Whatdayathink, huh?

Thanks,

Cleve



air.

Cleve L. wrote:
My wife said I could finally get a nail gun.

Wow.

Now, after thinking about it, I'm debating either electric or air. Both
about the same price, I don't have an air compressor big enough for one.


How small is your compressor, anyway? Nail guns don't take much at all. I got
a Bostich nail gun/ pancake compressor combination that works fine. I use the
compressor for blowing out the shop, filling basketballs, and oh, yeah....
running the nail gun. I've since added a brad gun, upholstery stapler and round
head framing gun to the collection. The pancake has enough oomph to run them
all.

It also isn't nearly as noisy as I'd been led to believe an oiless compressor
would be.

Go with air.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN


http://www.mortimerschnerd.com

"mark" wrote in message ...

Will I be happy with an electric, or should I just go ahead and get an
air compressor and air gun?

********** ************ **********

I have an electric and it works pretty well where you'd use
small 5/8 or less brads or staples.

What I wanted to know is how does electric work???? At first I
thought
there was a mini air-compressor inside but that's not the case. Then
I
thought that the Craftsman 19.2V battery just wound up a spring but
it's
too smooth in recoil for me to believe that. What I mean is that any
spring
stapler/brad (like an arrow) has a huge recoil when it fires that is
un-pneumatic like. This is closer to pneumatic.

So how does an electric brad/stapler work? Is it an electric solenoid
fires the brad? Or is it just winding a spring?

Anyone?

Thanks

MAB

Porter Cable currently has a package for around three bills that has a
pancake compressor and _two_ guns, one a 15 or 16 gauge and one an 18 gauge
brad nailer.

Watch for link wrap:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...097752270/sr=8
-1/ref=pd_ka_1/104-1194156-7937550?v=glance&s=hi&n=507846


"Cleve L." wrote in message
...
Thanks, good advice.

Cleve

I have a craftsman electric brad nailer. I have never been happy with it.
It just does not have enough oomph to push the brad all the way into
anything harder then pine, and then even with dry pine it has trouble.


"Cleve L." wrote in message
...
My wife said I could finally get a nail gun.

Wow.

Now, after thinking about it, I'm debating either electric or air. Both
about the same price, I don't have an air compressor big enough for one.
I will primarily use it for crafting, i.e., birdhouses, shelves,
etc,........But, I want one big enough to use in a bind, like on the
side of the house, etc.

Will I be happy with an electric, or should I just go ahead and get an
air compressor and air gun?

Whatdayathink, huh?

Thanks,

Cleve

Air. Lots of other uses to justify the cost of a compressor (besides the
fact that air nailers perform better).

I found myself driving around looking for airhoses that work, and don't want
you to feed them 50 cents. Now I can fill the air in my tires with my
Porter Cable compressor. Nice when you have 2 cars.

Also nice for basketballs, bicycles, air mattresses, etc.

I would go with air. You can get a good Porter Cable or similar quality
brad nailer, that will fill most needs, in the $100 range. Watch the ads.

There are also a lot of good packages offered now that provide a small
compressor and one or two nail guns at a very good price. My son just
bought a set for his job trailer for less than $200 (Oil-less pancake
compressor and a Delta brad gun - I think the compressor is PC) .

One caution. These small compressors do great with nail guns and low-demand
tools, but not good for continuous demand such as sanders, sprayers, etc.
After you get going you will find out that the host of tools and accessories
available make compressed air one of the best things to have in your shop.
You might consider going with a larger (3-5 HP, 20 to 30 gal tank, etc). My
preference is the conventional oiled pumpers. Oil-less machines do recover
quickly but the noise makes my fillings hurt (I don't think they do as well
in service life - opinion).

On 14 Oct 2004 04:10:47 -0700, (Maab) calmly ranted:

So how does an electric brad/stapler work?

POORLY, just ask any upholsterer who's been in business for
a month or more.


Is it an electric solenoid fires the brad?

Ayup. The energized winding sends the hammer down onto the
staple to drive it in.


-------------------------------------------
Stain and Poly are their own punishment
http://diversify.com Comprehensive Website Design
================================================== ====

An afterthought:

I'm going to take a load of shot for this, but...................

An acquaintence was getting himself into the finish carperntry business 2-3
years ago, after being laid off. Starting on a shoestring he purchased a
couple of Harbor Freight nailers, a brad and a finsh nailer at VERY low
prices. He said his plan was to use them until they died and then hopefully
be able to step up to a Porter Cable or Delta. As of a couple of months ago
he was still using them. Beat up, dirty but still working.

