Nail gun primer?

[cgallery]

I rarely use nails. I do own a nice Senco AirFree 25, which is a battery operated finish nailer. I bought it over two years ago, use it for a few days, and haven't use it since. It works great.

Now I need to use it again. Charged the batteries up last night. Good to go.

The question I have, though, is: Does it matter which way I hold the gun, in relation to the workpiece, to minimize the chance for splitting mouldings? I gathered by reading some web sites that I should keep nails a few inches back from the end of the piece.

But, should the gun be parallel to the grain, perpendicular to the grain, or does it just not matter?

[LCHIEN]

I think the brads (that gun uses 18 ga brads according to Senco)
are very close to square. It probably doesn't help much if any against splitting on your gun orientation with or cross the grain.

[cgallery]

Thank you Loring!

[Tom Slick]

I think the brads (that gun uses 18 ga brads according to Senco)
are very close to square. It probably doesn't help much if any against splitting on your gun orientation with or cross the grain.

I just had a demonstration (grex rep) with 18 ga brads in oak . it doesn't have as much to do with the shape of the brad as it does the shape of the tip. most (if not all) brads have a chisel tip. if the chisel goes with the grain you are much more likely to have a shiner. if the chisel goes cross-grain it tends to go straight.

the easiest way to think about it is if the gun is oriented with the grain you have less potential for shiners.

pins and nails go in straighter because they have a tip with 4 facets or are shaped in a cone.