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Default How to Toe-Nail Using a Brad Nailer?

I would like to know how to setup a Senco brad nailer in order to use
it to toe-nail two pieces of woods together.

I have seen Norman using his brad nailer to toe-nail woods together in
his New Yankee Workshop TV show many many times. I thought this must be
very easy to do. But when I tried doing this, I found that the nail
head always sticking out. I have adjusted the nail head depth to as
deep as I can; but I still get at least 1/8" nail head sticking out.

What have I done wrong? Does this have something with the air pressure
of the compressor? I simply leave the air pressure to the original
setting, and I am not sure if I have the option to adjust it either.
The air compressor and the nailer are both Senco and come in a kit. The
air compressor is an one-hot-dog style and is very quiet.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan

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Leon
 
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wrote in message
oups.com...
I would like to know how to setup a Senco brad nailer in order to use
it to toe-nail two pieces of woods together.

I have seen Norman using his brad nailer to toe-nail woods together in
his New Yankee Workshop TV show many many times.


If you have and if the show was broadcast in HD you might see the brad head
sticking out. Also, in many cases what you think you see is not really what
you see. His gun may not have brads in it at all and he is simply
demonstrating what can be done.


I thought this must be
very easy to do. But when I tried doing this, I found that the nail
head always sticking out. I have adjusted the nail head depth to as
deep as I can; but I still get at least 1/8" nail head sticking out.

What have I done wrong? Does this have something with the air pressure
of the compressor? I simply leave the air pressure to the original
setting, and I am not sure if I have the option to adjust it either.
The air compressor and the nailer are both Senco and come in a kit. The
air compressor is an one-hot-dog style and is very quiet.


Typically a nail gun will not shoot a nail much more than 1/8" past the end
of the gun tip. If the center of the tip of the gun is farther away you may
never sink a nail all the way. Also if you let the gun recoil the nail will
not go in all the way. IIRC you need 90 lbs or more to fully sink a nail on
most all woods.




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Mike Reed
 
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Leon wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

snip
Also if you let the gun recoil the nail will not go in all the way.


This is frightening advice, especially if the user has a bump-fire
trigger. With a bump-fire gun, double fires /will/ result from fighting
recoil. The gun should be able to sink a nail/brad with no problem
using only it's inertial mass.

Here's an exerpt from the Porter Cable brad nailer saftey instructions:
http://img20.exs.cx/img20/6287/recoil3xh.jpg

-Mike

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Leon
 
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"Mike Reed" wrote in message
oups.com...
Leon wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

snip
Also if you let the gun recoil the nail will not go in all the way.


This is frightening advice, especially if the user has a bump-fire
trigger.


Maybe after shooting thousands of nails you will better understand what I
said. The OP is shooting the gun to memic the operation that Norm uses as
he to nails pieces of wood. Seldom does Norm shoot repeadedly as is
indicated when when bump-firing a gun. When shooting a single nail at a
time in a specific spot you should absolutely hold the gun down to firmly
enough to disengauge the safety and keep the gun from moving. Additionally
if you are laying the gun over on its side or it is being used upside down
more effort is requiared to keep the gun from recoiling and not prolerly
settin g thenail.
Bumb firing is a procedure more often used when framing or roofing and you
need to get a bunch of nails driven in a short period of time and the
appearance is not a factor. Typically when bump firing you let the weight
of the gun bring the gun down onto the surface, read that as a controlled
drop, while always holding the trigger in. When the gun safety bottoms
with the momentum of the gun mass behind it the gun fires and tends to
bounce back. Not always does the nail set perfectly.













With a bump-fire gun, double fires /will/ result from fighting
recoil. The gun should be able to sink a nail/brad with no problem
using only it's inertial mass.

Here's an exerpt from the Porter Cable brad nailer saftey instructions:
http://img20.exs.cx/img20/6287/recoil3xh.jpg

-Mike





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A.M. Wood
 
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http://www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/antifaq.html

Sorry to throw this out here, but I just can't keep laughing about
section 7

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Mike Reed
 
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I don't know why I'm gratifying your sarcasm, but I've shot 5000
framing nails in a single project. I've shot 2000 15 guage finish nails
doing trim work. I've only shot a couple hundred 18 guage brad nails,
but I understand how the stuff works. The funny thing is that you don't
need to use a nail gun even once to read the manual and know that your
advice is incorrect and dangerous.

I'm not suggesting that anyone try to bump-fire to toe-nail. See my
post below, where I said "With a bump-fire gun," which is talking about
the gun's trigger configuration, not it's usage.

