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Stick Nailer vs Coil

68K views 65 replies 31 participants last post by  onmywayup 
#1 ·
I've always used stick nailers and now I'm considering buying coil nailers. Just wondering what pros and cons there is to using coil nailers. I was reading reviews on some bostitch n89 and n80 guns, does anyone run these and whats your opinion on them, any issues?
 
#3 ·
Ive always used stick, then I worked last summer for a guy who runs senco coil nailers. Now im with a bigger more stable outfit, and back to the stick nailers.

I love coil nailers, a coil is just so many more nails then a couple sticks, so when your doing sheathing, you really notice the difference how often you need to stop and reload. Also cant remember those coil nailers jamming once all summer, sticks seem to get jammed up too often. Im curious if the coil nails are more expensive?
 
#6 ·
I always run stick nailers. If you set your belt up correctly, you can easily carry enough sticks to get through any wall frame and back to the box.

I'm left handed and coil nailers are more awkward for me to use. For decking it's a toss-up, but wall framing and sheathing I prefer sticks.

Us old bass turds need to stand up straight and stretch every hundred nails anyway.:whistling
 
#7 ·
I have plenty of coil guns and use them only for sheathing. We have to nail roughly 6"oc (code gets all messed up but you can figure that many nails per sheat) so a stick gun is impossible with how often you'd have to reload.

Weight and see. I'm serious just see later on in life how much your elbow will hate you after lifting a fully loaded coil gun day in and day out. Not to mention how often you misplace a coil, or when one rolls away and destroys itself, or when the lumber yard sells you the biggest garbage box of nails and they interlock in the coild pissing you off to no end and refuse to shoot until they come out 2 at a time and you end up with one in your forearm somehow.

Not that the last part has ever happened to me:whistling. Just seems to be a nail problem not particularly a gun problem. I don't mind carrying around 10 or 12 sticks of nails personally.

Don't use the Senco's, I'd go bostich or Hitachi (I've gone Hitachi throughout now). My Senco the o-rings go bad all the time and my guys are really good about oiling too, just in the shop more than its in anyone's hand.
 
#8 ·
I worked for 16 years running a production framing crew. Always ran Hitachi coils.

By the way, I am left handed and it was a short learning curve on how to use them efficiently.

When I buy guns in the way past it was always stick nailers, which I always found large and cumbersome.

I think we ran through 3 skids of nails in average month. About 50 boxes a slid. Lot's of nails. I would not even want to contemplate having to pay a man to reload the sticks all of the time...:whistling
 
#9 ·
I'd wager it's less than 5 seconds to reload a stick nailer and you're back in business. I wrestled with the coil nailers for what seemed like several minutes to get the coil situated, fed properly, get the cover aligned and clipped. Stick nailers are just my preference, no right or wrong, but I can't say that I ever thought much time was wasted reloading. I just don't see it as a factor, especially when you can carry a dozen clips in your belt easily.
 
#10 ·
We are fortunate enought to use Max HP nailers. so the weight is probably on par with a stick nailer.

I know it comes down to how fast a person can do this or that. My argument in favor of coil for us is that the guns aren't heavier, we reload less, much much less weight in the bags, and convenience.

I can't/won't argue one way or the other. I just prefer using coil nailers. When we use stick, it is because we need to use HD galv. I hate it.
 
#13 ·
We are fortunate enought to use Max HP nailers. so the weight is probably on par with a stick nailer.

I know it comes down to how fast a person can do this or that. My argument in favor of coil for us is that the guns aren't heavier, we reload less, much much less weight in the bags, and convenience.

I can't/won't argue one way or the other. I just prefer using coil nailers. When we use stick, it is because we need to use HD galv. I hate it.[/QUOTE

Why is it that you guys switch over to stick to run HD nails? I see they are available online for the coil guns.
 
#12 ·
I used Hitachi coil nailers for years, but when my trailer got stolen I replaced the Hitachi with Porter Cable. I wasn't doing a lot of framing at the time, and didn't see the need in paying so much for Hitachi. I loved the it, but honestly haven't had a problem with the PC coil framer yet, and it's been over a year.

Again, I am not a framer by trade so mine doesn't get used daily.
 
#15 ·
ive done alot of work with coils and i seem to like them,
like the dudes said above, there is more nails in the gun. there shorter for nailing in short spaces and they look cooler.

When i first started i was using sticks and i thought they were easier to frame walls with, but

sticks do make me put less nails (the proper amount of nails) because i know i have to stop more if i put alot in :whistling

Id be happy with any, but i haven't really had time to get a favorite
 
#16 ·
Could argue this all day. Coils are hands down better for sheathing. The problem with coil nailers is they have more working parts, (ie; the advancer) and a basket with a piece of plastic to adjust that can break. A stick nailer has a spring. Need full head nails or prefer ardox nails go coiler because the popcorn plastic collated ones shoot stuff at your face and hold even less nails. Paper tape nails don't work well in wet climates and paslode seems to still have some isues with there glue coalation on there new nails plus generics nails are usually cheaper. There seems to be more selection of coils just because there is one kind. 15 degree; where as sticks seem to have three common nail types, 28degree 33 degree and 20 degree.

