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What is going on here???

4K views 33 replies 17 participants last post by  steex 
#1 ·
So Ive been a contractor since 97' Over the years I have accumilated quite the tool collection. A few years back I sold my large company along with all the equipment and took some time off. When i sold everything I kept one setup of tools just in case. Well the case was ready in about 3 months, couldnt stay away from the trade. Although now I keep it nice and small and I like it a lot better this way.

My problem arrived this morning when I was organizing my tools. Seems like all my tools need a little upgrading. A lot of them have seen better days. Its funny I use to have 6-10 of every tool. Only have 1-2 now really seems to wear then out faster. So monday morning after I get my guys going I am going on a shopping spree.

Just need a couple sugestions.
Favorite brand of Finish & brad gun?

I am also looking for a nice small easy to tote around trim compressor. Only got 2 right now, a large dewalt and a portacable pancake
 
#2 ·
I tried to kill my pc for years. Finally gave up and bought a yellow one to match my saws. The new one has a smaller tank and the identical compressor; and a better paint job. The pc really is a pretty efficient ratio of air supply to space and weight.

Guns? I think they're all pretty comparable. What color do you like. If its green it will cost 200% more. I have dewalt finish nailers. Theyve been solid. I have noticed you get jams if you fill the magazine to the hilt on the 16 gauge. The 18 is designed to take on full stick of nails, duh. Also have pc 18 gauge, their framer and roofing gun with no problems. Also have a 20 dollar harbor freight pinner that comes in handy.
 
#5 ·
Metro M & L said:
Senco has a little trim comp that runs realy quiet. I see a lot of the old dog finish guys running around with them.
if your talking about the 1 gallon compressor it's only good for cabinet work. You only get 4-5 shots before is kicks and it's almost a min to recover .
Look into a Thomas renegade, it's 26lbs fits on a shelf and can run multiple finish nailers and brad nailers and recovers in 10-12 sec
 
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#6 ·
guess I cant really say to compare, as all ive used were sinco's, dewalts, and hitachis....sincos are nice, but I really havent noticed enough of a difference between them and by lesser nailers to be worth the cost. I am currently running 2 dewalt crown staplers, and 2 hitachi finish nailers, one 15 and one 18. and my framer is also a dewalt (tank of a gun though...)

looking for a better compressor though, as its hard to find power in most of these homes to turn my dewalt comp on....
 
#7 ·
I've got a Hitachi six gallon pancake that I love for trim work because it has two quick connect ports built into the front so we can easily run two guns. It keeps up pretty well with a our framing nailer too, but also runs two finish nailers quite well. Sure helps with production when we have a let of trim to install.

I think I paid $200 for it earlier this summer.
 
#9 ·
I've got that 6 gallon Hitachi and it's halfway worn out in less than a year. It's getting louder and one of the connections leaks a little no matter what I connect to it. It's been okay for the deal I got on it, but I'm going to give it away and get a Rolair JC-10 and a Makita MAC2400 in the next six months or so. That Rolair is super light, quiet, and fantastic for trim and the Makita is probably the quietest thing you can run a framing nailer with, or two finish nailers.
 
#15 ·
I owned nothing but Senco's for years. When they finally died replaced them with new model Senco's. No where near the quality of the older ones, lasted about 18 months. Had to find a better product, that's why I ended up with Grex. I buy their top of the line models, for me I'd rather spend more up front and get more years out of a tool. Find it is a better value in the long run.

Going to be getting a Grex 1/4" crown stapler soon.

Tom
 
#16 ·
My brand new Bostitch FN1664K quit working yesterday, 2nd time I have used it, wouldn't fire, acts like the plunger is stuck. Guess I'll take it apart today and see if I can figure out what's going on. It seemed like a nice gun the first time I used it...
 
#17 ·
tyb525 said:
My brand new Bostitch FN1664K quit working yesterday, 2nd time I have used it, wouldn't fire, acts like the plunger is stuck. Guess I'll take it apart today and see if I can figure out what's going on. It seemed like a nice gun the first time I used it...
What kind of nails are you running through it?
 
#18 ·
These were the 2" bostitch nails it came with, I was using them up before opening the next box. 16ga.

120psi max, which is what it calls for in the manual.

It worked when I put it up, when I got it back out and hooked it up, nothing, pull the trigger and you just hear air escaping.
 
#20 ·
We have 3 paslode impulse guns. 2 framers, 1 16 gauge, they rarely work when we need them to, even after sending them to be serviced multiple times, buying new batteries, fresh gas charges, and paslode nails exclusively. Good idea in theory, now if they only worked as well as our air guns (usually) do.
 
