First air nailer gun kit. Looking for recommendations

[transatlantic]

Can anyone recommend a good air nailer kit on the portable/small end of the scale? I'm only a weekend wood worker, so it's going to get very light use, and I can't see me wanting anything more powerful than 40mm driving capacity.

I was thinking of going with this?

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke- ... or-with-a/

I know it has a very small tank, but I really want something portable that I can plonk on the shelf under my bench. I don't mind waiting a minute or so for it to fill up. I take it something like this would be able to drive 40 or so 40mm nails before needing to top up?

Also - am I right in thinking that I would just turn it off after my weekend session, and then turn it back on the next weekend?

 

[ScaredyCat]

Any reason you want air? I have a Ryobi one+ 18G nailer and it works a treat - and there's no compressor to run, less noise, no hose to get in the way.

Before I got the Ryobi I looked at Rutlands nail guns.. https://www.rutlands.co.uk/product+t+nail%20gun

For an air compressor you'll need to drain the tank to prevent moisture collecting in it and rusting the cylinder.




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[transatlantic]

Any reason you want air? I have a Ryobi one+ 18G nailer and it works a treat - and there's no compressor to run, less noise, no hose to get in the way.


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Mostly because they're HUGE. I'm sure they're great for on a building site, but the air nailers look far more compact for making smaller things.

 

[custard]

For occasional use there's a lot to be said for a mid priced electric nail gun. This has been covered a few times before,

nailer-stapler-best-option-t108692.html

The problem with a compressor in a hobby workshop is that it still needs a fair bit of maintenance (as was hinted at before, compressors rot from the inside out) so you'll spend far more time fiddling with it than actually using it. The cheaper ones aren't particularly reliable and rarely hit their stated performance, plus they're unbelievably noisy.

Unless you absolutely need a compressor for something else, like finishing or air brush work, then my advice would be don't bother and use the workshop space and money in other ways. For example, you'll get far more practical unity from a permanently set up sharpening station than you ever will from a compressor and a nail gun.

 

[PAC1]

I have a small Stanley compressor and Stanley brad nailer got them from screwfix. I only use it occasionally but it is good for pins and small nails (smaller than 2”). The problem I found with electric nailers is they do not have the power to sink a brad in hardwood.

 

[custard]

The problem I found with electric nailers is they do not have the power to sink a brad in hardwood.

That's true for the really cheap electric nailers, but the mid priced stuff is perfectly capable of dealing with 2" brads in hardwood.

The Arrow EBN 320 that I use isn't made any more, but if you're patient you'll get a decent one from Ebay for £50. Here's mine, together with some 2" brads and a big lump of Maple.

And here's the proof of the pudding. Ten 2" brads fully home out of ten attempts,

I do have a compressor in the workshop,

but for a quick task like nailing a jig together it's too much faff to get it fired up and then drain it down afterwards. That's when a decent electric nail gun wins out.

In fact, for most jobs I won't even bother getting out the electric nail gun. One of these (£1 in any car boot sale!) is more than adequate,

 

[transatlantic]

I have the Titan electric nailer and it kind of put me off as it's just rubbish.

 

[petermillard]

As Custard said above, that’s a really cheap electric nailer (see also Tacwise, Rapesco et al) and they do tend to be rubbish, as you’ve discovered. But you shouldn’t let that bad experience of a cheap, inadequate tool put you off the entire category.

 

[transatlantic]

Well, can you suggest a good eletric nailer then that can be bought new? I don't mind a mains lead, but I also really don't want something massive (which all the battery ones appear to be)

 

[user22161]

You need to hear the Machine Mart one running as said above some of these are incredibly noisy, I had to sell mine off as noise needed ear defenders. Replaced with a "low noise" Orazio from Aim Tools which runs below the volume of workshop radio. They don't show stock at the moment, I think it only has a 12L tank. I have an 18g brad nailer from that well loved make beginning with "S" and, surprise surprise, it works well 23g pin is an Arrow.

Don't be put off by people kidding you compressors are high maintenance, they're not, I've had them all my life from 24cfm down to small. Just drain the tank after use to get rid of any water.

 

[custard]

Don't be put off by people kidding you compressors are high maintenance, they're not, I've had them all my life from 24cfm down to small. Just drain the tank after use to get rid of any water.

Compared to a Warrington Hammer that's already high maintenance!

 

[Mark A]

I've used a 6 litre compressor for years; occassionally for brad nailing (can fire 20-30 40mm nails into oak before the tank refills) but mainly for cleaning vacuum filters with a nozzle. Only cost about £50 from Axminster at the time, though I suspect that was because their compressors were due to be rebranded.

 

[MattRoberts]

And here's the proof of the pudding. Ten 2" brads fully home out of ten attempts,

I'd respectfully disagree, Custard. Those brads aren't sunk beneath the surface (although that is often an adjustment setting), and the wood is dented in a few instances.

A decent brad nailer should sink them 1mm or so beneath and leave a neat hole ready for a tiny bit of filler if required

 

[johnnyb]

I used a small b and q compressor and never ever drained the tank. It still worked fine. Kept falling out the van! Still worked. Cheap Chinese 18g Brad nailers go on forever. A Stanley 16 g was rubbish though and dangerous. They are noisy though. I'm a big fan of narrow crown Staples. My gun is really robust and fires 18g Brad's( but leaves a staple sized hole which is not so clever) that one came from lidl.

 

[custard]

A decent brad nailer should sink them 1mm or so beneath and leave a neat hole ready for a tiny bit of filler if required

Point taken Matt, and a bit of tinkering with the settings would sort that, I was more illustrating that an affordable mains nail gun can have the oomph to drive a 2" brad into hardwood.

 

[Roughcut]

The Senco pc1010 is worth consideration. I use it with a cheap Silverline nail gun/stapler for light duty stuff.

 

[Fergal]

I bought the Rutlands nail gun kit a couple of years ago and have used it for light hobby use. I'm very pleased with it. The quality of the guns seems better than most and certainly better than the Draper "expert" nailgun I had before it.

https://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+hand-tool ... nds+dk7800

A compressor is handy to have in the workshop, not just for nailing and doesn't require loads of maintenance. Try to get a low noise one if you can, as the standard ones are very noisy and can be quite startling when they start up unexpectedly.

 

[chiokli]

I have been using this Draper Storm Force electric nail gun for around £45:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-STNEKHD ... B01MD0N2GT

And have found it to be pretty all right for 15-30mm Bostitch brad nails. I was using a Lidl Parkside (£17) one before and found it to jam almost every time I used it to the point of frustration. I have yet to see this one jam and it is sufficient at driving brads into plywood and some hardwoods I've been using. The solenoid hammer is a little big on the front end, so getting into corners is problematic. The cord is also a tad on the short side so you'll need a sufficiently beefy extension to maintain driving power.

I also contemplated an air compressor for the benefits of using different cheap nail guns and pin nailers, but the space requirement and the noise put me off. I am happy with an electric nailer and electric spray gun for the space saving.

 

[Rob_H]

At the risk of hijacking this I was looking for a recommendation for a compressor so didn’t want to duplicate the post. I looked at Axminster but they were 300-400. When I spoke with them they said because they are quiet and maintenance free. I was wondering how much of a faff draining and maintaining cheaper one is. The one they recommended for nailing was about £400

 

[user22161]

Plenty of second hand and new "quiet" compressors on ebay and Aim tools sometimes have them in. However, whilst the small ones are fine for pin/brad nailers and blowing tyres up, capacity is too low for spraying or heavy duty nailing. If you're that way inclined, small quiet ones can be diy built with a Danfoss fridge compressor and Calor Gas tank receiver.