Framing Guns Tested...

2ndGen

Some surprising results.

Max came in first (No surprise there)

2nd Place: Milwaukee?

DeWalt Framer beats both Hitachis?

Old Hitachi 83 being remanufactured by two other companies.

http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/indus...ticleID=649074

buildenterprise

This is like a brand new car test-let's see how the gun works in five years, not right now. That will weed out most of these. My Hitachi NR83A is going on twenty years old, with only a seal replacement.

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TempestV

Why didn't they test the Hitachi NR-90ac? in my experience, the new nr-83's tend to jamb a lot, and the NR-90ae was built cheap to meet it's target price. Then NR-90ac is the gun that was copied to build the NR-90ae, so it operates the same, but it isn't built cheap like the copy. It's the one I have, and it works great.
I find it interesting that two of the cheapest guns in the test tied for second place.

XanadooLTD

I have seen only a few of these Tools of the trade comparisons and it looks like DeWalt gives them an aweful lot of money. DeWalts always are at the top. Where were the tests on the new Makitas, there were no paslodes tested no bostitch. I think that you need to take Tools of the Trade with a grain of salt.

2ndGen

Milwaukee is garnering great reviews from their guns.

I'm going to have to seriously consider them.

I wrote Bosch to ask them if they were going to be producing any guns.

That would be awesome (I believe).

2ndGen

Bostitch was tested...

http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/indus...49074&artnum=4


I've seen them test guns I never even heard of.

Odd that Paslode doesn't seem to be included (unless Paslode produces one of the no-name guns).

The Hitachi 83a shows up there under two other manufacturers.

wallmaxx

Maybe I read an older test, but the Hitachi NR90AC3 is ranked #1 in the 120 psi class

http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/indus...ticleID=501037

We tested the Airy AUA 219OC, Fasco-Beck R5C RHN 20-90 SS (CT), Grex SF9021, Hitachi NR90AC, Interchange Brands ICB-FN88, ISM Fastening Systems 921 ProPower, ITW Paslode F-350S, Jamerco JTNFH90A, Makita AN922, Max SN890RH, Porter-Cable FR350, Senco FramePro 750 XL, Spotnails NPR90, Stanley Bostitch N88WW-1, and the UNI Ultra Tools/Apach AN-9034AC.

Winner's Circle
We found Hitachi to be the best nailer in super-hard, high-density engineered lumber. It performed perfectly in the yard and on the job. Second place goes to the UNI/Apach, Makita, and Stanley Bostitch nailers. Next we'd recommend the Fasco, Paslode, Max, Senco, and Porter-Cable models. They had ample power and tolerable recoil. And finally comes Airy, Interchange, Jamerco, and ISM.
The Grex and Spotnails models are fine for most framing applications, but I wouldn't recommend them specifically for nailing engineered lumber. They didn't produce the power we need for the wide array of materials we encounter.
Michael Davis is president of Framing Square, a large framing, siding, and trim company in Albuquerque, N.M., and is a contributing editor to Hanley-Wood's Tools of the Trade.

2ndGen

Murph, that was from 2001!

Framing Nailers
Engineered lumber really tests pneumatic framing nailers. Here's how 15 models meet the challenge.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Magazine (March 1, 2001)



The test I put up is current.

TempestV

The grizzly 4" nailer comes off sounding pretty good in that review, but isn't grizzly the company that imports budget power tools from China?

2ndGen

Yep.

I noticed that too.

But then again, Hyundai is making cars with 10 year guarantees.

2ndGen

Anybody...what's your "next" framing gun going to be?
Hitachi?
Bostitch?
Max?
Makita?
Milwaukee?
DeWalt?
Porter Cable?
Senco?
Paslode?
"Other"?

I think I'm settled on the Hitachi NR90AC3.
I want the best of the best.
It's either that, or the Bostitch F21PL or F33PT.

Must Features:
3 1/2 Full Head Nail Capacity
Power
Tool-Less Depth Adjustment
Aggressive Nose Design For Secure Placement
Magazine Loading Ease
Quick Firing Selection Between Bump Fire/Single Shot


Hitachi +'s:
Reputation
Proven Track Record
Industrial Look
Framer's Favorite

-'s:
Problems shooting 8D's


Bostitch's +'s:
Both Framer and Metal Connector
All My Other Guns Will Be Bostitchs (keep it in the family)
Weight Advantage: 7.9lbs (1lb lighter)
Power: 1050 in/lbs
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Geez! After reading the Amazon Reviews, I think I need to go a little "Retro" and pick myself up a Hitachi NR83A2 instead!

