Nail Gun - who has one?

Apologies if this is in the wrong thread...

I'm looking at purchasing a nail gun. I know there's a lot out there. It's not something that I would be using everyday but want one I can rely on.

From what I can see there's gas and the ones that run off a compressor. Bunnings have some for around the $350 mark (compressor fed) and around $600 for gas which are more portable.

In the short term I just wanted one to fix architraves and a few noggins. Maybe I should do it the old fashioned way.

Interested to hear your thoughts...

Allgood

 

im no expert but believe paslode is the go but for your use perhaps the air one would do. you wont be climbing trusses with it. the hose would be annoying but better than the old fashioned way!

 

if you are only fixing small things then senco is the go for skirting ,noggings need a framing gun so two different guns . if low use get a basic pin nailer and basic framing gun .

 

As Arms advised you basically need two guns. Nailing of skirting and architrave commonly requires brads. For frames and noggings a heavier duty gun is required to affix larger gauge and longer nails. Cost can be substantial including gun and collated nails. If you can afford only one gun, then probably get the heavier duty gun because it is most time consuming and difficult to try and put in a long nail. However, people have often successfully used portable driver guns to join frames and noggings with long screws.

I got my refurbished Paslode gas framing gun from Ebay. It works well. Air guns are cheaper but you need the compressor as well and the hose and noise can be more off putting and hazardous.

 

+1 for Paslode gas guns. Be aware the gas has a use by date and can go stale if you don't use regularly. A chippie recently told me there are now decent electric nail guns on the market, cannot recall the brand.
Cheers
PP

 

The Dewalt framing nailing is really good - electrical only, no gas, yet still does 90mm nails.

 

+1 for Paslode as well, have one, used it extensively, it wasn't a framer but a Trim bradder, excellent for skirts & archs.

Depending on how much you have to do, one or two walls of noggins, you should knock out by hand, if your only doing a small amount of skirts and archs, cut to size, pre paint, prime or prime + 1 coat, and then knock them out as well.

Spending up big on tools for small jobs especially if it's once off would not be worth the cost, it does depend on the size of the job though and the time you have to do it and of coarse your budget for the job.

 

I use nails guns everyday as I am a framing carpenter. I use paslode and they are great.

If you aren't using nails guns much I would recommend the kit from Bunnings for the compressor. It comes with all the guns you need for diy. If you are going to use it a fair bit then pay the extra upfront and get the paslode.

Make sure you get the angle fixing nailer as apposed to the straight nailer.

 

You're barely going to use it so I wouldn't fork out the cash for Paslode or any other of the top brands. Go get a cheapie from Bunnings, but make sure it's compressor fed, not battery: Those things are useless.

Might want to invest in a cheap pack where you get a little compressor, a hose, fixing gun and a framing gun all in one.

The good quality stuff is designed to last with heavy use, every day, by tradies. For example, my cheap Ozito circular saw has lasted me two years so far, my brother, a tradie, would destroy it in a month. Mt Ozito has lasted two years, his top of the line Makita about 9 months.

The cheapies still come with a warranty.

Beelzebub

 

$99 Buy this one for your moldings: http://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-airwave-c-series-air-brad-nailer_p6210565

$129 Buy this one for your framing: http://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-airwave-clipped-head-air-framing-nailer_p6210568

$185 Buy this one for jobs like putting up weather boards, or nailing down fibro before tiling: http://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-airwave-coil-nailer_p6210572

$179 Buy this compressor for the nail guns: http://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-airwave-50l-2-0hp-air-compressor_p6210594

Then buy the hose and fittings for $50 or so.

Done.

Unless you are going to build more than 2 or 3 houses a year, I wouldn't bother getting anything else.

 

are you staying on one site or moving? how often are you using it? when i was renovating my own place it wasn't much of an annoyance as i just left the cheap compressor and took the guns home while i didn't live there. When i was renovating a rental or going out to fix something it became more annoying as the compressor took about 1/3rd of the wagons space with the seats up, i ended up getting a smaller compressor which partially solved the problem as i don't use it enough to justify replacing them with battery. Chippies don't seem to mind having air but most have hose reels, trailers or trucks with everything built in so setup and back down isn't an issue plus they are generally staying on one site the whole day.

if i was buying brand spanking i think i would research the new generation of battery guns (e.g. dewalt) and seriously consider it. You can't beat convenience when it comes to tool and being able to have it means you are likely to use it. The best move we made with tools was moving to a full cordless set (milwakee) and spending time setting up tool boxes, now i can basically have all hand & power tools (excluding guns & sliding saw) in 2 rolling tool boxes + one smaller tool box. When i go out to a rental or a friends place i have what i need each bloody time and don't spend an hour playing car tetras to fit everything.

 

Warning: When nails stuck in the nail gun, don't peek directly into the nozzle to check what was wrong, unless you have been dreaming of becoming a pirate.

 

A belated thanks to everyone for their advice, particularly yours htopg
Tim86, I'll check a few of those out and see how I go.

 

I have 4 nail guns and a stapler. AEG for the framer and coil, and just cheap bunnings ones for the other. Got a good (probably too large) compressor from Tradetools. Been very useful for around the house and multiple IPs. Also helped a friend fix up his house after the floods. I don't use them a lot, but very handy when you need them, and will last a long time.

Advantage of the compressor setup is you can use other air tools with it. Impact wrench, polisher, nibbler, and even spray paint for small jobs. Great for blowing up kids toys and air matresses as well!