3-1/2" Framing Nailers

[Dan0myte]

So I'm going to start framing my basement renovation in the next couple of weeks and I really don't want my arm to fall off from hammer & nailing the whole thing so I've been looking into buying a framing nailer.

Has anyone worked with 3-1/2" Framing Nailers before?

(These are Canadian retailers and Cdn $$, so I apologize to the U.S. readers...)

I can start at the low end, Princess Auto's Powerfist 3-1/2" Framing Nailer is $179.99. (Princess Auto is a Canadian copy of Harbor Freight)

Rona has a Rona-brand 3-1/2" Framing Nailer for $199.99. Although looking at it, I'm pretty damn sure it's exactly the same gun as Princess Auto's, just in a different shade of blue.

Moving to the professional guns...

Home Depot has the Bostitch 3-1/2" Framing Nailer on sale right now for $299.99 (regular $369.99).

Rona has the Bosch 3-1/2" Framing Nailer on sale right now for $319.99 (regular $399.99).

I can also get a Makita UN943 from Cooper Tools for $350.00. I'm a Makita ***** and all of my other tools are Makita, so this one is really tempting, although it's the most expensive.

Which do I go with?

 

[lbgradwell]

To be honest, I don't really think you need a framer to do your basement; if you did decide to nail it together it's doubtful you would find it over-taxing, but I'd recommend screws anyway...

Should you insist on a gun, I have to confess I haven't used any of the models you mention (so take this advice with the appropriate number of grains of salt), but I'd go with the Bostitch. It's hard to go far wrong with a Bostitch gun as they are usually the best or near the top in just about every nailer category.

Bosch is new to the pneumatic nailer world, but I would not be surprised to learn their guns are first-rate. In fact, if I had to choose all my tools from just one manufacturer, it would be Bosch.

In any case, I'd stay away from the PA & Rona models; they will not hold their value as well should you want to sell them after the job is done.

 

[jpoe]

The people that I know who do construction for a living swear by hitatchi. They advised me that for the amount that I would use a nail gun, just about any would do since I am not putting thousands and thousands of nails through it a year.

 

[zoso]

I'm no expert, but I was a full-time carpenter/laborer for about 15 months. We had two framers. The best one was a hitachi and the other was a bostich that mostly collected dust.

 

[speed bump]

Just rent one.

 

[Mickey O]

Hitachi, Paslode, Bostitch, etc. are all fine, I prefer US made Paslode nailers. The one thing I would recommend is a full round head nailer as opposed to a clipped head nailer if you plan on doing any other work that is structural, many jurisdictions won't accept clipped heads (don't know about Canada).

 

[back2class]

I have a craftsman. Have done a few additions and am happy with it. It is a rebadged major brand, just don't recall. I honestly think it this is obviously a buy used item in this economy. Any pawn shop or ebay should have one for pennies on the dollar.

 

[Mickey O]

I have a craftsman. Have done a few additions and am happy with it. It is a rebadged major brand, just don't recall. I honestly think it this is obviously a buy used item in this economy. Any pawn shop or ebay should have one for pennies on the dollar.

You can find some good deals on used one but be very careful there are a lot of wear items as they get used a lot. If you do look at used ones try to find one sold by a homeowner over a contractor and test it several time quickly to see if it jams. A nail gun that constantly jams is worthless. I would look on eBay for some new ones at a cheap price or at the home centers or Industrial suppliers for new old models, an industrial supplier out here just clearanced Milwaukee ones at half price.

Whatever gun you get make sure it doesn't need special nails that are hard to find and expensive.

 

[nate379]

I have a Porter Cable and it works fine. It may only be a 3" though, I can't remember for sure. 3" is plenty long enough for anything I've done.

Paid $150 for that and a brad nailer... previously owned by they were never used.

 

[Dan0myte]

Great tips. Thanks guys.

 

[MrMark]

I have this Senco:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013QKVUO/?tag=atomicindus08-20

It is probably the best on the market right now other than the MAX, which is way more money.

Yeah, it's made in the US too.

The Hitachi is made in China and WAY bigger and heavier. The Bostich is HUGE. The new Hitachi is not loved like the old school Hitachi that everyone on the West Coast used to use. Problem with that old school Hitachi is that it only shoots .131 nails, which are not even 16D sinkers, they are 12D box. So, unless you want to frame with 12D box, you are going to need something that shoots at least .148, which is a sinker diameter.

Tools of the trade rated these guns recently and the Senco and the Max were the top guns.

 

[MrMark]

The Milwaukee nailer was also well-regarded. Taiwan.

For the money, I would either get the Senco or the Milwaukee, especially if you can find that Milwaukee on clearance for like $125.

