Pneumatic Nailers - Safety & Use Tips

I remember clearly the first day I used a pneumatic nail gun. My crew and I were working with a friend of mine who was a carpenter. He had recently purchased a used air compressor and a framing nail gun. The size of the gun astonished me. It appeared bulky and heavy. When I picked it up, my observations were confirmed. However, when I began to use it those feelings quickly vanished!

The Need for Speed

Pneumatic nailers do many things well. One of the most impressive is the speed with which they can drive nails or staples. I would venture to say that for every nail that I could hand drive on my best day, a pneumatic nailer would drive and set twelve! That is no exaggeration.

Although there is no need to go this fast, a reasonable speed would allow you to be 400 to 800 percent more productive. Nailing large subfloors and roof decks is a breeze. Hours worth of work becomes minutes. This means that contractors who use these tools can save you money. They are much more competitive.

Holding Power

The nails that are used by pneumatic nailers are precision made. Often they come in strips. They are held together by a resin/adhesive that coats the shaft of each nail and allows the nails to stick to one another.

This resin performs additional functions. When the piston drives the nail rapidly into the wood, it creates quite a bit of friction. The friction turns to heat which melts the resin. This melted resin acts a a lubricant helping the nail to penetrate the wood more easily. Within a matter of seconds, the resin resolidifies and becomes an adhesive! Pneumatically driven nails generally have up to twice the holding power of regular hand driven nails.

I can easily attest to this claim. Virtually every frame wall we built required bracing to hold it in place. We would nail a 2x4 diagonal brace to the top of a vertical wall stud until the structure was secure. Several days later when we removed the braces, the nails would pull through the brace as we hammered it away from the wall! In other words, the nails would not budge. They remained in the vertical wall studs!

The Many Uses

There is a nail gun that fits just about every need. The big ones will drive a 3.5 inch nail into a piece of oak with no effort. Or you can purchase a gun that fires roofing nails. Small brads (1/2 inch!) can be driven for picture frames. My favorite gun is one that fires trim nails for woodwork. I actually have two different trim guns. One fires nails up to two inches long, while the other can shoot a 2.5 inch nail. The first trim gun I purchased was so fantastic that it paid for itself within the first week of ownership.

The pneumatic nail guns that are used for trim work are especially handy. Have you ever goofed up and hit the wood instead of the nail? BINGO, a beauty mark! Or, you carefully drive the nail, begin tapping the nail with the nail set and oooooops!, the nail set slips and drives a hole next to the nail! This looks horrible on woodwork that is to be stained.

Nail guns don't make mistakes like this. They drive and set the nail in one motion! The only time they have trouble is when they hit a knot in a piece of wood. In these rare instances, the nail might bed or curl out of the trim. I'd say this happened to me maybe one in 5,000 times. I'll take those odds any day!

Safety - A Number One Priority

Pneumatic nail tools are powerful and dangerous. They must be treated with respect. I have hurt myself with pneumatic nail tools as well as hand driven nails. Every time I have injured myself, it has been a result of a lack of concentration and/or using the tool in a manner considered inappropriate.

For example, three years ago I was working in my basement. I was using a framing nail gun to toe nail a wall stud into a top plate. The gun bounced off the stud from the recoil and hit the top of my eyebrow. It knocked me off the ladder, bent my glasses, and caused me to see more stars than I can remember. After I got up from the ground I felt you-know-what flowing down my face. Fifteen stitches later I was as good as new.

I have seen photographs of x-rays where nails have entered heads, arms, legs, etc. In fact a fellow worker once nailed his big toe. He was in the hospital for a week after they surgically extracted the nail from his bone.

The point is this - the tools are wonderful, they produce lots of work, but you must be careful at all times.

Cost vs. Value

I have owned pneumatic nail tools for approximately 10 years. My first nail gun cost approximately $400. In addition, I purchased a gasoline powered air compressor. This compressor cost $500. Air hoses, nails, etc. brought the total to $1,000. Within a matter of years, I purchased three other guns. My total investment hovers near $2,300.