Wow...it seems that both Bostitch and Hitachi's newer guns are getting worse and worse and that the older guns are far more reliable.

Just when I think I have it figured out...I get confused again.

Better let you guys school me (by the way, I'm going to use my guns for strickly framing with some really heavy duty applications (like wood into masonary) and some light sheathing, but for production sheathing, I will get a coil nailer.

__________________
"I've been up on the roof. I know what those guys go through.
My whole life has been about making that profession respectable."
Ken Hendricks
www.SolutionsRoofing.com

TempestV

I have a Hitachi NR90ac. If I end up getting another framing gun, it will probably be a Bostich F21PL that comes with the positive placement tip. Mostly, I'd be using it as a hanger gun for everything up to 16 commons for foundation straps since the Hitachi is what I would pull out for framing or sheathing.

2ndGen

How is your Hitachi running?
Have you ever tried using 8D's?
Had any problems?

Generally, most reviews of products come out when the product is new and there is no follow up.

__________________
"I've been up on the roof. I know what those guys go through.
My whole life has been about making that profession respectable."
Ken Hendricks
www.SolutionsRoofing.com

Joining_heads

I have the Max that won the test. It is a great gun.

john5mt

I have a couple Hitachi 90AD's. I jammed one pin with an 8d (still cant get it unjammed). I love the feel and power these guns have so i probably would buy somemore if i had to get another. Anything i do with 8d's i usually use my old hitachi NV83A2 so i cant say if the 90 series would be bad for 8d's.


TemptestV dont waste your money on that bastich. Just get the hitachi or paslode positive placement. They are dedicated nailers for that purpose. My bro and i used one of those switch nose bastiches and for actual framing they suck. Double tap every second nail, fling crap in your face, and are freaking heavy.

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1st Gen tradesman
My summer job in college became my profession

Bill

I have 2 Bostitch framing nailers that are about 8 years old and I could not imagine how many nails went throu them and how many times they have been dropped and they are still kicking. I would not trade them for anything

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Is it beer thirty yet
Virginia Department of Licensing
Virginia Plumbing Codes

TempestV

I just recently got it, used, off ebay, and for the most part, the work I'm doing now doesn't require it, so I haven't used it that much, but when I have used it, I haven't had any problems with it. Mine is the older model with the plastic top load magazine, rather than the new one with the back loading aluminum magazine, but I haven't had any problems with shooting 8's

John, the reason that I would want the Bostich over a standard positive placement gun is that I often have to use hangers that require 16 commons, and I am yet to see a dedicated positive placement nailer that shoots a 3 1/2" nail. The Bostich framer with the positive placement tip is the closest I can find. Like I said, I wouldn't be using it as a standard gun, because I have my Hitachi.

Kgmz

I have some Bostitch guns that are 20 years old and still work great. But they are ugly looking.

My old Bostitch's are a N80 clipped head framing nailer, a T36 sheathing stapler, and a T35 roofing stapler.


Newer Bostich guns are a N88RH-2MCN got it for the metal connector feature, and a F21PL also got it for the metal connector feature and that you can switch trigger and have a bounce nailer. Also have these 2 guns because they can shoot a true 3 1/2" .162 common nail. Something I have had to use for tying 2 lvl's, etc. together and the inspectors here check. And I got the first gun when I had to shoot a few hundred 2.5" hanger nails into some girder trusses.


Also if you read the whole review the Bostitch F21PL was one of the most powerful guns and was right up there with the 4" guns from Grizzly and Prebena and of course the Max. But the Max cannot shoot a shoot a 3 1/2" .162 common. These were the 4 most powerful guns. The gripes they had about the Bostitch was that it was heavy, but it was .2 pounds lighter than a Hitachi NR83A2. And the fact that you have to remove a rod out of the back of the gun to shoot the commons which is not a big deal and takes a few seconds, and you are going to take some time anyway to change the nails. Also that you had to change triggers to change from bounce to sequential firing modes. But it is not that big of a deal as I can do it in about a minute or less.


My other guns are Max CN665 coil guns which shoot true 2 1/2" .131 8d nails. I use these for sheathing, shear walls, and Hardi Siding.


Finish guns are all Senco. My old SFN1 and LS5, and 3 newer Finish Pro's

Timuhler

When we tested guns a few years back, the Hitachi, Max and Makita guns seemed like they were built better. Felt well made.

We have used the DeWalt and Bostitch guns, and found them not to be very durable. We currently use the Hitachi NV83A2 coil framers.

But we are working on getting the Max HP system and running two coil framers at about 60% of the weight.

JustaFramer

Why would I need a new gun I have a NR83a.