You are absolutely wrong, from a safety standpoint, with respect to
fighting the gun's recoil. That is dangerous, and if you have a
bump-fire trigger, you're going to double fire much more often when
fighting recoil.

Fighting the recoil will certainly drive the nail deeper, but that's
not my point. The point is to get the nail into the wood, and to
prevent nails from getting into your body. I'm not trying to attack
you, but your post condones dangerous behavior, so I want to correct it
for a new user of nail guns. Nail guns are extremely dangerous tools,
and ignoring the manufacturer's safety warnings is, well, ignorant.

-Mike

Leon wrote:
"Mike Reed" wrote in message
oups.com...
Leon wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

snip
Also if you let the gun recoil the nail will not go in all the

way.

This is frightening advice, especially if the user has a bump-fire
trigger.


Maybe after shooting thousands of nails you will better understand

what I
said. The OP is shooting the gun to memic the operation that Norm

uses as
he to nails pieces of wood. Seldom does Norm shoot repeadedly as is
indicated when when bump-firing a gun. When shooting a single nail

at a
time in a specific spot you should absolutely hold the gun down to

firmly
enough to disengauge the safety and keep the gun from moving.

Additionally
if you are laying the gun over on its side or it is being used

upside down
more effort is requiared to keep the gun from recoiling and not

prolerly
settin g thenail.
Bumb firing is a procedure more often used when framing or roofing

and you
need to get a bunch of nails driven in a short period of time and the


appearance is not a factor. Typically when bump firing you let the

weight
of the gun bring the gun down onto the surface, read that as a

controlled
drop, while always holding the trigger in. When the gun safety

bottoms
with the momentum of the gun mass behind it the gun fires and tends

to
bounce back. Not always does the nail set perfectly.













With a bump-fire gun, double fires /will/ result from fighting
recoil. The gun should be able to sink a nail/brad with no problem
using only it's inertial mass.

Here's an exerpt from the Porter Cable brad nailer saftey

instructions:
http://img20.exs.cx/img20/6287/recoil3xh.jpg

-Mike


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Dave
 
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wrote in message
oups.com...
I would like to know how to setup a Senco brad nailer in order to use
it to toe-nail two pieces of woods together.

I have seen Norman using his brad nailer to toe-nail woods together in
his New Yankee Workshop TV show many many times. I thought this must be
very easy to do. But when I tried doing this, I found that the nail
head always sticking out. I have adjusted the nail head depth to as
deep as I can; but I still get at least 1/8" nail head sticking out.

What have I done wrong? Does this have something with the air pressure
of the compressor? I simply leave the air pressure to the original
setting, and I am not sure if I have the option to adjust it either.
The air compressor and the nailer are both Senco and come in a kit. The
air compressor is an one-hot-dog style and is very quiet.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan


A word of warning, when you tip the gun at an angle to the piece,
you put yourself at increased danger of a ricochet. Read, safety glasses....

Dave


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Leon
 
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"Mike Reed" wrote in message
oups.com...
I don't know why I'm gratifying your sarcasm, but I've shot 5000
framing nails in a single project. I've shot 2000 15 guage finish nails
doing trim work. I've only shot a couple hundred 18 guage brad nails,
but I understand how the stuff works. The funny thing is that you don't
need to use a nail gun even once to read the manual and know that your
advice is incorrect and dangerous.


I was not intending to be sarcastic, I truely thought that you were a novice
with a nail gun as I still believe that you have the warning mixed up with
the sugestion that I made. Sorry.


I'm not suggesting that anyone try to bump-fire to toe-nail. See my
post below, where I said "With a bump-fire gun," which is talking about
the gun's trigger configuration, not it's usage.


All 3 of my guns will bump fire and in 16 years of using them I have only
had an unexpected double fire once or twice. If I gingerly hold the nail
gun when pressing the safety in and pull the trigger the recoil will push
the gun back and then the gun goes back down and fires again. If I hold the
gun down the gun WILL NOT fire again untill I lift the gun enough to let the
safety come back out. Holding the trigger and keeping the safety depressed
into the wood will not shoot another nail on a gun that is operating
properly.


You are absolutely wrong, from a safety standpoint, with respect to
fighting the gun's recoil. That is dangerous, and if you have a
bump-fire trigger, you're going to double fire much more often when
fighting recoil.


I have never ever experienced that condition. Again the only time I have
had a double fire is then I let the gun bounce back.


Fighting the recoil will certainly drive the nail deeper, but that's
not my point. The point is to get the nail into the wood, and to
prevent nails from getting into your body. I'm not trying to attack
you, but your post condones dangerous behavior, so I want to correct it
for a new user of nail guns. Nail guns are extremely dangerous tools,
and ignoring the manufacturer's safety warnings is, well, ignorant.