Coil nailers apparently can cause tendonitis in the wrist from the nails wobbling in the basket. My choice is a coil gun for the following reasons, cheaper nails, full head nails, more choice in nails (ie; smooth, ardox and the galvies are way cheaper), longer without reloading, dont have keep them in pouch, good performance in the rain vs paper tape and excelent performance thru gang nails unlike 28 degree wire weld and a more balanced gun for most applications, and easier to pull out nails as long as they are smooth when something does go wrong. But framers are a stubborn bunch and slow to change sometimes.

I've had this discussion with the pasloade rep before and he says his data points to sticks being better. On multi unit prefab this is what I do. Coils for all wall building and sheathing. Coils for floor sheathing and roof sheathing. Coils for multiple ply trusses. Paper tape stick nails for micro / timber engineered lumber fastening with air nailers. Paper tape nails with im90 nailguns for floor joist erection and wall standing with bracing.

Hitachi, Max, Paslode are the only serious choice for coil nailers for me in this cold climate. Would like bostich but are to heavy and have had problems since went to new style especialy in cold weather. Bostich might be best in factory controlled conditions or warmer climates.

Could go on for longer but not right now.
 
#21 ·
Riz,

Have you ever dealt with a shear wall nailing schedule for different patterns on different walls? Had to spray paint the schedule on the walls for clarity? Up to 2"oc on edges and 4"oc in the field? Up to 10' tall structural plywood panels? Not even to mention the lateral strapping.

3x plate stock and 3x studs on the breaks are more and more common now just so the studs don't split all to hell with the 5 lbs of nails that get stuffed in them.

I'm thinking you may change your mind on the coil nailer if you were popping that many nails on your wall panels.

As always, I could be wrong. I am often.:laughing:
 
#23 ·
That's just it. No, I haven't. All our hardware is strapping, hangers and tie-downs that I put on with a palm nailer. As for shear walls, we generally don't have to exceed the APA recommended nailing schedule, which amounts to 1 clip per sheet in my Hitachi stick nailers.

I think it's obvious by now that if I thought coil guns were the dogs ding-dong, I'd have them by now. I have coil roofing and siding nailers and they piss me off every time I have to load them. It's not like it's an unfamiliar concept, I just don't like it.

In over 20 years of framing, I never thought to myself, "I'm wasting sooo much time re-loading this gun."

I use that time to eyeball things and take a deep breath before I fold myself in half again.:laughing:

I've worked on framing crews with coil guns as well, I hated the way they felt, the weight/balance, awkward loading and the fact that I was always going to the box for a coil because if they got smashed in my belt it just compounded the agony.

My boy John was always pushing those freaking guns on me, but he always had the stick nailer with him, so I'll assume he prefers the stick nailer too.:thumbsup:
 
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#28 ·
Sticks toe-nail better because the nail has no head, and the driver is not as big. You guys need to straigten out because your back hurts from carrying around to many sticks at once all the time while the coil nailer framers have the extra weight in there gun only when they have a lot of nails in there gun. THey both break apart in your pouch.
 
#29 ·
My Hitachi NR83A's shoot full round heads, are plastic collated and I have a leather stick nail pouch that holds about 6-8 clips. I never had a problem with broken sticks with the leather pouch.

As for my back, ever since I was 16 and got bent the wrong way far enough to kick myself in the back of the head, I've had back problems. That's a story for another time. Stupid kids game that maimed me for life.

20+ years of framing, most of which were without the aid of a lift, did the rest of the job.

The bottom line is, the guys who prefer sticks always will and the guys that don't won't. It's a matter of personal preference.
 
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#30 ·
I would say on average, I use 99 percent at least, of all my stick nails. The only coil nailers I have are roofing guns. I would guess my use rate on those it 75 percent on good days with great weather. If they made a stick nailer roofer, I would switch to that.
 
#32 ·
I'll throw my two canuk cents in here.

I run all coils, I have both. Coils for me are cheaper and when having a guy stand at the stack pumping doubles together the reload time adds up. Building posts, jacks/ window packages. What about when you run into long highwalls with double studs? Not uncommon to unload the better part of a box of nails on a 30' tall wall. Id rather reload it 15 times, then 35 times for strips. Ruins my rythem I feel.

But, like mentioned above. A coiler has more moving parts, requires that much more air to keep them running at full speed. Also, being an ardox glued nail requires more air to sink them similar to a common glued strip nail (not to mention clipped vs full head). This results in us having to crank the pressure upto 135psi to keep the guns on par with what a strip nailer might do. Not any harder on the compressor, it runs that pressure anyhow. But gun seals are a thing of the past, I buy them by the bulk pack. Rare for me to see 6 months a gun without a seal toasting out the side.. Guess it helps me to stay on top of gun cleanings though.
 
#37 ·
Vintage Hitachi framing gun:thumbsup: rapid bump fire:thumbsup: spring less of course:eek: Let me ask this question:blink: is there any other gun other than a Hitachi that you can with one hand tack a board in place so the nail head is sticking out:whistling
 
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