As for value, I can say that these wonderful tools enabled me to get jobs because I was more productive. My callbacks were less, especially regarding squeaking floors. I damaged less finish lumber. My guess is that the tools actually made money for me. Lots of it.

Reliability

The mechanism of the gun is somewhat simple. A piston is charged by air. When the trigger and safety mechanism are engaged, the piston pushes a rod which drives the nail. Moving parts are minimal. If a nail jambs, a quick release feature allows you to fix this quickly.

Believe it or not, I have never had to take one of my guns in for service! That claim is incredible when you figure that my oldest framing gun has fired in excess of 500,000 nails.

Two Types

A huge majority of manufacturers make pneumatic nailers that are powered by compressed air. This means that you need a source of air. The air is supplied to the gun through a hose.

However, one manufacturer, ITW Paslode, makes a gun which does not require compressed air! It basically is an internal combustion engine of sorts. The gun comes with a spark igniter and a fuel cell. Each pull of the trigger causes the fuel to ignite and pushes a piston which drives the nail.

Each system has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, I use the air hose to lower my tool to the ground. It works great. But, there are many occasions where the air hose gets in the way. Many times I have covered my hands in mud while coiling my air hose at the end of the day. See what I mean!

Whichever type of nail gun you use, the results should be fantastic. Stay alert during use, do NOT horse around, never point them at something other than wood, and you should be in good shape.

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Pneumatic Tool Manufacturers

Each of the companies listed makes pneumatic tools. They are very competitively priced. All of the tools are built to last. I would base my decision on service and availability of nails and parts. Yes, I know that the tools (at least mine!) rarely if ever break down. But, in the event it happens to you, who wants to have to mail it away?

Check out the following companies' web sites!

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Pneumatic Tools - Use Tips & Safety Issues

Pneumatic tools work best when you give them the respect they deserve. As with any mechanical device, they require periodic maintenance and cleaning. Here are some other helpful suggestions. I followed these to the letter when I used the tools. I suggest you consider doing the same.

Always read the instruction manuals that come with the tools.

Absolutely wear safety glasses! Chips of wood, concrete, or even a nail could bounce and cause a serious or permanent eye injury.

Don't power the guns with bottled gases such as oxygen, CO2, etc.!

Use clean, dry compressed air. Be sure the pressure is set accurately. Don't exceed the tool manufacturer's recommended air pressure!

Be sure that the tool is equipped with a fitting that releases air pressure when the tool is disconnected from an air hose. Storing air in the tool is DANGEROUS.

Always disconnect the tool from the air source or power source when performing maintenance or clearing a jammed fastener.

Never carry the tool around when connected to an air supply with your finger on the trigger.

If the tool requires lubrication (some do and some don't), lubricate each day. This will reduce or eliminate down time.

Always treat the gun like a loaded pistol or rifle.

No horseplay! Don't take target practice at lunch breaks. Only fire the gun into lumber.

Always check the underside of what you are nailing. It is virtually impossible to detect when a nail misses. You can't "feel" a miss as you would when hand nailing. Plywood roof sheathing and subfloors must be nailed securely. Inspect the underside for misses.

Also, check the air pressure. The pressure should be set so the nail head is driven flush. If the pressure is set too high, the nail drives deeply into the wood. The holding power of the nail is significantly reduced.

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Carpenter's levels have come a long way since the 14th century B.C. Back then the Egyptians had figured out that a weighted string represented a plumb line. Furthermore, they realized that something level was opposed to this plumb line by 90 degrees. Using a simple A frame device, they created highly accurate levels. In fact this design persisted until the middle ages.

Accuracy

Up until a few years ago, I didn't realize that there was such a wide variance in the accuracy of carpenter's levels. Many of my first levels were very inaccurate. The space between the edges of the bubbles and the lines on the vial were huge. You always were guessing if the bubble was centered. I even had a level where the bubble was actually bigger than the space between the two lines.