 

[MrMark]

http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/industry-news.asp?sectionID=1491&articleID=649074&artnum=3

 

[64merc]

I have a craftsman. Have done a few additions and am happy with it. It is a rebadged major brand, just don't recall. I honestly think it this is obviously a buy used item in this economy. Any pawn shop or ebay should have one for pennies on the dollar.

I'm a pawn shop junkie, but I have to say that most of the framing nailers I see are really really worn and well used. You just have to look around a bit for a nice one I think. For some reason though, it's not hard to find a nearly new brad nailer or finish nailer.

 

[southernfriedcj]

I put hundreds of boxes on nails (we bought them by the pallet load) through my Hitachis with no troubles other than normal wear & tear.
Never had many problems with our Paslodes or Bostitch framing guns either.
Most tool & nail stores will do free (free labor) repairs on your nailers if you buy your nails there. They beat the big box store on nail prices and they also sell generic nails.

Trim nailers are another story. They need constant attention and are always going in the shop. I think we have 4 and that is because we need 2 that are operational.

 

[Chief]

Hitachi, Paslode, Bostitch, etc. are all fine, I prefer US made Paslode nailers. The one thing I would recommend is a full round head nailer as opposed to a clipped head nailer if you plan on doing any other work that is structural, many jurisdictions won't accept clipped heads (don't know about Canada).

I dont earn a living from my nailer, but I use it for projects. I have a paslode. I dont recall it ever jamming. It accomodates many different nail sizes which is nice. Regardless, of the brand you buy or rent if you go that route. Get an angled head if you'll be toe nailing

 

[rodnok1]

I have a porter cable fr350a reconditioned online(toolking maybe) for less than 150 shipped to door. It has worked flawlessly for 3 years, built a pole barn and god knows how much other stuff. It has jammed a couple times, but the nails were bent I think.

 

[Davo J]

I have an old Duo-Fast that I bought at a pawn shop that is still going strong. It,s handy to have around for different projects and shoots up to 100mm(4inch) long nails. If I was you I would go for the Senco at least latter if you want to sell it you wont loose much as it's a quality,well known brand.
Davo

 

[fsrtwo]

I have had a Stanley Bostich for over 20 years, I probably have used it as much as your going to use yours. When it works, it works well, when it doesn't, well seems like it is faster to hand nail.

I thought of replacing it a few years back with a cordless. The Paslode seems to be most popular. I really liked to the Hitachi cordless, although it had mixed reviews. I did see rebfurbished Hitachi's for $150 on the web, which seemed like a no brainer at the time. I eventually did nothing.

One other thing to consider is the price of the nails or the quantity of box. Sears nails are usually smaller quantity, HD's Stanley boxes are almost the price of some nail guns. Some folks like the Knock off nails, so check if you new gun can use these.

Everytime I have problems with my Stanley, I go through the same process....it would be nice to have a cordless since most projects are small, the price of nails are at least $50 a box, it needs to be rebuilt again....I usually end up rebuilding it and buying the expensive nails.

On a separate note, I went through the same thinking on my Stanley finish nailer. Ended up buying a B&D cordless brad nailer for about $100. It is one of my favorite tools, I can buy the nails at Sears & HF cheap, less than $5-10. I was at the B&D outlet store last year, just looking around, and bought another one for $35, refurb'd. It had two batteries and a fast charger.

I hope this helps...Also, this is my first post..

 

[35mastr]

I have a Dewalt round head framer. Have run many boxes of nails thru it and it has never skipped a beat.

 

[hb_hound]

Check http://www.tooliday.com/ they have nailers on there all the time

 

[Kev442]

As a weekend warrior,I have a Campbell Hausfeld 3 1/2" clipped head. Many boxes through it, never a jam. I do have to load the 2" nails one clip at a time though, they curl and they would jam where one clip ends and another begins if I loaded more. The HF ones look like an exact knockoff of mine. I think the biggest reason to own a nailer is to lower/minimize the splitting. I bought a CH roofing nailer too, works well also.

 

[PowderKeg]

I've got a Senco FramePro 602 full head nailer I've yet to use - bought it a long while back after borrowing a friend's Bostich to build a shed. Hopefully it will work as well as the Senco finish nailer I bought at the same time and have used frequently. I'll ditto the comment about full vs clipped heads - if there's any chance of possibly using the nailer someday on a job that would need to meet code requirements (in many areas), go for a full head, or at least check the code requirements in your area first. You might avoid an expensive surprise.

Just rent one.

Blasphemy!!! The whole point of taking on any project is to buy all the tools needed to complete it (and a few extra that aren't).

Rent the beer, buy the tools.

 

[Dan0myte]

So no love on this board for Makita?