How far can I stretch cord/hose for an air framing nailer? 200 feet?

[dstig1]

Overthinking it.

As long as the compressor is happy with the power suppy, you should be fine. Start it up once on that extension cord and see what you hear. Does it start like normal, or bog down a lot until it gets going? If it bogs, then you need to upgrade the extension cord. 3/8" can go a long way. A lot of flexible hose is 1/4" which restrict flow more. If you can run 3/8" most of the way and the 1/4" for the last 50' then you have the best of both worlds - good supply and flex for maneuverability. So if you have issues with bogging, move the compressor closer to and actual outlet (or directly plug it in) and run more 3/8"

 

[SPYDERLK]

Two points;

1. All that air hose will actually act as extra air storage capacity like having a larger tank on your compressor.

2. Why not build your trusses back where you have power then move them to your building site with your tractor?

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As said, lots of hose is the same as adding a larger air tank.
While you can use an extension as well be sure it is heavy gauge, like #12 otherwise you will experience voltage drop and possibly damage your motor.

It was said and "true", but a truth based on simplism is really not. Pressure is lost to friction as air flows. The loss is proportional to flow speed and distance. A longer hose has more loss. A same length bigger hose has less. But its not because of its extra volume of air storage. Its because the air in it flows slower.

Pressure is not lost. You put a pressure gauge on the start and end of the hose and it will be the same. You have loss volume and pressure under load, but just sitting there the pressure is the same. You might encounter problems trying to run a continuous flow tool like a air grinder, but a short blast from a nailer will be fine. A 4.2 CFM compressor isn't up to the task of running a grinder with any length of hose anyway.

I have hilited the pertinent points. ... Any high flow tool will have trouble on a long hose - whether the high flow is intermittent or continuous. A nail gun is intermittent hi flow but contains a storage plenum that is sufficient to supply the short blast to power a shot if allowed to recharge fully to static line pressure between shots. So it will still shoot but you will need to slow down some on a long hose because it will recharge slower due to the pressure loss present in the hose while the replenishing air flows.

 

[GLyford]

My vote is also for running hose, though I really like the extra tank near the end idea.

My only other comment is this: if you have a choice between a 15A and a 20A circuit, pick the 20A. Especially if there is any kind of extension cord involved. If you don't have a 20A, consider running one (assumes you have an open breaker space and a place to run wire and hang an outlet box).

 

[newbury]

Overthinking it.

As long as the compressor is happy with the power suppy, you should be fine. Start it up once on that extension cord and see what you hear. Does it start like normal, or bog down a lot until it gets going? If it bogs, then you need to upgrade the extension cord. 3/8" can go a long way. A lot of flexible hose is 1/4" which restrict flow more. If you can run 3/8" most of the way and the 1/4" for the last 50' then you have the best of both worlds - good supply and flex for maneuverability. So if you have issues with bogging, move the compressor closer to and actual outlet (or directly plug it in) and run more 3/8"

My purpose for asking here was based on my inexperience with long runs of air hose. I did not want to get int the situation of buying nailer and hose, wait for them to be shipped, then finding I need a bigger compressor. That would mean I'd take a while to decide on a bigger compressor, and pretty soon it will be Christmas.

I have hilited the pertinent points. ... Any high flow tool will have trouble on a long hose - whether the high flow is intermittent or continuous. A nail gun is intermittent hi flow but contains a storage plenum that is sufficient to supply the short blast to power a shot if allowed to recharge fully to static line pressure between shots. So it will still shoot but you will need to slow down some on a long hose because it will recharge slower due to the pressure loss present in the hose while the replenishing air flows.

After reading the manual I determined I was supposed to buy 2 nailers. The nailer specs over 6cfm. Buried in the manual they go through the math and show I will need 6.3cfm to run 2 nailers at 30 nails per minute.. I only bought 1 nailer, do I need to buy another to meet spec?

The nailer (Hitachi NR83A3) and hose arrived yesterday. My son was skeptical of the size and it's utility, and commented a hammer would do what we needed. We oiled it and hooked it up to the compressor on a 50' hose. Did some test runs on single shot to make sure it worked, played with the depth adjustment, everything was fine.

Then my son put it on "contact activation". Fired off about 8 shots on a length of board. He shouts "D@*( !! That is GREAT". And a big grin spread across his face.

Then added another 50' of hose, no degradation in performance.

