framing nail guns

2nstonge · Dec 5, 2005

Most of my jobs are small, and I'm someplace different every day; frame a wall, or a closet, fix some trim around a door, maybe build a deck...so I have a Paslode framer and a Paslode finish gun - both are fuel cell fired. No messing with compressors or air lines. Both guns are going on 5 years old, both fire a variety of nail lengths and neither gun has ever let me down (unless I forget to charge the battery once a week). They were reconditioned Home Depot specials (about 25% off list price) when I bought them and they've paid for themselves many times over. When they finally crap out I wouldn't think of replacing them with anything else.

-Norm

DIYGuy · Dec 5, 2005

Professional carpenter here. Most of my nail guns are PC. My flooring stapler is Bostich as is my 18ga. finish nailer.

Never a problem. I have probably put over 15,000 nails through my framing nailer and it's still as tight and powerful as the day I bought it. FR-350.

hazmat · Dec 5, 2005

My contractor had the Senco fuel cell framing nailer - he loves it. His only complaint is that the nails + fuel are expensive. If he were doing a large job, he breaks out the air compressor & his Bostich pneumatic.

I have to say - not having to mess around with the compressor & hose was real sweet.

MMM · Dec 5, 2005

Should be good for DIY. Senco is choice of most framing crews round here.

CT_Tree_Guy · Dec 5, 2005

Hey Farmer, how goes it? I agree with everybody that your new PC should be just fine, I've never known PC to make junk. I have a few Sencos including their framing nailer, I think it's an SN-IV (four). You asked if there might be any better ones - well this one could be the bad boy on the block. Man, is it heavy, and built like a tank. I bet you could run over it with a tank, too. But it was 500 bucks in 1986, so forget that. Yours will last a long time I think.

I also have a Senco narrow-crown stapler too, the SKS(?) too that's great, and their 18 gauge brad nailer, and the 23 gauge headless brad nailer. The 23 gauge is amazing, you shoot a brad in and it disappears. Really nice for small moldings. Never got a finish nailer, I'll probably get the Senco, but I'm open to suggestions.

Hey, does your framing gun a bump-stop (like semi-automatic, with the loop that you bump) or more like the "single shot" type where you press the toothed nose thing into the wood and you pull the trigger? Mine came with the bump-stop, and I almost converted it to the other style because it made tight spots and toe-nailing kind of a pain. I guess I got used to it. It is great for most things though, when you can just hold the trigger down and thump away.

Anyone have any preferences between the two types?

Any other contenders for best framing nailer, or finish nailer?

I love Senco, but I'm not married to it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

sodamo · Dec 6, 2005

The PC (FR350) framer I have can be either single shot or bump. The attached pic (not for squeamish) is result of using the bump method when single shot control would have been more appropriate. As a previous poster stated, down side is when you have to take something apart that was air nailed. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

farmerpsv · Dec 6, 2005

hey treeguy,
my nailer can go either way. used it first time last nite in my basement, doing some framing around ductwork for drywall. i've used the bump feature on a roofing gun, can't imagine being good enough to use it for framing. i had to knock a few nails in the rest way with a hammer, but am getting the hang of it. it was way better than a hammer, id still be there otherwise.
paul

Jarrett · Dec 6, 2005

I feel your pain (maybe not as bad as your). I shot a 3" nail in one of my fingers a few years ago. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

EastTexFrank · Dec 6, 2005

( so I have a Paslode framer and a Paslode finish gun - both are fuel cell fired )

I couldn't agree with you more. A friend helped me to build a deck and he brought his Paslode nailer and I thought that it was pure magic. I had to have one. I use it to fix fences and just about anything else that needs a nail. No compressors, no airlines .... nothing. Pick it up, load it up, and nail all day, no problem.

Bird · Dec 6, 2005

Looks like Porter Cable is the most popular, and the cordless/airless ones most popular, and that surprises me a bit. I've only used air powered ones. When my brother started to build his last house, he wanted a nail gun for framing, but didn't know what brand he wanted. Then one day he was just driving by a house under construction and noticed two guys using nail guns, so he stopped and asked them what brand they thought was best. They both had Paslodes, said they had owned other brands, but the Paslode was the best, so that's what my brother bought. Air powered, "stick" loads, full head nails. Some of the others may be better, but that one sure did the job for us. For a lot of the trim work, he bought a Craftsman 18 gauge brad nailer, and I later bought a "reconditioned" Campbell-Hausfeld 18 gauge brad nailer myself. They "looked" alike and neither of them ever failed to work well.