Best power nailers & staplers according to redditors

I tell you what...you want a tough little nail gun? Buy a Hitachi.

These are what we use and they've been through everything for 10 - 15 years. Oil 'em and repair them as they go and they still work great. Only real issues we ever have had with 'em are the seals will break eventually. Tough little nail guns, Hitachi is good shit.

Avoid Bostich, pieces of shit break all the time or won't drive a nail worth shit.

/inb4takingOPtooseriously

I used one of these for the first time recently.

I have monocular vision/stereo-blind. I have a hard time directly hitting a nail (unless I've been driving nails all day and I get a feel, though change to a different nail size, or a staple and I'm fucked.)

Three-inch galvanized nails in rafter ties on 12-foot ceilings proved to be a challenge, until someome loaned me a palm nailer.

Unfortunately, you have to get under the siding to do it right. You don't have to remove it completely, but you do have to peel it back enough that you can get to the perforated strip to nail the new stuff in. You'll need a zip tool (you can pick them up at any hardware store, too). It's not a tough job. Vinyl siding is pretty resilient stuff... you should have enough flex to carefully pull back what you need to without breaking it.

Of course! All those canvases usually say they are “primed” which means gessoed HOWEVERRRRR once you do it yourself you’re gonna be like “what are they even talking about this canvas isn’t prepped at all” lmao. I was shook in college when I learned all this stuff. A good one is Liquitex gesso. You can honestly just buy the gallon of it if you end up liking it. It’ll last foreverrrrr

Gesso: Liquitex Professional White Gesso Surface Prep Medium, 32-oz (5332) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KNPLXI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6OUBCbYGG08ZG

Brushes: Value-Pack 10-Pc Foam Paint Brush Set - Wood Handles by Industrial Tools https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UHJDAS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WPUBCb9GYJ791

Sand paper: Sanding Sponge,Coarse/Medium/Fine/Superfine 4 Different Specifications Sanding Blocks Assortment,Washable and Reusable. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0752VGHG6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rQUBCbQ2295YF

And then eventualllllllyyyyy, way off in the future:

Stanley Hand Tools 20-600 Clamping Miter Box & Saw https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0791J472B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_uUUBCbAX7GEM0

Stanley TR45K Light Duty Staple Gun Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NIFL80/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_xVUBCb1HTF3N9

Art Alternatives Canvas Pliers 8in https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MASEW0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_9XUBCbJF0J5ZC

Nasco 1100424 Fine Arts Unprimed Cotton Canvas Roll, 6 yds x 62" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EJSJKFK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_hZUBCb3PN5W7Y

Also, occasionally I like to go to a thrift store, find a wacky printed dress or dress shirt, and stretch that over a wood frame. For that, or if you paint on wood, you can use clear gesso (my personal favvyyyyy as I almost always paint on wood and looooove wood grain to be incorporated into my paintings...or on canvas stretched over wooden boards)

grab yourself a siding removal tool, and pull up the top section of siding. (I'm fairly certain you'll find a video on youtube on how to use it). Then you can check for studs however you like, drilling test holes, etc. Sadly, you can't always rely on the nails holding any type of siding to indicate where the studs are, but if it's vinyl over plywood, the plywood nails should be a good guide.

I actually do pallet woodworking, at my local town municipal dump someone throws regularly oak pallets away which I made into standing raised garden beds and stuff. It would be hard to make this out of pallet wood since each board is not exactly flat or milled the same thickness.

If you are into pallet wood stuff though there are two tools that you absolutely need.

https://www.amazon.com/Vestil-SKB-DLX-Deluxe-Pallet-Buster/dp/B00JH41U7M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1480654438&sr=8-2&keywords=pallet+buster

https://www.amazon.com/Air-locker-professional-Nailer-Remover/dp/B003X2QM3G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480654464&sr=8-1&keywords=nail+gun+remover

The pallet buster pulls the boards off the wood with the nails and the nail gun hits it out. It makes it a lot quicker and keeps the boards intact versus sawzall or crowbar.

My advice for a new guy is always "Get a bench stone and learn to freehand sharpen first". It sounds scary, but realistically, a month of practice on a cheapo knife, and it will "click" for 99% of people. The reason I give this specific advice is because yes, a guided system will get you sharp edges. But it will teach you almost nothing about sharpening, steels, or proper edge geometry. If you rely on them first, they become a crutch. You see guys here with 5 grand worth of knives, and they have no idea how to sharpen them without their doohickey. Makes me a couple bucks, but it also saddens me ;)

My advice would be to put aside the lansky, get yourself one of these, and one of these and practice until you can get it to shave hair.

