Rookie question about air compressors/flooring

[Outdeh]

Greetings everyone. I won't apologize for being a rookie but I am sorry to ask such a basic question. I just can't find the answer online. I've put in cork and bamboo flooring but next up is a couple hardwood floors. I've never used pneumatic tools and I'm trying to figure out the specs on air compressors. I will most likely use the Bostitch or maybe DeWalt flooring nailer (12569) and I'm trying to find a compatible compressor.

My question: is it correct to say that the required CFM isn't about the pressure available to drive the nails/staples but about how many times per minute that pressure can be supplied to the tool? Is it correct to say that as long as the compressor can deliver the required psi to drive a nail, then it'll work--it's just a question of how many nails it can do without needing to "recharge"?

For example, Dewalt says this: "The DWFP12569 requires 3.7 cubic feet per minute of free air to operate at the rate of 60 fasteners per minute, at 80 p.s.i. Take the actual rate at which the tool will be run to determine the amount of air required. For instance, if your fastener usage averages 30 fasteners per minute, you need 50% of the tool’s c.f.m. of free air which is required to operate the tool at 60 fasteners per minute." Does this mean that if I'm driving 30 or fewer nails/minute, then I need a compressor that can deliver approximately 1.85 cfm at 80 psi? Or does it mean that the nailer in this case needs a compressor that can deliver 3.7 cfm even to drive 5-10 nails/minute (which is a much more realistic speed for me).

Or: if a pancake compressor that supplies appropriate psi (70-100 for the DeWalt) and supplies 2.6 cfm at 90psi, would that supply enough power to drive flooring nails, even if it can't do 60/minute?

THANK YOU!

 

[The Cobbler]

Is it correct to say that as long as the compressor can deliver the required psi to drive a nail, then it'll work--it's just a question of how many nails it can do without needing to "recharge"?

correct
as long as you have the PSi to drive the nail , it will work. the frequency that it can drive the nails on a continuous basis depends on CFM .
but, with hardwood, you're going to shoot 6 or 12 nails, then some down time to fit/place another board . so that's sort of a a factor, too.
one thing ,it's easy to bring the pressure down below the needed pressure to drive the nails in an attempt to "get the job done", that can cause issues that yoy have to deal with, like nails that aren't driven all the way etc.
something to be mindful of when using an undersized compressor

 

[FJ4FUN]

correct
as long as you have the PSi to drive the nail , it will work. the frequency that it can drive the nails on a continuous basis depends on CFM .
but, with hardwood, you're going to shoot 6 or 12 nails, then some down time to fit/place another board . so that's sort of a a factor, too.
one thing ,it's easy to bring the pressure down below the needed pressure to drive the nails in an attempt to "get the job done", that can cause issues that yoy have to deal with, like nails that aren't driven all the way etc.
something to be mindful of when using an undersized compressor

Yep, keep your nail set & hammer handy....

 

[Outdeh]

Thank you both very much for taking the time to respond. Your answers are helpful--and realistic.

I understand that it takes some thought and maybe higher math to align tool/compressor/job/working style, but it's still interesting to me that companies such as DeWalt and Bostitch make no effort to link their flooring nailers with their own compressors. They often sell compressors bundled with trim nailers and staplers but they offer no guidance on which of their compressors to use with their flooring nailers.

Anyway--thank you again!