Collated (automatic) Screw Guns

steve-in-kville

Who uses one? What brand/model? Is it worth the cost over a manual screw gun?

I'm looking at the Senco model (electric, not the cordless) and the price of collated screws. Would like some feedback on the issue.

Thanks!

steve

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mdshunk

I monkeyed around with a fella's Senco that he left lay over lunch. It was pretty darned nice. You do have to drive the screw dead square, or the tool will give you a fit. That's all I know about that.

steve-in-kville

Where'd you get the avatar? Is that you??!! I thought amish couldn't take pictures of themselves?? Can I see a picture of your buggy?

J/K!!

Thanks for the reply.

steve

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Mike Finley

I used to use the Senco, not bad for the money, certainly is one of those better than nothing tools, I got tired of all the bs with it and upgraded to the Makita. 3 times the price but none of the issues, well worth it in my opinion, but the Senco is a really cheap way to get into collated screw game and you could always do with it what I do which is keep it around for a back up. Running the Makita and the Senco against each other doing just drywall might not be enough difference for you to tell, but start getting into sub-floors or backer boards for tile and the Makita pulls way ahead.

As far as the cost issue for collated screws, the trade off against time is a no-brainer, once you go collated you will be embarassed thinking back on all the time you wasted without one.

steve-in-kville

Mike,

Thanks for the input. I have a lot of rock to hang this winter, combined with the fact I'm a "tool junkie" constitutes buying an auto screw gun. I appreciate the reply.

steve

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Glasshousebltr

I have a Senco Duraspin, It's by far well worth the money.

Bob

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Bob

steve-in-kville

Mike,

I checked into the Makita... looks heavy compared to the Senco. Your input on this?

steve

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Sheetrock26

I used a cordless Senco Duraspin for a few weeks several years ago. I thought it was junk and became known as the duraSuck...I wonder where it is now. It was Ok for getting some quick screws in the field on ceilings but when it came to trying to get one in the angle...good luck. I ran into some hangers last year that had a collated attachment head on their corded Dewalts and swore they were the greatest thing since the rotozip. I think it was made by Senco.

emer constructi

I have the cordless senco and have the same problem with driving screws at an angle. The other problem is that the RPM's are too low..2500 I think. I just picked up the Quickdrive attachment and used it on a small job, but it's not perfect either.

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Mike Finley

Heavy, like because it is made of metal instead of plastic? I just drove a bucket and a half of drywall screws with it this weekend and it didn't feel too heavy, and I'm a lazy son of a bitch.

What used to kill me with the senco was the bits. The bits were like $8.00 a piece and I swear they made them out of soft lead or something, I would burn through $20 worth of them on a project. Burned me up to be shelling out 1/5 of the cost of the tool itself in bits. I remember one time trying to get a part-time employee up to speed using the Senco, he broke 2 bits in like 5 screws! The makita bits are much harder to get, but they are cheaper and most be made out of harder steel, now do like 4 projects per bit instead of 4 bits per project.

But there are some guys on here that use the senco and have some sort of voodoo bit set up that they say is cheaper, I was never able to pull that together.

Mike Finley

The Makita has issues with driving screws at an angle too. Not nearly as many as I had with the Senco, but it seems to be the nature of the beast with these things. There is a learning curve. I find the makita is much easier to get into a corner and avoid the angle issue, it is somewhat flater in design.

phinsher

I have one of the Makitas too, seems to be a way better product than the Senco, bits last forever and i haven't had any problems except when trying to do things that the tool isn't designed to do. Pretty cool when you can drive screws faster than one per second. I've been through about 10 tubs of screws and only had like 2 or 3 jams, which are a piece of cake to deal with.

axnjoe

I ditched my collate gun due to it jamming all the time. I will say that it only jammed when the dust from doing lids would accumulate in the nose.
We dont use nails and the collated gun was nice in keeping the fatigue to a minimum when hanging ceilings. I was thinking of getting another one hoping that the designs have changed. Do the the owners of the makitas use them on ceilings and if so do they get the same problems that I used to get?

phinsher

axnjoe,
I just looked at mine and I don't see anything that would concern me. Looks as though all the inner workings are pretty well conceiled (sp?). Maybe take a look at the Makita next to whatever you were using before.

Also the part that does all the work is easily removable and I'm asuming easily replaceable. Even having to purchase a few of those a year would still have to be worth the price.

axnjoe

Well, maybe I may try one again. Thanks for the reply.

FleshnerDrywall

I started out with a regular screwgun, then bought two chorded duraspins. Think they are great, bought a cordless and its not worth the money i spent. I'm going to buy one of the makitas and try it out.May have to switch to the makitas.

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James Fleshner
Fleshner Drywall http://fleshnerdrywall.wetpaint.com/
and http://drywalling.*********81.com/index.cgi

John1

Home Depot had the corded on the discount table because it was the display model.

They want $70.00 for it. I gave them $20.00, so I guess this was pretty good,Also got a new warranty and the additional for a few extra bucks.

You do have to be "square" with it and a little tight in the corners but I have my Hilti 4500 for this.

John

world llc

i have the hilti 4500 and the collated attachment for it... i like it better then the duraspin. you do need to keep it perpendicular to the wall. the corners u have to stay back about an inch or so.

IHI

I have both models of the Senco's, corded screw gun and corded stand up/sub floor gun. I dont use the hand held unit very often since i find it easier to sub out vs dinking around with hanging, tape, mud, texture, but the stand up model gets used ALOT, esspecially the end of last year with all the flood damage and new replacement homes having to be X feet above the 100yr flood plain...basically every house then needed a deck or two. For doing the treated ho hum decks, we'd snap the lines, wedge boards into place and tear into it. Yrs ago the first time we got it out i did a comparison-
18V drill vs autofeeder
18V impact vs autofeeder

and the senco smoked them hands down 3-5 screws to one in every case.

I've since sold the 3 manual drywall guns i had since i have no use after using autofeeders, and like Mike said, the added cost per bucket is far offset by the time saving you gain with high output.

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