Once you can do that, then bust out the lansky and play with it. You'll have a waaaay better idea of how to get it to do what you want. Believe me, I sharpen knives for people here all the time. Half my jobs are fixing an edge someone jacked up real bad with a lansky, lol.

Pretty much anything.


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They're called "floor cleats" and have an L shape and barb-like ridges.

18 gauge floor cleat link

They go in a flooring nailer like this that puts them in the right height and angle.

Not sure if it's kosher to say in this subr, but I bought one of these (instead of renting one) because I didn't know how long it would take me and if you'd like it, send me a message.

I purchased this Freeman combo set off Amazon and it has been absolutely amazing for around the house/DIY stuff.

Flip 'em around - the top of the frame has a notched side and a not-notched side - the notched side is designed to be pried loose and then later re-applied to catch the wire hooks (turned at a 90-degree angle).

See this video for hopefully some more detailed explanation. Bobby pins are optional in my opinion but it tends to hold the comb straight while the bees build it out.

I also personally use something like this to staple the holder in place versus trying to use nails / hammers because it's a pain in the ass.

O

Do nail guns do that?

Apparently yes.

https://www.amazon.com/Air-locker-professional-Nailer-Remover/dp/B003X2QM3G

Nice. Will do. The Numax version is on Amazon right now for $82. Also sourced from Prime Global Products and it looks like it could be 90% the same gun, too.

Thanks for the help.

Went with the following.

BLACKHAWK! Sportster Range Bag, Black

3 Trigger Locks

Chamber Flags

Targets

Stapler Staples

Cheap Earplugs

Cleaning Kit Should I also get a collapsible one? Was unable to find one on Amazon.

Eye Protection

Primary Ear Protection


Anything I missed?
[Secondary Ear Protection] (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001D8CRB8/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) Incase my main ones fail, or I have a guest.

> pancake compressor / nailgun combo

Nah don't buy that. Takes up too much room and you gotta plug it in and haul a hose around. You want a cordless nailer.

One of my favorite tools, works well in tight spaces:

https://www.amazon.com/BOSTITCH-PN50-Mini-Impact-Nailer/dp/B002RU94B2

This is the defacto standard "best in class" flooring installation tool.

Most professional installers use this tool.

There are a variety of "knock offs" that are significantly cheaper, and seem to be ok for light duty.

For most wood flooring, staples are preferred over cleats these days. They are 15.5 gauge.

https://www.amazon.com/NuMax-SFR2190-Degree-Framing-Nailer/dp/B0032JTDPO is my reocmmendation.

When I was looking to get one for finishing my basement, this one was highly recommended in a few places and apparently is made in the same factory from a more recognized brand. edit: the gun is actually made by freeman

You really can't beat the price, and I've had no issues with it. It feels solid and I don't notice any difference in performance with this vs. my dad's $250 dewalt nailer.

One quirk though, and this may be with all nailguns, you will have 3 or so nails left in a clip and it won't fire. You don't have to remove the old one, just slap a new one in behind it and you're good to go.

Something like this is good enough, although if you want to spend another $7 or $8, you might find that the construction of the more expensive staple gun is a little sturdier.

Ok, I was going to add prenatal vitamins, as my hubby and I are trying to conceive. But they were added this morning...same date as contest.

So, we also just bought a house and could seriously use this staple gun. I can't even tell you the number of times we have needed this and not had one available.

Thanks so much for the contest!

This is a pretty good and affordable setup for freehand sharpening: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C0MKNEE/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I1E3EJBUYUU4DD&colid=3CMSBL1HL0JX0

I'd recommend spending some time watching YouTube tutorials on freehand sharpening as well. There is a ton of good info out there on the various techniques and approaches to sharpening.

I tend to do top of the keyway tension about 90% of the time for single pin picking. It might be worth adding a peterson prybar-lite or an equivalent TOK wrench. The non-lite version of the PPB is too thick for a great many locks so I would not consider it to be part of the bar bones kit. I've heard of people using slightly modified 18 gauge floor cleats the same way you would use a PPB-lite, but making an equivalent TOK wrench with bra wire or wiper inserts would be difficult.

If you decide you're ok with trying freehand, this is what I use.

