Porter Cable Framing Nailer repair question

[Richard]

I've got one of these. Wife & I do various things around the house and I bought it new number of years ago. Not being used professionally, it's lived an easy life.

Yesterday, needed to scab a 2x4 onto an existing 2x4... just need 4-5 nail shots... pull out, get plugged into air compressor and I have a steady stream of air coming out the exhaust. No pressure to nail it in.

Compressor was running so I unplugged air, presumed there wasn't sufficient air pressure to reset the triggering process....and waited. Compressor turns off, attach air again.....and again, blowing steady stream of air out the exhaust. I put nailer tip to board (to compress triggering process) and pulled trigger.... nothing but steady air out the exhaust.

Just wondering, before I start taking it apart, if someone might have an idea of where to look first. I'm hoping it's evident when I open it up (broken gasket type thing).

I'm wondering if it's general lack of use (contrasted to a builder who's using theirs daily/weekly) if it's dried out inside and a gasket/seal somewhere dried out.

 

[Racer4]

Spray some wd40 in the air inlet and try it again. Most likely, something is stuck within the trigger assembly. Take that out first and clean it if the Wd doesn’t work.

 

[JimRB]

I repaired a Paslode trim gun and a framing gun with new seal kits. It has been ten years since the last time I repaired one so i do not recall exactly what seal dried out. If you can find a kit then it then you are golden.

 

[5030]

Have you ever bothered to put air tool oil in the inlet fitting and allow it to get into internal parts? Bet not and like all air tools, the condensation in the air line from past use has probably rusted and seized the internal works. WD 40 is useless for air tools. Get some light viscosity lubricant like IR air tool oil and use that. WD40 is a moisture dispersant, hence 'WD' which denotes water dispersant, not a lubricant.

 

[Richard]

Have you ever bothered to put air tool oil in the inlet fitting and allow it to get into internal parts?

Gee... seems I have, almost every time I use it, unless I'm putting a single nail in. Even yesterday planning 5 nails, I searched until I found my bottle of oil, hidden behind some spray cans.

Bet not

Wrong

and like all air tools, the condensation in the air line from past use has probably rusted and seized the internal works.

Wrong again, interior is clean as a whistle, if not "wet" because of the oil that has been put in.

WD 40 is useless for air tools. Get some light viscosity lubricant like IR air tool oil and use that.

Where did I mention using wd40, I use the appropriate oil for this use. I have a "big" bottle and put it into the little bottle that then, goes into the carrying case OR, as in this time, found it in my tool box as it (the oil that you suggest never gets used) had been used in some of my other air tools.

WD40 is a moisture dispersant, hence 'WD' which denotes water dispersant, not a lubricant.

Seriously, you need to be a bit less of a know it all for situations where you don't know what's going on.

For everyone else, thank you..... problem is diagnosed. I took top off and in there, is (what I'll call a collar or seal) it's like 1/2" and circular. It was deteriorated and started to crumble. Did a lookup and seems this is a known thing to happen, a first place to look (unless you've never had to figure it out before!)

Already have replacement part ordered. It is (if you know it's the problem) literally a 5-minute fix..... remove 4 screws holding top on, clean out the broken gasket, insert new 'rubber' gasket and replace.

I inspected the other gaskets and I'm comfortable they're ok. This top seal, is clearly the problem.

 

[5030]

In as much as this is a public forum, I can inject any comment (so long as it adheres to the users agreement you all agreed to and most likely forgot about when you first signed on).

In as much as you never alluded to actually applying any air tool oil to it, I assumed you did not. so you did, that's cool. I'm happy you discovered what was amiss.

People, in general don't lubricate their air powered tools and when airline condensation ruins them they whine and I'll leave it at that.

Least you have sense enough to use air tool oil, Most people don't.

 

[Richard]

I assumed you did not

Which is the crux of my point.

Before assuming (and we all might know what that might mean, unless you want me to hyphenate the word?)

you presumed unit was never oiled. You presumed it was rusted out.... you should perhaps ask more clarifying questions before making such presumptions and applying a misdirected answer.

Irrespective, happy ending to the nailer. $50 later (after shipping), the part is on the way however, the boards are already nailed. I did it the old fashioned way.....hammer and bent maybe 3 nails in process! (yes, pulled out and put new ones in straight)

 

[Racer4]

Have you ever bothered to put air tool oil in the inlet fitting and allow it to get into internal parts? Bet not and like all air tools, the condensation in the air line from past use has probably rusted and seized the internal works. WD 40 is useless for air tools. Get some light viscosity lubricant like IR air tool oil and use that. WD40 is a moisture dispersant, hence 'WD' which denotes water dispersant, not a lubricant.

Wd will work to help remove moisture and contamination from the trigger assembly (and the entire gun).

Once the gun is working, I would then add air tool oil for lubricant. This isn’t my first rodeo. Been using nail guns since 1990 and have repaired quite a few.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Assuming that you are talking about what looks to be part 8 in your diagram, if memory serves, it is known as a piston.

I have two PC finish nailers and a roofing nailer. I had the piston crumble in all three. Just replacing the part in the finish nailers worked, the roofer not so much. The long pin that drives the nail does not retract. I have to maybe replace some seals.

I too use my air tools sporatically and use a couple of drops of IR lube when I load more nails.

I have a Duo-fast CN350 framing nailer that I bought in 1992. That gun has been repaired by the shop where I bought it and I have replaced some seals in it. It sits on the shelf waiting for me to get to it. I have the complete seal kit.

I am pleased that parts are still available for these tools.

 

[Williy]

Most problems with these guns is a few drops of oil was not
used before use and the orings dry out. What we have here
is one 2 inch staple gun just hold trigger and fires staples the
other 2 inch staple gun push down and pull trigger. I don't
remember if Harbor freight has the larger o-rings but I would
be very careful on adding anything but a fine tool oil as the
o-rings might get destroyed. I repaired these air tools for a
few years and the company had a fine oil for the tools it
could have been a straight 10w oil no synthetic

willy