Carpentry Of Homes,,, Nail Diameter,, and Codes?

[4570Man]

I use a hammer for beating things. For smaller projects I much prefer 3” screws. Try ripping a screwed board apart and repeat with nails. If I felt inclined to use nails I’ll use my framing nailer. I don’t frame houses but I’ve done my fair share of carpentry.

 

[ovrszd]

I would be ashamed of 4 hits.

For one, the hammer should be quality. I like vaughn 21 oz framers, then I cut down the handle by a couple of inches and sand it round. I then wrap about 20 wraps of black electrical tape about 2 inches down from the head, just to protect the wood. The wrist should never bend in the hit, the bending happens at the elbow. The swing should be through the nail, not stopping at the nail. One tap to set the nail and then two hits to drive it home.

My dad was a general contractor. When I was 14 my dad gave me a job for the summer. I shadowed an old time framer. There is not a $ amount I could value that summer with him. He only had me hand drive all summer. I could not help out until I could drive 50 nails into a rail road tie without bending one.

Practice with a box of nails, I bet by the end your doing 5 hits. After 10,000, you will have it down to two...

I anxiously await the video!!!

 

[CADplans]

Well, I am SUPER impressed with the $28 METABO Palm Nailer,,,
That is the best money I have spent on a tool in a LONG time.

A video of using it would be worthless,, you got to try it to believe it,,
There is no "trigger" as such, the nailer just senses that you are putting a slight pressure on the nail, then the nailer takes off, and drives the nail in.

I was building a set of shelves, several of the nails from the framing nailer did not fully drive, the wood was too hard.
I tried hitting the nail with a hammer, the nails were TIGHT,,
I picked up the palm nailer, the nailer effortlessly drove in those nails.. If I had used a hammer, I would have bent a couple of those nails.
I do not think the palm nailer could bend a nail,, at least in my use, no nail even attempted to bend.
The nails that were driven with the palm nailer acted like the nails were going into pre-drilled holes.
AND, the palm nailer is TINY,, it is half the size of what I was expecting,,,

 

[natedog75]

I do not think the palm nailer could bend a nail,, at least in my use, no nail even attempted to bend.
The nails that were driven with the palm nailer acted like the nails were going into pre-drilled holes.
AND, the palm nailer is TINY,, it is half the size of what I was expecting,,,

We use them for between joists and in tight spots. They will bend a nail if it hits a knot or something that stops its progress.

They are great tools though.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

That they are! I was always skeptical and never had/owned one when I was a framing contractor. Years later, I was getting a new framing gun and it came with a ‘free palm nailer’..... I was amazed at how easy it works, especially in the tight spaces. If this one ever stops working, I’ll buy another!

 

[PILOON]

The ultimate usage for the palm nailer (INMHO) is to fasten joist hangers, there it outshines anything else.
Screws, well I'm slowly getting converted but for speed I still like a good nail gun.

OK, on a deck screws won't protrude after a while while nails (perhaps 5/6 yrs later) want to have a % driven back flush.
A lot will depend on how you quoted the job, nails will be low ball while screws a % higher.

LOL, I once did a large deck and had Stainless nails and client opted for that as well a best treated wood available.
On aside the SS nails cost me less than others as I won them on a liquidation auction. A nice Win/Win.

 

[clemsonfor]

I have a palm nailer. Got it free from someone. Still never used it.

 

[Diggin It]

Practice with a box of nails, I bet by the end your doing 5 hits. After 10,000, you will have it down to two...

On 10,000 swings, I'd completely miss the nail about 9,000 times.

 

[Snobdds]

On 10,000 swings, I'd completely miss the nail about 9,000 times.

You are why they made nail guns...

 

[ovrszd]

You are why they made nail guns...

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm still anxiously awaiting the video of 16 in two hits.

 

[Diggin It]

You are why they made nail guns...

I'm why they made building codes in so many places requiring that people who know how to do things do them.

 

[Snobdds]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm still anxiously awaiting the video of 16 in two hits.

You're not the only one...

 

[quicksandfarmer]

You are why they made nail guns...

I've hit my thumb with a hammer, and I've also shot my hand with a framing nailer. While I don't recommend either the potential for injury with hand nailing is much lower.

 

[natedog75]

Not me; but it can be done. I don’t frame enough to be that proficient anymore.
13 nails, 26 strokes, 2 seconds - YouTube

 

[Snobdds]

That guy knows...no bending of the wrist.

 

[/pine]

That guy knows...no bending of the wrist.

Looks to me like he is "releasing" the wrist...it's the way to get the most power out of a swing...ask any golfer...

As for hammers...I'll take a 'Stanley Rocket'...all the weight is in the head...!

BTW..."releasing" the wrist allows all the energy to exit the arm/hand...rather than absorbing part of the energy as with a locked wrist...

 

[Snobdds]

Looks to me like he is "releasing" the wrist...it's the way to get the most power out of a swing...ask any golfer...

As for hammers...I'll take a 'Stanley Rocket'...all the weight is in the head...!

BTW..."releasing" the wrist allows all the energy to exit the arm/hand...rather than absorbing part of the energy as with a locked wrist...

I would rather have my entire arm as a fulcrum than any fancy wrist work...

 

[/pine]

Something else that is often misunderstood is the weight of framing hammers...

A standard claw hammer usually weight 16oz....typical framing hammers usually weigh 20, 22, 28 ounces...

An experienced carpenter can sink the same nails with the same amount of blows whether it's a 16oz. or a 28oz hammer...the reason framing hammers come in heavier weights is for moving "things"...it's much easier to move sill plates, heavy framing member, trusses, timber etc. with a heavier hammer...

original "framing" hammers often came with extended handles and hatchet blades rather than a claw...

 

[/pine]

I would rather have my entire arm as a fulcrum than any fancy wrist work...

It's really more about letting the tool do most of the work...and getting all the energy generated from that fulcrum and applying it to the head of the nail...there is no shock to the hand or arm like there is with a stiff grip at impact...

on a side note:

Nail guns have done to the skill of driving nails what calculators have done to the ability to do simple math in the head...

 

[Snobdds]

Something else that is often misunderstood is the weight of framing hammers...

A standard claw hammer usually weight 16oz....typical framing hammers usually weigh 20, 22, 28 ounces...

An experienced carpenter can sink the same nails with the same amount of blows whether it's a 16oz. or a 28oz hammer...the reason framing hammers come in heavier weights is for moving "things"...it's much easier to move sill plates, heavy framing member, trusses, timber etc. with a heavier hammer...

original "framing" hammers often came with extended handles and hatchet blades rather than a claw...

Why yes, stelito framing hammers are titanium and only weight like 9oz. The speed of the hit has always been of a bigger factor than weight.

However, the most important part of driving a nail...hitting the **** thing square. Professionals never bend nails, armatures bend nails.