Smith's 50448 6-Inch Diamond Tri-Hone Sharpener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C0MKNEE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_nMVIAb4WAFXJV


I sharpen my knives that I use and also for my family and friends. I've been very happy with this since it condensed what i needed. I also have a leather strop. I recommend picking up a rat or cheap spyderco, practice on it, then move to better knives. You can then gift the now super sharp knife to a friend

Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!

Here are your smile-ified links:

this

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^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot

OK guys: I've been interested in getting a brad nailer for a while now. I have some interior trim projects that a nailer would be very useful for, and I also want to build some shop cabinets and fixtures where a brad nailer would also be handy.

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There's a Porter-Cable Compressor + 3-tool kit that is currently on sale for $200. This periodically goes on sale at Amazon and HD, and right now Amazon has it on sale. I've heard good things about this kit from people on this sub, and despite it being loud AF it is very reliable and gets the job done.

​

However, someone recently suggested picking up a cordless nailer. Not needing a noisy compressor + the benefits of pure portability seems like really great features to have. Online reviews for the tools I'm looking at (This Porter-Cable and Dewalt) seem like two really great tools.

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So the question goes: Should I buy the 'traditional' compressor and tools kit, or get a cordless nailer?

Great Reviews on the nailer at Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/NuMax-SFL618-Pneumatic-Flooring-Stapler/dp/B0032JTDPE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1526332104&sr=8-3

Looks like it was on sale at the time, but still worth it at $104.

It is one like this.

As a fellow shed builder I just bought a dewalt 30 degree cordless framing nail gun. 300 bucks on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JJ3RORQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yes it is expensive yes it is worth it. It is so much nicer to have the portability with a LION pack vs being tied to a noisy compressor. plus the angle is perfect for toe nailing. I run a lot of dewalt LION stuff so this is tool only. The kits with batteries and chargers are more.

set the lumber off the ground on some cripple studs and then tarp to keep moisture off to minimize warping.

If any of your lumber is pressure treated you need hot dip galvanized nails.

Get a Small and large Swanson speed square, and learn how to use it. It's a huge time saver.



Chino's idea is solid. Spend as much time as you need finessing everything from the start vs. trying to get it plumb/ square later.

> pneumatic palm nailer

?

?!!

Oh man. Thank you for this.

I will add that this helps:Malco SRT2 Straight Handled Siding Removal Tool https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004SUQW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9.lmDb9ZM6D6D

It's a tool to help "unzip" the siding without breaking the next piece

Take a look at a nailing combo kit like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Freeman-P4FRFNCB-Framing-Finishing-4-Piece/dp/B005NUP8BS/ . It's rated very well with a bunch of reviews, and it comes with a 7-year warranty. You can probably also find a used kit like that for a good price.

I love my Hitachi Micro Pin Nailer. Don't use it much for woodworking, but it's great for doing baseboards and molding.

Most fastener guns (even roofing/framing) a little 5 gallon pancake compressor will do fine. If you want to spray finishes or use air powered sanders/drills then you'll need something MUCH more beefy.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C0MKNEE/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2E8564V6PEPWO&colid=3U8OSNVGVVRX9

Sure, for most of the ornaments I used the Pfeil 9 series (9/4 and 9/5 mostly). They are very well made and hold their edge for a long time.

I have a flexcut strop - I keep using the honing compound quite frequently. Also get yourself an small set of diamond stones like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Smiths-50448-Diamond-Tri-Hone-Sharpener/dp/B00C0MKNEE/

I did mine with a $25 brad nailer from Amazon and 2" brads. It depends on how much you have to do. If you are a DIY person and can think of other uses for an air compressor (paint guns, tire inflation, cleaning, etc), I'd say it's worth it. I have this little baby air compressor and I love it because it's very light/portable and quiet. If you just have a single piece you can probably get away with a hammer but be careful of denting/marking the board. If you're doing more than say 10-20 linear feet of board I'd use a nailgun.

I did a few hundred sqft. I bought prefinished oak online and installed it. Watch a bunch of youtube videos of pros to understand the process, it's not that hard.

If you're going to take your time doing it, it may be worth buying tools. 2 weekends of rental was what it cost me to buy the pneumatic nailer. I already had the air compressor and finish nailer. That way I was able to take my time instead of rushing to get the tools back. It took roughly twice as much time as I was expecting so it was a good investment. Plus the air compressor and finish nailer will be used time and time again.