Point is - If you don't plan to use it a lot, don't spend a lot. I have a
Porter Cable brad nailer but I might have to consider HF for supplemental
stapelers, etc.

"RonB" wrote in message
news:Eswbd.4205$EZ.3301@okepread07...
An afterthought:

I'm going to take a load of shot for this, but...................

An acquaintence was getting himself into the finish carperntry business
2-3 years ago, after being laid off. Starting on a shoestring he
purchased a couple of Harbor Freight nailers, a brad and a finsh nailer at
VERY low prices. He said his plan was to use them until they died and
then hopefully be able to step up to a Porter Cable or Delta. As of a
couple of months ago he was still using them. Beat up, dirty but still
working.

Point is - If you don't plan to use it a lot, don't spend a lot. I have a
Porter Cable brad nailer but I might have to consider HF for supplemental
stapelers, etc.


Thanks for that report :-)

I have one of those super cheap $15 when on sale Harbor Fright 18g brad
nailers.
It's been in service for about four years now -- and the danged thing has
outlasted a Porter Cable brad nailer that I bought for "quality" and
out-and-out snob appeal :-/

--
-- Steve
www.ApacheTrail.com/ww/




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Yeah. Funny thing he also said that some of his collegues used HF nailers
too but kept the Dewalt and Porter Cable cases close to the door of their
job trailers for appearances.

Don't know if it is true but............Hell, you know how us woodworkers
are!


Thanks for that report :-)

I have one of those super cheap $15 when on sale Harbor Fright 18g brad
nailers.
It's been in service for about four years now -- and the danged thing has
outlasted a Porter Cable brad nailer that I bought for "quality" and
out-and-out snob appeal :-/

--
-- Steve
www.ApacheTrail.com/ww/




----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet
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Newsgroups
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In article ,
Cleve L. wrote:
My wife said I could finally get a nail gun.

Wow.

Now, after thinking about it, I'm debating either electric or air. Both
about the same price, I don't have an air compressor big enough for one.
I will primarily use it for crafting, i.e., birdhouses, shelves,
etc,........But, I want one big enough to use in a bind, like on the
side of the house, etc.

Will I be happy with an electric, or should I just go ahead and get an
air compressor and air gun?

Whatdayathink, huh?

Thanks,

Cleve


Well, if your wife OK'd it now is the time to get the compressor too.
I had an electric and it is OK for certain jobs, but you won't be
happy with it. Since I got a pneumatic gun I never use the
electric; air is definitely the way to go. I have two 18 ga. brad
guns from Harbor Freight. One shoots up to 2" brads, the other up to
1 3/16" They are frequently on sale for around $20 and $14. Not too
long ago they had a narrow-crown stapler (up to 1 5/8") on sale for
$23, and it has been surprisingly useful around the house.

By the way, you don't need much of a compressor to run these
things. All I have is an old "painting unit" tankless, that I've
connected to a portable 5 gal carry tank, and it works fine.

--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 09:56:37 -0500, "RonB" wrote:

Point is - If you don't plan to use it a lot, don't spend a lot. I have a
Porter Cable brad nailer but I might have to consider HF for supplemental
stapelers, etc.

This is exactly where I'm at. I have a Bostich framing nailer, Senco
finish nailer and a P-C brad nailer, all purchased for very low prices
off that online auction place. (patience pays off) I will be adding a
HF 1/4" crown stapler and another brad nailer or two. It is nice to
have multiple nailers rather than to keep changing nail sizes and
settings on the tool.

Now my gripe is finding some place I can buy nail strips for the
framing nailer in quantities less than 4,000.

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com

"Tim Douglass" wrote in message
news

Now my gripe is finding some place I can buy nail strips for the
framing nailer in quantities less than 4,000.



No kidding. I buy a particular length galvanized nail for a Paslode airless
nail gun for putting up pickets. The nails cost me $78.00 per box.

Try looking at a Rental store. I have seen smaller packages of nails
available for the rental guns.

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 10:59:02 -0500, "RonB" wrote:

Yeah. Funny thing he also said that some of his collegues used HF nailers
too but kept the Dewalt and Porter Cable cases close to the door of their
job trailers for appearances.

Don't know if it is true but............Hell, you know how us woodworkers
are!

what the porter cable has that the HF doesn't is oilless operation.

(Cleve L.) wrote in message ...
My wife said I could finally get a nail gun.

