Nail gun

[Wildman]

Hi all I am thinking about adding a nailgun to my tools, chordless doubtful as it would receive infrequent use and from experience batteries don't like that. So a very basic questions,
1)do all nails fit all guns up to their maximum size or does one have to source specific nail for every brand of gun.
2)Do al guns take various size nails, i.e. will a gun with a 2-3" capacity also take 5/8" brads.
I bought a parkside electric nailer but it never worked from the day I got it, had it worked I think it may have suited me for my occasional use. I will not rule out air operated either as I normally have a compressor running in the workshop. They are not something I have ever seen in use or handled apart from the parkside one so no real idea.
Merry Christmas everyone

 

[transatlantic]

I have the mains operated Titan from screwfix. It does the job, ... kind of. If I don't push down with much pressure, the nail goes 90 to 95% of the way in with no marking. If I do push down, the nail goes all the way in, but leaves a nasty dent on the surface.

 

[petermillard]

Short answer to your questions; no, and no.

I’m no expert on nail guns, but happy to give my two-penneth, and be put right when others pitch in...

The term ‘nail gun’ sadly covers everything from superfine headless pinners, through to first fix, or framing nailers. They’re often referred to in ‘gauges’ - starting with the finest, a 23ga is a very thin headless pin, 21ga is a slightly ‘headed’ pin, sometimes called a veneer pinner, next is 18ga, sometimes called a brad gun, then 16ga, called a second fix, or (american) ‘finish nailer’. Then there’s first fix or framing nailers, at 14, 12, 10, 8ga?? Big honking nails, anyway.

The finer 23 & 21 gauges usually cover 12-30mm lengths. 18ga 15 - 50mm, 16ga 25-65mm, and first fix 50-90mm. You won’t get a first fix nailer that will do say, 20mm nails, as there’s little demand for the size. Ditto longer lengths of 21 & 23ga as they tend to bend…

There’s angled and straight, paper collated (first and second fix) or stick nails (16ga and finer). There are gas nailers, cordless (battery) nailers, mains electric nailers, and compressed air nailers.

Compressed air nailers are mechanically simple, can be bought cheaply, but (obviously) require a compressor; you also have to have an air hose connected, which can restrict movement, and they are relatively large. Mains electric pin guns are smaller and neater, but have restricted capacity - though some brad guns will also handle staples, which may be of interest. Cordless battery guns are independent of wires and hoses, but are physically large, as are gas nailers, which also rely on gas canisters for propulsion.

So, perhaps a good place to start would be to decide what is it you were were planning to use a nailer for, and also, what kind of budget you had in mind.

Oh, and one last thing - avoid anything TacWise... (I have a tacwise 18ga nailer/stapler which is *just about* OK as a stapler, as long as you don't use tacwise staples but terrible as a pin gun. Seriously, avoid.)

HTH Pete

Edited to add: shouldn't this be in 'Buying Advice'??

 

[AJB Temple]

Good question as I am in the market for a nailer / stapler too. But I don't have a compressor. I know Custard related some experience in this recently, using a mains electric gun I believe.