#21 ·
It's funny. I hear comments like yours often. The guys I work with get sick of hearing me every time I rattle off a few dozen nails while reciting "These guns suck, they're always jamming, fuel cells always bad, battery is always dead, $400 nail starter, blah, blah, blah,,,!", when the truth of the matter is, they perform as well or better than the air guns I've used.

I've run literally thousands of nails through each one of my Impulse guns. While they can be temperamental in sub-freezing temps, I've never had any worse performance problems with Impulse than I have with air. If anything, the opposite is true.
 
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#22 · (Edited)
I believe you, I'm sure they can be great, ours just definitely aren't!

Our problem is usually that they just won't fire even with a good battery and gas charge. If we get them to work, by that time we could have had the compressor set up and working already. Like I said we've sent them in for servicing and probably spent enough money to have bought new ones, they usually work for a little while after that, then they start giving us fits again.
 
#23 ·
Yeah I got a couple right now that need some attention. Fires 10-20 nails then nothing. Change fuel cell out with new one, then I can fire another 10 or so. But when they work man I love them. So nice expecially when i have just a couple nails to shoot.
But to me they have there place in the trailer, I wouldnt want to rely on them exclusively for all jobs. I like the compressor out when framing up a big job.
 
#24 · (Edited)
No doubt. I still keep a full pneumatic lineup and several compressors of varying sizes. Lately though, in the renovation arena, a wall here, a wall there, a decorative dormer, soffit nailers on several hundred feet of rakes and eaves. PVC trim on a house that's a bunch of different elevations, fully landscaped (and overgrown), rip and replace a window here and there, change an opening, patch in some water damaged plywood....and on and on. I can't imagine dragging/unsnagging/untangling hoses and switching guns/nails all day long, day in and day out.

I like to set up a section, frame it, trim it and move on, without wasting time with all that jazz. I can't imagine dragging hoses all over this place.
 

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#26 ·
16ga straight nailer. I shot maybe 20 nails with it. Just took it back to menards and they gave me a new one. If this one does the same ill be looking elsewhere.
 
#27 ·
Circa 1985 or 86 Paslode rep left a couple of cordless prototypes with us on a job. Asked us to use them and tell him what we thought.

He came back in a week and we said nice idea but they are junk. Slow cycle time, temperamental & a rookie laborer could drive nails faster.

Early 90's vastly improved.

Early 2000 or so I had 4 framers & 4 angle nailers. Fvcking awesome.

You do need to keep them cleaned & lubricated.

But I agree with Lone I have not had the problems others claim.

I have one of each now. They still work great although not used much lately.
 
#28 ·
Lone I can definitely see the use for a cordless there. I agree they are nice for small framing jobs and when you need a nail gun for just a few nails, I just wish ours worked as well. I think the framers are from the early 90's and the trim gun is a little newer.
 
#29 ·
Up until about 2003, I wouldn't own one. Then I started doing PVC trim. Lots of it. Much of it 3 stories up.

In around 2006, I bought my first Impulse 16 gauge straight nailer....then in 2007, the framer.

Not long after, a builder I had done some framing for called me up to let me know he had 2 framers and an angled trimmer for sale. Picked up all 3, along with 2 extra batteries and a couple boxes of nails for $450.

Then another 16 straight in a package with some other tools and finally 2 18 gauge bradders, one used and another was a display, bare tool.

Within the last couple weeks, the builder I'm working with gave me 3 framers and a 16 gauge straight. I got all 4 working and gave a framer and the trimmer to one of his carpenters.

All told, I now have 5 framers, one angled trim, 2 straight trim and 2 brad nailers. I need a driver for one of the bradders and have a spark issue with 1 of the old framers. Both of those shot thousands of nails before they gave out.

Maybe being at sea level has something to do with their dependability for me. I know they can be temperamental at higher altitudes and require a different metering valve.
 
#32 ·
I really like Bostich gun, I have some paslode, dewalt, senco. And I run the JC10 this is the nicest compressor I have used for trim work and remodeling. You can run a framer off it no problem, super quiet so it great for inside people's homes. I'd go with bostich and rol air setup if I were to buy something now.
 
#34 ·
And oh yeah, one time I went to lift it up and pulled the handle right off. I made a replacement out of a couple chunks of 2x4 and a piece of broom handle and spray painted it black. It's not the worst compressor I've ever used by a long shot, it's just not quite good enough. Until I get a few hundred extra bucks and nothing else in mind to spend it on, it will just have to round up to good enough.
 
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