Oil-lubricated 2 hp compressor (recovers tank pressure noticeably more
quickly than a 1 hp or 1.5 hp unit)

Do not even think about electrically powered nailers.

There is very little substitution opportunity between nailers and
staplers.
Probably 16 ga. and 15 ga. finish nailers are the only exception.

If it's a one-time project (like replacing a roof), consider renting
the tool.

I'd go get an air nailer or two. If your current compressor has a
tough time keeping up (unlikely), keep your eyes open for a used one.
I got a 15 gallon oil-lube for $60. It's 15 years old, and runs like
new.

For birdhouses and such, I'd get an 18 ga. brad nailer. For trim, a 15
ga. angled finish nailer. For the side of the house, it depends on
what you're doing, but a framing nailer may be necessary. For trim on
the side of your house, the 15 ga. finish nailer is fine.

In about a year, as projects came up, I bought my brad nailer for $14
from Harbor Freight. I bought my Porter Cable finish nailer
refurbished from Tyler Tool. I bought my Bostitch framing nailer
well-used from a pawn shop. All work well, though the brad nailer
doesn't shoot straight.

-Mike

(Cleve L.) wrote in message ...
My wife said I could finally get a nail gun.

Wow.

Now, after thinking about it, I'm debating either electric or air. Both
about the same price, I don't have an air compressor big enough for one.
I will primarily use it for crafting, i.e., birdhouses, shelves,
etc,........But, I want one big enough to use in a bind, like on the
side of the house, etc.

Will I be happy with an electric, or should I just go ahead and get an
air compressor and air gun?

Whatdayathink, huh?

Thanks,

Cleve

Lowe's and HD typically have generic framing nails 2000 to the box for
about $20 or so.

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 10:26:43 -0700, Tim Douglass
wrote:

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 09:56:37 -0500, "RonB" wrote:

Point is - If you don't plan to use it a lot, don't spend a lot. I have a
Porter Cable brad nailer but I might have to consider HF for supplemental
stapelers, etc.

This is exactly where I'm at. I have a Bostich framing nailer, Senco
finish nailer and a P-C brad nailer, all purchased for very low prices
off that online auction place. (patience pays off) I will be adding a
HF 1/4" crown stapler and another brad nailer or two. It is nice to
have multiple nailers rather than to keep changing nail sizes and
settings on the tool.

Now my gripe is finding some place I can buy nail strips for the
framing nailer in quantities less than 4,000.

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com

My fence picket nailer is the Hitachi NV65AH coil siding nailer.
A box of 9000 nails (30 coils of 300) is about $70. Lasts a long time.
Individual coils are available at the nail supply store.


On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 18:08:01 GMT, "Leon"
wrote:


"Tim Douglass" wrote in message
news

Now my gripe is finding some place I can buy nail strips for the
framing nailer in quantities less than 4,000.



No kidding. I buy a particular length galvanized nail for a Paslode airless
nail gun for putting up pickets. The nails cost me $78.00 per box.

Try looking at a Rental store. I have seen smaller packages of nails
available for the rental guns.

"Thomas Kendrick" wrote in message
news
My fence picket nailer is the Hitachi NV65AH coil siding nailer.
A box of 9000 nails (30 coils of 300) is about $70. Lasts a long time.
Individual coils are available at the nail supply store.


IIRC the Paslode brand nails that I am talking about come 7500 to the box.
Good for about 600' of fence using 6" pickets and 3 rails between posts.

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 18:08:01 GMT, "Leon"
wrote:


"Tim Douglass" wrote in message
news

Now my gripe is finding some place I can buy nail strips for the
framing nailer in quantities less than 4,000.



No kidding. I buy a particular length galvanized nail for a Paslode airless
nail gun for putting up pickets. The nails cost me $78.00 per box.

Try looking at a Rental store. I have seen smaller packages of nails
available for the rental guns.

Ah, good thought. I'll give that a try. I mainly like the nail gun
because the tendonitis in my elbow makes driving nails with a hammer
rather painful. The thing is that for general "around-the-place" type
work you need about 10 different sizes/types of nails on hand. Right
now all I have are 12d (3") and 8d? (2") both are shiny and I really
need galvanized for stuff. And ring-shanks are great for siding on the
shed I'm fixing, and for "real" framing I want some 3 1/2". etc. etc.
etc.

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 18:26:52 -0500, Thomas Kendrick
wrote:

Lowe's and HD typically have generic framing nails 2000 to the box for
about $20 or so.

Haven't seen them here, but Lowes just opened a couple weeks ago, so
things may change. I'll check again.

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com