Carpenters - Framing Nailer question

JasonD

JasonD

New member
I'm in the market to buy an air powered framing nailer, and was wondering if any were preferred over the others.



Also, what is preferred, round head nails or clipped head nails? This nailer would be used for interior wall framing, etc.



I have my eyes on the Porter Cable FR350A, is that a good one??
 
I have had my hitatchi full head for 8 years now. Lots of heavy use. I have several Poter Cable nailers but they are not as reliable. As for full head or clipped it is just a matter of preference and building code. Some places do not permit clipped nails. A clipped nailer holdes more in the mag. My second choice would be the Stanley. I have used and abused a fiends on the job and it took all our punishment. This is the one I have: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CCXUV/qid=1138223985/ref=br_lf_hi_1/104-4434546-1127159?n=55
 
Just like here , every tool and product has its learning curve.

Any nailer you get is going to perform its intended function.

The difference between one model to the next is usability: i.e. is it comfortable in your hand ,

is it easy to clear jams , etc....

Price point may be a concern , too.

Before you buy , you may want to check Amazon and ePinions.

They have user reviews that can be very helpful.



P.S.----Please let us know what you decide on....I'd be curious to know what you get , why and

how it performs.
 
Never had a jamb in my framing nailer. tons of jambs in my finnish and brad nailers. I do not think framing nailers with how thick a 16d nail is will jamb. Go to a local builders too supply house (not home depot or Lowes) and ask them what is a good one. And which one come in for service alot. Amazon is good for some opinions but most are not builders who use a gun for a living like I did for years.
 
zippymbr said:
Never had a jamb in my framing nailer. tons of jambs in my finnish and brad nailers. I do not think framing nailers with how thick a 16d nail is will jamb. Go to a local builders too supply house (not home depot or Lowes) and ask them what is a good one. And which one come in for service alot. Amazon is good for some opinions but most are not builders who use a gun for a living like I did for years.
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Good points.

Not having much experience with framing nailers , I'll

take your word for it.

I mention the online reviews because it can be tough to find tool

supply houses on foot.

I would venture to guess also that anyone using a FRAMING

nailer is probably not a hobbyist, but rather someone

with a real use for this tool and a good frame of reference.



As someone who does more finish work .....cabinetry,trim , etc...

I'm probably not the best to ask for advice in this instance

and will defer to your knowledge.
 
All my dad's framing and roofing nailers are bosche, I'm honestly not sure why. He also has some porter cable and hitachi nailers, but I think those are finish nailers and staple guns. I don't think you could go wrong with any of them. All my dad's guns have been through several houses, he has worn them out before though.



As far as clipped or round head I don't think there's going to be any difference once they're in, so just see what type of nail is cheaper.



I have had a framing nailer jamb. If memory serves it was due to low air pressure...that'll happen if you have too many guns going.
 
theeloved1 said:
Are you going to be using this for a living?



I have a cordless/gas powered Paslode that I absolutely love. I've done multiple projects around the house, including finishing my basment right now..



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...0277-9739019?_encoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=228013



I also got mine for about 1/3 of the price from a buddy that works in the distribution end of their products so that helped.
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No, I think he will be helping rebuild his and other homes down there in New Orleans.
 
Well, in that case, I apparently dropped the ball on this one...as I didn't know anything about him being part of that misfortune.
 
zippymbr said:
No, I think he will be helping rebuild his and other homes down there in New Orleans.
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You "hit the nail on the head", zippy. Thank you for all your input so far guys, you've all been really helpful. I will report back after I make my final decision or if I have another question.



I was/am leaning toward the Porter Cable mostly because I already have a finish nailer, brad nailer, and stapler by PC already, and I just like things to match. That being said, I'm going to definitely look into the Hitachi because I've been seeing a lot of framers around town using them, and there must be a reason why.
 
Yeah , Hitachi is establishing it's name for quality tools without excessive

cost. I own a few Hitachi tools and accessories and I'm happy with them ,

for the most part.

Don't think you'll go wrong with the PC , either , though.

I own several of them and from my experiences with the brand

they make very reliable tools.
 
Terran said:
I think the hitachi might be a bit cheaper than the others so that might be why there are alot of them.
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The Hitatchi is actually more expensive than the PC nailer. You see more of them because they just don't break. When I ask around befoe I buy I specificaly ask what breaks down the least. I can learn to use any tool, but I hate to have a broken one. :wall
 
Zippy's right on that one too. The Hitachi is $319 and the PC is $249 from Lowe's or $199 off the net. I'm not really concerned about the price too much because they all seem to be in the same "ballpark", but I *am* concerned about function and quality.
 
Thanks, I am the Tool Man. Tools are my passion. I don't but certain tools on the net except at Amazon because of service and returns. Amazon is the only place that makes returns easy and gives you a good price. Nails either clipped or full head are easy to find, I usually but the brand name Hitachi nails at my supply house. They just work better.
 
So the only advantage to a clipped nail, is that more of them can fit in the nailer at a time? I know for a fact that clipped nails are allowed here in New Orleans because there are a lot of builders using them, and inspectors are being really strict right now. Anyway, if this is the case, I would think that the clipped nails would be better since you don't have to stop as often to reload?
 
Go with the paslode. it's easy, portable and scary powerful. I drove a 4" framing nail through 2 pieces of 4x4 and into a stud.
 
BigChevMan said:
Go with the paslode. it's easy, portable and scary powerful. I drove a 4" framing nail through 2 pieces of 4x4 and into a stud.
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I love the Paslode guns for repair work and small jobs. Going airless is great if you are up on a ladder or on a roof. The downside is the cost to operate, not as quick to nail, cost of purchase, lots of maintainance. Don't get me wrong these guns have their place, but not in a framing job.
 
zippymbr said:
I love the Paslode guns for repair work and small jobs. Going airless is great if you are up on a ladder or on a roof. The downside is the cost to operate, not as quick to nail, cost of purchase, lots of maintainance. Don't get me wrong these guns have their place, but not in a framing job.
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How are they not as quick to nail? I never once had a problem shooting nails back to back. I used a friends to build 3 20x20 storage barns and never once had a jam or any other type of problem. Overall I think they are cheaper to care for because you don't have to include a compressor in the mix, hose, fittings, etc that you do with a regular gun. Around here they cost the same price as the high quality bosch or other framing nailers, and shoot the clipped nails too.
 
The recycle time between shots is not as fast. This is not a big factor until the gas cartrage is running down or the batteries get old and you have to wait longer between shots. Maybe they have gotten better since last time I used them. A compressor is a pain, but a usefull pain. I did not realize that these paslode guns had gotten cheaper. A few years ago they were still over $400.
 
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