What's a decent framing nail gun?

[dladcock]

Looking to purchase a framing nail gun due to a couple of pending projects. Not looking to use it every day, but would like one that's decent enough that I don't learn to hate it.

There are so many, different nail types, pneumatic, cordless and so on. Just starting to look at them, so any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,

dla

 

[countrysquire]

I just finished building a 12' X 11' shed using the 21 degree Harbor Freight framing nail gun. Went through 3+ boxes of 1000 3" Hitachi framing nails and did not have one jam or any other issue. I think that it's typically on sale for about $79.

 

[Bsj04]

My dads harbor freight gun has built a 20x12 shed, 16x10 shed, 30x40 shop and my 26x40 shop. When it dies I will buy another. The gun we have only shoots harbor freight brand nails and that's the only inconvenience.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

I have an Hitachi NR90AE. Its a great gun, especially for the price:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_36_0__?productId=3020227

I like it because it is select fire and "bump" fire. Being able to choose one nail per pull of the trigger was really helpful for me.

 

[kwblack]

Porter Cable, really like mine. Bought it refurbished from CPO Outlet.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

Also, a "palm nailer" can be a really handy tool to have in tight spaces. I have one from Harbor Freight. Handy thing to have around at times:

http://www.harborfreight.com/palm-nailer-60242.html

 

[Coyote556]

I've been using the same porter cable 30 degree clipped head nailer since 2003 and it works real well.

 

[soapii]

I love my pneumatic Paslode 350S, great gun!

--Joe

 

[Highlux]

Dewalt angled. 10 years and still going. Not an everyday tool. But its survived my helpers.

 

[CNGsaves]

Senco or Hitachi

 

[NUTTSGT]

I have a Porter-Cable FC350 and love it. If you look through my refurb thread, you can see how I have used it on the house/house garage/my garage.

 

[HunterWare]

You have several good recommendations. I have friends who love Pasload, Hitachi, and Bostitch and all seem to be great guns. I'll second the palm nailer recommendation... really handy for small places, odd sized and/or large nails, and nailing brackets and hangers.

When building my barn both my two carpenter friends were running Hitachi nailers (and you can't say anything bad about them), but I really loved my Pasload cordless. It's a little bit slower but still over a couple nails a second. The offset heads count as full heads around here. I just really loved not having a cord when nailing up in the air. It's also really handy off job and around the property, as I can take it anywhere and not worry about needing power or lugging my compressor. The cost difference in fuels and nails is small since I'm not a production framer, so it really doesn't have a downside for me.

Good luck,
Hunter

 

[Ed Litsch]

I have two DeWalts. They have always served me well.

 

[Dennis93]

I have the Porter Cable FR350A, a good gun. Keep an eye out to what you're buying, clipped head nailers won't pass code in a lot of places. I decided to go air since most of the time it's there already for other reasons, and I don't need to charge a battery, and then buy fuel cells on top of that. I looked at the Paslodes, and they seemed too expensive, and then required a continuing investment in terms of operating costs.

 

[Playwme]

I've got a Paslode cordless. Not cheap but I wouldn't have anything else now. No hoses, no compressor, no setup. Just pull it out of its case and use it, anywhere and anytime. 2 fully charged batteries will build a hell of a lot of frames.

One of the best tools I've ever bought. You should see people's faces when we're doing a job and they go for their hammer.

 

[MrMark]

Hitachi or Senco. The West was built with Hitachi framers. You could get one fairly cheaply from Big Sky Tool.

 

[HoosierMark]

My framers here in Indiana have box with about 8 cordless paslodes in it. They climbed all over the house with them hanging from the back of their tool belts. Only complaint I heard from them was that they liked the old model better then the new one. The went thru tons of nails and fuel cells but they sure seemed to like them a lot. All the crew does is frame houses year round and they have a great reputation in the area for quality work.

 

[dogdog]

Porter-Cable FC350 is what I got, but I think you should consider the re-supplies of nails can be easily available locally, when you run out, and what your local building code allows clipped head or have to be full head ( I think that is the term other than 1D 2D 3D etc).

 

[The Boss]

I've been using the same Bostich N80 stick gun I bought in 1993, it's built close to 100 new houses and worked on hundreds of remodeling/addition projects. I just sent it out for it's second trigger/ring rebuild and having it back is like having an old friend around again. I have a newer Bostich, and a couple of Paslode guns, but like this one best. This gun has likely shot over a million nails in it's life - buy good and you buy them once!

 

[gungatim]

I too have a Bostich since about 2000. Built and remodeled a few houses and several barns/sheds and it is still going strong. Never jams but will occasionally bump feed a second nail but not big deal for me. It does take the wired together clipped nails, which I can get locally at Menards. Some people use the taped or glued nails which can work but will make it jam. I think I paid around $79 for it. My only complaint is that the spring loaded feed can be sticky making it tough to pull it back to re-load but that is pretty minor.

 

[dirttracker18]

Another Bostitch user here with good results. Bought it as a refurb from amazon. No complaints so far.
I have seen it mention yet so I will say that I prefer a coil unit over a stick just so that I can carry more nails thus less down time for reloads.
Just something to consider.

 

[owenst7]

Used to be a framer And a roofer, I own a Hitachi and a senco.

 

[raddksn]

I love my pneumatic Paslode 350S, great gun!

--Joe

This is same gun I have works great. Just get the safety tip, and be careful!

 

[Zeke]

Stanley Bostitch here too along with a 15 YO chinese thing sold by the independent tool dealers like HF. Rebuilt the trigger valve once and the part was not easy to find even though millions of guns had the same mechanism. So, I recommend staying with name brands. The chicom will double fire if you don't handle it right.