Do NOT buy this. It comes with 5 drills/drivers/impacts. Here is what you need:




http://www.amazon.com/Makita-LCT314W-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-3-Piece/dp/B005C95E2I/ref=sr_1_11?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1457007466&sr=1-11&keywords=12v+drill+driver+combo+kit




http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-C10FCE2-15-Amp-10-inch-Compound/dp/B000V5Z6RG/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1457007519&sr=1-2&keywords=compound+miter+saw




http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-PC75TRS-7-5-Amp-Reciprocating/dp/B004V327PS/ref=sr_1_9?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1457007539&sr=1-9&keywords=sawzall





http://www.amazon.com/WEN-61720-4-Inch-2-Inch-18-Gauge/dp/B000EJW1ZY/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1457007628&sr=1-1&keywords=brad+nailer





http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-PCFP02003-3-5-Gallon-Pancake-Compressor/dp/B00BMUGQNC/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1457007761&sr=1-1&keywords=air+compressor




http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-60-100-10-Piece-Standard-Screwdriver/dp/B0000950PN/ref=sr_1_4?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1457007815&sr=1-4&keywords=screwdriver+set




http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-51-624-20-Ounce-Fiberglass-Hammer/dp/B000VSSG2K/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1457007879&sr=1-3&keywords=hammer+set




http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW1177-20-Piece-Black-Oxide-Metal/dp/B001EYU5N8/ref=sr_1_9?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1457007985&sr=1-9&keywords=drill+bits




http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW1177-20-Piece-Black-Oxide-Metal/dp/B001EYU5N8/ref=sr_1_9?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1457007985&sr=1-9&keywords=drill+bits




http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-33-425-Powerlock-25-Foot-Measuring/dp/B00002X2GQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1457008034&sr=1-1&keywords=tapemeasure

> Until they figure out how to get out of them then you need some kind of glue/duck tape to keep them on.

This works better.

That's two things you've explained well in one thread, and with your user name I bet you'd have a lot of information I want. The 2" is the length of the staple. I actually want it to be 2.5/3 inches for other reasons. This particular pneumatic tool has a rubber pad you hit with a hammer, which sets off the driver actuation. The only thing I can really figure the massive hammer is for is to ensure the different parts of the floor as compressed as tightly together as possible immediately before the staple is driven into the wood. I can pull up the blueprints from the patent office, which I've looked at but don't have the link in front of me.

https://www.amazon.com/BOSTITCH-MIIIFS-2-Inch-Pneumatic-Stapler/dp/B0000224PN

That is the device I want to replace. I have a good idea on how to make it all function, but not function as well as desired. The problem: using that thing all day sucks, air compressors suck, and using that is a completely repetitive task that is better suited to a machine. No young blood is coming into the carpentry industry and the old folks don't know what they actually want and think the current option is the best/only solution.

I have the software aspect down. The machining and electronics can be taken care of by people I know and trust. So I am muddling my way through design because I don't have a formal education. I have 2.5 years professional experience with that tool. Maybe the engineering just can't work out, but I don't believe that to be the case.

Here is a Hitachi NV45AB2 on amazon for $180.

https://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-NV45AB2-8-Inch-4-Inch-Roofing/dp/B00007ISWW

I have this one and it's been rock solid for years now.

This one looks really good too. I think it's oilless.

Thanks! Can you tell me what you should use the Malco Trim Nail Punch for?

What is the difference between an air compressor pneumatic nailer and a nail gun (like this http://www.amazon.com/WEN-61720-4-Inch-2-Inch-18-Gauge/dp/B000EJW1ZY?ie=UTF8&)?

What is the difference between a finishing nailer, brad nailer, and framing nailer?

Completely unrelated:

I purchased this flooring nailer to do my floors. F-ing awesome. The only issue I had was when I pansied a couple of hits and a nail got jammed. Other than that, I kept it oiled and I banged out a 250 sq ft room in about a day. Looks awesome. I enjoyed it so much I keep trying to convince friends to do some flooring so I can help.

You didn't have to nail all those by hand see this thing

If you don't mind spending a bit more... go for battery power.

https://www.amazon.com/Paslode-905600-Cordless-Framing-Nailer/dp/B017M0N6K6

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DCN692B-Brushless-Speed-Nailer/dp/B00JJ3RORQ/

So much more convenient. Get the DeWalt and you can use the same batteries as their 20V and 60V line.

EDIT - Sorry I gave you framing nailers because I thought that's what you wanted from the first link. I would still go battery for finish nailers. I have about 15-20 Ryobi 18V tools including the finish nailer and I love it.