GREAT!! Thanks guys for all the advice! We will probably put the compressor at the house and run 150' or 200' feet of hose.

 

[lostcreekranch]

My purpose for asking here was based on my inexperience with long runs of air hose. I did not want to get int the situation of buying nailer and hose, wait for them to be shipped, then finding I need a bigger compressor. That would mean I'd take a while to decide on a bigger compressor, and pretty soon it will be Christmas. After reading the manual I determined I was supposed to buy 2 nailers. The nailer specs over 6cfm. Buried in the manual they go through the math and show I will need 6.3cfm to run 2 nailers at 30 nails per minute.. I only bought 1 nailer, do I need to buy another to meet spec? The nailer (Hitachi NR83A3) and hose arrived yesterday. My son was skeptical of the size and it's utility, and commented a hammer would do what we needed. We oiled it and hooked it up to the compressor on a 50' hose. Did some test runs on single shot to make sure it worked, played with the depth adjustment, everything was fine. Then my son put it on "contact activation". Fired off about 8 shots on a length of board. He shouts "D@*( !! That is GREAT". And a big grin spread across his face. Then added another 50' of hose, no degradation in performance. GREAT!! Thanks guys for all the advice! We will probably put the compressor at the house and run 150' or 200' feet of hose.

BTW, what happened to the 10k generator you mentioned in your first post?

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[lostcreekranch]

My purpose for asking here was based on my inexperience with long runs of air hose. I did not want to get int the situation of buying nailer and hose, wait for them to be shipped, then finding I need a bigger compressor. That would mean I'd take a while to decide on a bigger compressor, and pretty soon it will be Christmas. After reading the manual I determined I was supposed to buy 2 nailers. The nailer specs over 6cfm. Buried in the manual they go through the math and show I will need 6.3cfm to run 2 nailers at 30 nails per minute.. I only bought 1 nailer, do I need to buy another to meet spec? The nailer (Hitachi NR83A3) and hose arrived yesterday. My son was skeptical of the size and it's utility, and commented a hammer would do what we needed. We oiled it and hooked it up to the compressor on a 50' hose. Did some test runs on single shot to make sure it worked, played with the depth adjustment, everything was fine. Then my son put it on "contact activation". Fired off about 8 shots on a length of board. He shouts "D@*( !! That is GREAT". And a big grin spread across his face. Then added another 50' of hose, no degradation in performance. GREAT!! Thanks guys for all the advice! We will probably put the compressor at the house and run 150' or 200' feet of hose.

BTW, what happened to the 10k generator you mentioned in your first post? Can't you take it to your build site?

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[MechE1]

I agree with Chim. I converted a portable air tank ($20) to an accumulator and had it at my site. I ran around 100' of hose and prob. didn't even need it but it worked perfectly. Low cost. Never an issue. The only thing I might do differently is to add a bleed valve or just a ball valve so that I could slowly bleed the accumulator. I just uncoupled the supply line. Not the safest method, but it worked. No need for big volume on the portable air tank at all. Just a couple gallons is more than enough.

 

[newbury]

BTW, what happened to the 10k generator you mentioned in your first post?

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That's another story.
It's sitting at the house where we are building the shed. I'm "renting" that house to my son and his family, wife, 2yr old son, newborn daughter. I wanted them to have power if the electricity went out. And darn it, the power lines were cut in the neighborhood this summer and power was lost for days.
But he just ran some extension cords and everything was FINE Made it look like I could foretell the future.

 

[SPYDERLK]

That's another story.
It's sitting at the house where we are building the shed. I'm "renting" that house to my son and his family, wife, 2yr old son, newborn daughter. I wanted them to have power if the electricity went out. And darn it, the power lines were cut in the neighborhood this summer and power was lost for days.
But he just ran some extension cords and everything was FINE Made it look like I could foretell the future.

So, the gen is right there on site.

 

[BHD]

I di not read every post but I have done long runs by running out the air hose, using a check valve and going into a air bubble tank, and then out of the air bubble tank with a standard length hose to the nailer,

the pressure drop will not show up as there is some lax time to refill the air bubble to max, and with the check valve it does not go back into the long air hose/ If one can up the air compressor a few pounds helps as well, as then the bubble has a steady supply of pressure,

the other option is a gas powered air compressor, there very handy, I use the on the welding truck a lot,

my two cents,