I bought the Bostitch to get the attachment for nailing off metal straps and brackets. We use a ton of earthquake hardware here. Not a handy as you might think. And it's a 28º model and nails are scarce to none, just FYI.

 

[mbatarga]

I've got a Senco for framing, Hitachi for siding, Senco for a palm nailer, and about 3 Porter Cables for brad and finish nailers, and a Senco for Pin Nailer. I'd recommend any of those brands. You need to consider nail brand availability and application for the style for the framing gun - clipped or full head.

 

[1SlowFormula]

I agree with the Paslode cordless, I spent the past 2 days off work for new years putting a 2 story addition on the house, framing has never been easier and who in their right mind would take on framing an an extention to their house in 2 days, and still have enough time to run the electric and hook up some temperary lighting in just 2 days while still stopping for festivities with the family... I love that framing nailer as said above,no wires or hoses to get in the way, much easier to just grab shoot and keep going.

 

[ar2stp48]

Have the Paslode 350S; excellent gun and have had no problems with it

 

[big.jim]

air is good if you can put up with the hose and paslode and other gas nailers are good if you can put up with replacing gas when you havent used for a while but the new dewalt xr cordless framing nailer is brilliant ,battery only no gas no air no hoses and 4ah batteries that fit other dewalt xr tools too

 

[jwith68]

Also a Paslode 350S here. No complaints, but I use it very infrequently, and only for utility type jobs. It will sink 'em into 100 year old barn oak, though. Got it used because the price was right, otherwise would probably have bought the HF framer.

 

[daparrothead]

Hitachi framing gun here, had it 17 yrs and never a hiccup. Big thing I liked about them is they are lighter than most other framing guns I've used.

 

[PugetDude]

ANYTHING but a Senco. I bought an SN325+ when they first came out and could never get it to drive 12D sinkers flush. The local dealer rebuilt it twice under warranty and then washed their hands of it when the warranty expired. Really just an expensive nail starter. It's for sale BTW...

 

[tcianci]

I have been using my Bostich N80-C for over 20 years, built a lot lot of additions and remodels with it and a few houses too. It's a coil nailer so it holds lots of nails and fits into tighter spots than a stick gun. And as others have said, see if your local codes allow clipped head nails. Bostich is a real professional grade tool however, my buddy has a HF roofing gun that costs next to nothing and we used the **** out of that too! Consider the amount of use your nail gun may see...a HF gun may be the ticket for you.

 

[THE APPRENTICE]

I have both paslode framimg gun and the finishing brad nailer and cant fault any of them .I use them both most days and never have any problem with them .I would be lost at work without the finishing gun and the framing gun is in a league of its own when it comes to firing in a 90 mm nail .

 

[rieferman]

air is good if you can put up with the hose and paslode and other gas nailers are good if you can put up with replacing gas when you havent used for a while but the new dewalt xr cordless framing nailer is brilliant ,battery only no gas no air no hoses and 4ah batteries that fit other dewalt xr tools too

Wow, hadn't heard about that... that's sweet. Found a video:

I hope Milwaukee comes out with one... I'm several tools into the M18 system already and would love to keep it in common.

That said, I also have the Porter Cable FR350. Thousands of nails sunk without a jam.

 

[southalabama]

Paslode is the way we went, no regrets. Have smaller Senco finish nailers and have been pleased. Porter Cables have also held up well and HF.....they seem to be hit and miss, and we've had good luck, but the availability of nails locally is a problem.

 

[venturesomerite]

I personally bave a bostich and love it. 8 year warranty on it too I believe.

I WILL SAY THIS, before you buy any one, stroll down the nail gun isle at home depot, and look at how much the different nails cost depending on DEGREE. They vary greatly. Being that you will only use it on occasion, this may greatly influence your decision. Figure out what angles are out of your price range, and go from there. See that available nail guns will use the nails you want to afford.

The Stanley brand ones I think are the most exspensive normal stock nails.

 

[evildky]

Whatever you get get one that uses clipped head nails. When I bought my first framing gun years ago I thought a full head was important and that limited my choices, I bought a porter cable. That was a good enough gun the issue was the stripping that holds the nails together would age and fall apart and cause jams, the powerter had an easy open front for clearing jams. It got stolen. I replaced it with a dewalt, no such easy access, if I had a clipped head gun they don't use the crappy strips that cause all the jams.

 

[bullnerd]

Hitachi here too. I did a lot of reasearch online and mags, Hitachi always at the top.

 

[K588]

Bostich framer here had it since '08 stick built a 28x40 2 floor barn, 16x24 addition, 2 decks a chicken coop and a bunch of other projects. for the palm nailer its a Senco. I would hestitate to buy any of the mostly plastic palm nailers I just dont see them holding up. Just my .02 these are 2 of the best tool purchases I have made.

Also have a porter cable 7 gallon pancake compressor that has probably been run 3 times past its life expectancy and still keeps going it was a special from Lowes or HD with the 2 free finish nailers that thing owes me nothing.

 

[tcianci]

Whatever you get get one that uses clipped head nails. When I bought my first framing gun years ago I thought a full head was important and that limited my choices, I bought a porter cable. That was a good enough gun the issue was the stripping that holds the nails together would age and fall apart and cause jams, the powerter had an easy open front for clearing jams. It got stolen. I replaced it with a dewalt, no such easy access, if I had a clipped head gun they don't use the crappy strips that cause all the jams.

As I and other posters have mentioned, clipped head nails aren't permissible in some localities. Check out what your local code allows for.