The accuracy issue, I came to find out, lies in the vials themselves. Not all vials are made the same. The most important requirement of a level is the sensitivity of the vial itself. Federal specifications call for a 45 minute minimum vial sensitivity. The test for vial sensitivity is easy. Put a carpenter's level on a table. Adjust the table or surface till the level reads "level". If you swing one end of the level around like the hands on a clock and the bubble moves, the vial may have poor sensitivity.

Mounting the Vial

The vials are always installed in a holder which is then set into the level. The best levels have their vials either plastered in place or machined into the level body so that the vial holder can't move. Some inexpensive levels have the holder siliconed into place. The silicone can distort if the level changes shape or is stressed.

Marking the Vials

Most level vials are mass produced. The curved glass is not always the same. The amount of fluid in the vial may be off by half a drop or so. This means that the bubble in the vial is not always the same size. We discussed the problems this causes earlier.

It would stand to reason that the best levels would be ones where the vial marking lines actually line up with the edges of the bubble. It is a time consuming process, but the results are well worth it. One manufacturer, Macklanburg-Duncan, does, in fact, go to these lengths to produce a precision tool.

Acrylic Vials

Some levels you may look at have acrylic vials. Starting with a solid block of plastic, the vial manufacturer hollows out the chamber with a precision grinding tool. The hollowed out area is actually shaped like a barrel. The advantage to this is that the bubble will always try to seek the highest part of the vial. Thus, if the grinding was done correctly, the level should read accurately no matter which edge you use. However, once again the grinding process may not be carefully controlled. Vial sensitivity is the key. If the number is available, ask for it. The lower the number falls below 45 minutes the more sensitive it is.

At least one manufacturer, Stabila, offers a lifetime guarantee on their acrylic vials. They claim that the level will maintain an accuracy of 1/32nd of an inch over 6 feet for the life of the level.

Care of Levels

Have you ever seen a contractor's pickup truck with a gun rack in the rear window? Often you may see levels hanging in these racks. What a mistake! Wooden carpenter levels almost always have a predrilled hole at one or both ends. You should hang the level from this hole when not in use. This eliminates stress on the level. Levels in direct sunlight in a closed up truck cab are like being in a sauna!

If you use a level in masonry work, periodically during the day use a damp rag to wipe away mortar and cement particles. Dry the level immediately with a dry rag. Absolutely NEVER immerse the level in a bucket or trough of water to clean it!

Periodically coat the wooden level with a thin film of tung oil for protection. Don't saturate it with oil, as this may also cause it to warp.

Levels are an important tool. Buy a good one, take care of it, and your jobs should be plumb, level, and true. If the Egyptians could build using their primitive, yet effective, tool there is no reason we can't do the same.

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The following companies make either wooden, aluminum, and/or electronic levels. As for the most accurate wooden carpenter's level, my research indicated that only one company in America hand marks the vials so that the edges of the bubble touch the lines exactly. This company is Macklanburg-Duncan. The brand name of their wooden level is American. The glass vials in these levels are protected by glass lenses. I have owned these levels for years. Heck, I didn't even know it when I bought them, that they were so accurate! Remember, when you look at a level, check to see if there is any space (liquid) between the markings on the vial and the bubble. The more space, the greater degree of inaccuracy.

Electronic levels are also becoming popular. Macklanburg Duncan also has a level called the SmartTool. It tells you pitch, degrees, etc. In addition, it has a handy bubble level for those people who are driven crazy by trying to get the object perfectly level or plumb! I suggest you call all of the manufacturers and get information. See which level works best for you.

• Alltrade
• Bon Tool Company
• David White
• Empire Level Co.
• Johnson Level & Tool
• Klein Tools
• Macklanburg Duncan
• Marshalltown Co.
• Stabila
• Stanley Tools
• LS Starrett
• Zircon

Certain companies, like LS Starrett, make a variety of levels with different degrees of accuracy. That is why I suggest you research all the companies to see what they have. Also, some companies offer unique levels such as the split laser carpenter level by the David White Company. If you just invest 20 minutes checking out these companies online, you will not be disappointed with the information you will receive!

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