Porter Cable Framing Nailer Parts

[Fixin'Stuff]

I have a Porter Cable FR350 framing nailer that I bought many years ago, thinking that I would use it a lot over the years. Well, I didn't. So I pulled it out of the case the other day to add some bracing to my garage joists. First thing I noticed is that the rubber cover for the business end of the gun has just crumbled away and is just a pile of bits in the case. No big deal, I mean, it's a framing nailer! I'm not building furniture so I'm not worried about leaving marks on framing members.

But... After driving about 40 nails, the gun starts jamming and making what can best be described as "fart noises" when I would fire it. So I opened it up and found that the piston bumper has also crumbled away to bits of plastic.

So I look online and I'm shocked to find that this crappy, self-destructing plastic part costs $30+. If I want to also replace the non-marring tip, that adds at least $15 more. It wouldn't be so bad, but this thing has fired less than 5 pounds of nails in its lifetime. I really expected more from a brand name product. Now I have to decide if I want to throw money at the Porter Cable or just drop $55 or so on a Harbor Freight special. At least that way I would be paying a throwaway price and they seem to have good reviews.

What would you do? Is the Porter Cable worth salvaging, or should I just move on?

 

[crerus75]

I have a HF 6-in-1 framing nailer (fires clipped or full head nails at 28, 31, or 34 degree angles). I think they discontinued mine. I bought it because I had absolutely no need for a framing nailer except for the overwhelming desire to fire nails into stuff for no good reason. I've shot less than a box of paper-collated nails through it, mostly making things like temporary stands, etc.

It spends a lot of time gathering dust, shoots 20-50 nails, then goes back to gathering dust. Nothing has rotted out on it yet. It works perfectly well, even with a junky pancake compressor. The nails are driven flush, and I've rarely had one stay proud of the surface even when the tank pressure is almost low enough to trip the pump on again (about 80 PSI, I think). I've oiled it a couple of times and that's about it. I don't know if HF's current ones are any good, but if you're just going to use it for occasional projects and not for making a living, I'd shell out the $50.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

Personally I wouldn't worry about the marring tip. The gun it mean for rough-work and not finish (who cares about a little marring). So really its just the bumper for $30... can't get a gun for that.

I picked up a HF 3 in 1 framing gun (IRRC) for $100 on sale... it did my entire house gut/remodel (probably 10-12k worth of nails) and it still works great. The Bostitch framing gun, borrowed contractor friend, was a beast and probably 15+ years old. However the HF worked just fine and my only complaint was loading the sticks vs. the coil.

 

[rlitman]

Do you have issues with other rubber things deteriorating when stored in your garage (tires, fuel lines, air hoses)? What you describe sounds a lot like ozone damage.

I can't say that I've ever used the rubber nose cover on a framer. I like the metal crown, and you need the teeth for toe nailing anyway.

 

[wayne55]

I have a PC250 brad nailer that did the exact same thing and I had not used it much either. I did not replace the pad, but I did get a new bump stop as mine was totally disintegrated. The bump stop looked like your picture if I remember correctly. Seems like I found one for about $20.

 

[Fixin'Stuff]

Do you have issues with other rubber things deteriorating when stored in your garage (tires, fuel lines, air hoses)? What you describe sounds a lot like ozone damage.

I can't say that I've ever used the rubber nose cover on a framer. I like the metal crown, and you need the teeth for toe nailing anyway.

No other rotten stuff in the garage. Plus, this thing has spent its entire life stored inside its factory case and the piston bumper that disintegrated is inside the nailer. It really just seems that they used substandard material for the parts.

I agree on the nose cover, but I was surprised that it had fallen apart and even more surprised at how freakin' much they want for it.

 

[Zeke]

I looked around and there was one available for $20 but out of stock. Other prices were from 28 to 34. That does seem high if you are comparing the cost of replacement parts to a throw away gun (you know darn well the HF has no repair parts).

Tough call but I'd fix the PC. But first I'd call PC and ask them why a part fails due to age and not use.

 

[Fixin'Stuff]

Here's what is left of the piston bumper. I was nailing overhead and noticed that I was getting covered in small plastic bits. Since I hardly ever used the thing, I just thought it was the plastic that holds the nails together. Most of the bumper had exited through the exhaust port and that was what was all over me, in my hair, on the floor, etc.

 

[tapered-pin]

interesting that I just took apart my PC F250a finish nailer and also had my piston bumper disintegrate. I said "what the hell" and ordered a replacement ($20 on ebay).

the same Ebay search yielded 10+ PC nailer replacement options for less than $60 (maybe I should have just picked one of them up instead.. I purchased mine from a pawnshop for $80, 14 years ago)

 

[finn]

Just order the new part and fix it.

I just went through this on my Bostitch medium crown stapler when the air valve crapped out. Mine takes the $55 dollar extended nose valve, not the common $10. Short valve.

I've had the stapler for about 18 or so years, but have run probably fewer than 10000 staples through it.

A new stapler looked tempting, but in the end, if a $55 valve gets me another 18 years, I probably won't need a stapler in the assisted living or nursing home by then.

 

[JohnDeere1]

My MIL has a couple of the nailers that run on gas cartridges brand is pesodle or something and they work great I use them all the time I'd much rather have one like that than having to deal with an air hose. Look into something like that or just buy the HF .

 

[cheechi]

a few thoughts.

I used to have Dewalt, PC, & Craftsman brad nailers. At one point I had about 6 of them, not sure how I acquired so many. Bought a HF, shot a few hundred brads through it, sold the name brand ones and made enough to buy a few more HF nailers.

Most of the HF nailers need some adjustment out of the box, some minor some more so. My roofing nailer I took apart because it was spitting schmutz a quick wipe down fixed that. But I've never got one that can't be made to work properly with a little work, no acrobatics needed.

I have a PC FR350B that's a year or so old, and my friend has a FR350A that's probably 1-2 decades old, well mine feels nicer than his and has a bit more positive, smooth, 'new' feeling in many ways compared to his, but his has no evidence of any rubber or plastic deteriorating. The damage to yours may have been slowed or prevented by using oil especially if it was going to be stored for a long time.

Most of the HF nail guns are based on classic PC designs. You might want to take them apart side by side and see if the guts fit. I think the few that aren't PC copies are Hitachi copies.

I prefer the rubber nose to the spiked nose. Some guys like the 'grab' they get with the spikes, I prefer the feeling of the hard rubber not slipping from where I put it so the nail goes where I put it. I don't really use it as a no-mar nose but like a sneaker sole.