I think one of us is seriously misunderstanding what the other is
describing.




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If you have and if the show was broadcast in HD you might see the
brad head
sticking out. Also, in many cases what you think you see is not

really what
you see. His gun may not have brads in it at all and he is simply
demonstrating what can be done.


I don't have a HDTV; therefore, I didn't see the brad head sticking
out. May be I can justify purchasing a HDTV by telling my wife: "We
need a HDTV; then we can see the nail head sticking out in one of the
wookworking TV show."

Typically a nail gun will not shoot a nail much more than 1/8" past

the end
of the gun tip. If the center of the tip of the gun is farther away

you may
never sink a nail all the way. Also if you let the gun recoil the

nail will
not go in all the way. IIRC you need 90 lbs or more to fully sink a

nail on
most all woods.


This means I will never be able to sink the brad head into the wood if
I toe-nail, and I will need to use a nail-set if I really want to do
so. OK. Thanks.

Jay Chan

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I am sorry I don't quite understand your suggestions. Do you mean I
should remove the nail after the glue dry? Or do you suggest _not_ to
remove the nails? I am a bit confused.

Jay Chan

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I always wear a safety glasses. Thanks for the warning though.

Jay Chan

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Leon
 
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wrote in message
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I am sorry I don't quite understand your suggestions. Do you mean I
should remove the nail after the glue dry? Or do you suggest _not_ to
remove the nails? I am a bit confused.


He is suggesting to remove the nails after the glue has dried. This may be
almost impossible to do especially if you use glue coated brads.


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Mike Reed
 
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Leon wrote:
"Mike Reed" wrote in message
oups.com...


I think one of us is seriously misunderstanding what the other is
describing.


Yeah, I think I see the problem.

My experience in my first day with a nail gun was that when I fought
the recoil, sometimes I lost, and I'd get a double fire. Especially
inverted, one-armed, hanging out in some rafters, with a heavy framing
gun. The weight, fatigue, maintaining balance sitting on a 2x4, and the
recoil are sometimes too much, and I was getting double fires.

I found that once I got the feel for letting the gun recoil, it would
gracefully jump completely clear, and the nose would not contact again,
and I never got a double fire. I also discovered that this was less
work, and certainly less stress on the tool. Plus it made me a believer
in the product manual.

I agree that you won't get a double fire if you prevent the nose from
lifting, but in practice, I find it's easier to just let it bounce
back. I don't get double fires, and I don't fatigue as fast as I did
that first day.

To each his own, but I have the safty instructions on my side. Of
course, as I read this I think how much better I like my TS without
that stupid guard on it...

So is this at least understandable?

-Mike



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Leon
 
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"Mike Reed" wrote in message Yeah, I think I see
the problem.

My experience in my first day with a nail gun was that when I fought
the recoil, sometimes I lost, and I'd get a double fire. Especially
inverted, one-armed, hanging out in some rafters, with a heavy framing
gun. The weight, fatigue, maintaining balance sitting on a 2x4, and the
recoil are sometimes too much, and I was getting double fires.


Yes If you tire and the gun recoils and you are not intending to pull the
gun away after shooting you can get a double fire.

I found that once I got the feel for letting the gun recoil, it would
gracefully jump completely clear, and the nose would not contact again,
and I never got a double fire. I also discovered that this was less
work, and certainly less stress on the tool. Plus it made me a believer
in the product manual.


When I use my finish nail gun I am often in coinfined spaces. Letting the
gun recoil back can often cause the gun to bounce off of other objects and
back down against the safety. Ecentially simulating an unwanted bump fire
mode.


I agree that you won't get a double fire if you prevent the nose from
lifting, but in practice,


This is what I do to prevent the above situation and meant to convey to the
OP Typically I always use both hands when shooting a nail gun.


I find it's easier to just let it bounce
back. I don't get double fires, and I don't fatigue as fast as I did
that first day.

To each his own, but I have the safty instructions on my side. Of
course, as I read this I think how much better I like my TS without
that stupid guard on it...


I some times think safety instructions are for those that have never used a
tool of a particular type. Letting the gun recoil and then preventing it
from falling back in contact with the surface probably is ultimately safer
and especially with a framing gun that has much more recoil than a finish or
brad nailer.

So is this at least understandable?


Yes it is.


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He is suggesting to remove the nails after the glue has dried. This
may be
almost impossible to do especially if you use glue coated brads.


I was wondering about that too.

I likely use nail-set to take care of this.

Jay Chan

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