Brad nailer question!

[Salty]

Looking at several brands of 18 ga brad nailers, I notice that some have quick release features on the magazine front and some do not.
Would it be a correct assumption to say thet the ones that have the quick release are more prone to jamming?

Salty

[Tom Slick]

the ones with no quick release are usually just cheaper. senco, hitatchi, bostitch, max, are considered top of the line and all have quick releases. Jams are usually a result of the nails not the gun (if you are buying a quality gun)

side note, I've been researching my next brad nailer and have decided on the Ridgid. it's packed with nice features, isn't terribly expensive and seems to get good write ups. I'm tired of my $19 HF brad nailer's little quirks.

[cabinetman]

I got tired of paying a bench fee (sometimes $50), just to service my Duo-Fast's and Senco's.

I can't complain about HF's less than $20 for a new nailer. They ain't bad. No real complaints. What does contribute to jams after some use is a peened drive pin. That's the long pin that actually drives the staple or brad out of the gun. I've found filing them flat makes 'em like new again.

Another contributor could be the brads or staples not seating down to the bottom of the magazine. There may be some debris in the channel, or on the fasteners. It's necessary to run a few drops of air tool oil on a daily basis. On heavy use, more frequent oiling.
.

[Shipwreck]

Looking at several brands of 18 ga brad nailers, I notice that some have quick release features on the magazine front and some do not.
Would it be a correct assumption to say thet the ones that have the quick release are more prone to jamming?

Salty

Most jams are from operator error.......nailing into other nails, incorrect air pressures, etc. etc. But with that said : I would not buy a nailer without that feature. It makes things alot easier to clear a jam with the quick release. I only had to use the quick release feature a handful of times and it was always due to hitting another nail when doing some home improvements.

I own HF, PC, Senco, Bostich, and Dewalt nailers. I have had excellent results from all of them. My HF does not have a quick release, but I never had a jam with it.

[Andrew Benedetto]

Over oiling a brad nailer can be a problem , I also have many brands but the price for a better designed nailer, esp. on depth control and QR are worth the money. The DW and PC I have has been good, made in Taiwan .
The 2 Hitachi framers made in Japan are even better built, not the ugly bright green type made in China now.

[Salty]

side note, I've been researching my next brad nailer and have decided on the Ridgid. it's packed with nice features, isn't terribly expensive and seems to get good write ups. I'm tired of my $19 HF brad nailer's little quirks.

Thanks Tom, I'll check out that brand as well.
Care to expand in the 'quirks'?

Many years ago I was a buyer for a lumber company and home center store, not a box store.
I bought Senco, Paslode and some PC. I also did some minor repairs on the Senco. Back then the Senco were high quality tools. Then they started making them in Taiwan. Quality was still good...but not as good as before. Then PC began making them and they were also imported. Not sure about Paslode.
So, I think for a starter gun(s) I will try an HF or Grizzly or maybe the Ridgid. And look for the quick release feature.
I can buy a 6 gallon compressor and hose kit at work for a good price so that part is settled.

Thanks all for the input.

[Carlos]

I've never had one of my HF nail guns jam. The only issue has been a failure to fire and that's been my fault for not carefully aligning the nails. Of course they have no depth control, but you use the regulator for that.

What does a high-dollar nail gun get me over the HF?

[jonmulzer]

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00916853000P?vName=Tools&cName=Compressors+%26+Air+Tools&sName=Carpentry+Air+Tools

I have this set and it works well for me. 16ga finish nailer, 18ga brad nailer and a 1/4" crown stapler all for under $200 and I have never had one jam even though they have the quick release heads.

[wbsettle]

I'll put in another vote for the Ridgid. If nothing else, the 3 year warranty upgrades to Lifetime once you send in the registration card...at least when I purchased mine about a year ago.

I tried the 18$ HF gun. Maybe I just got a dud, but it would only flush drive about every fifth brad with the regulator at the gun's max recommended PSI. Returned it and spent the $100ish for the Ridgid and have been a happy camper ever since.

Not sure how unique it is, but according to one review, the Ridgid is designed to guarantee full piston travel for each strike. Wonder if that was the problem I was having with the HF since it would flush drive sometimes, but others would only half penetrate and some would simply bounce off.

-Brent

[cabinetman]

I'll put in another vote for the Ridgid. If nothing else, the 3 year warranty upgrades to Lifetime once you send in the registration card...at least when I purchased mine about a year ago.

I tried the 18$ HF gun. Maybe I just got a dud, but it would only flush drive about every fifth brad with the regulator at the gun's max recommended PSI. Returned it and spent the $100ish for the Ridgid and have been a happy camper ever since.

Not sure how unique it is, but according to one review, the Ridgid is designed to guarantee full piston travel for each strike. Wonder if that was the problem I was having with the HF since it would flush drive sometimes, but others would only half penetrate and some would simply bounce off.

-Brent

Sounds like you did get a dud or a malfunctioning gun. What you experienced or erratic firing, could be attributed to just an inadequate or starved air supply. DAMHITK, but I'll tell ya anyway. This is like a slap on the forehead, but, standing on the hose, or kinking the hose could act like that. Depending on the length of the brad, and the material used, I start at 90 PSI, and only work down. It shouldn't be necessary to adjust higher. It's too easy to blow seals and "O" rings.
.

[Jes Pidlin]

I bought my first brad nailer approximately 10 years ago, and having the quick realease was one of the "must have" features I wanted. I've shot thousands of nails with it since, and I've never had a jam, NEVER! Would I want the quick release on another one, you bet!

[JimD]

I have also never had one of my guns jam. I have a HF stapler, a Bostitch 24 gauge, a PC 18 gauge, and a Bostitch 16 gauge. The PC would fail to shoot a brad sometimes when it was new but it works well now. The HF always shoots but the safety is further from the nose, some of the parts needed to be bent into alignment when I first got it, and it won't drive the 1 1/2 inch staples it is supposed to be able to drive. If I use 100 psi or 110 psi it MAY shoot them into softwood but at the 90 psi or less that the other guns work well with it is only good for 3/4 inch staples - maybe 1 inch, I do not have any of those for it.

What you get for more money in my experience is a gun that will drive all the fasteners it is rated to drive at 90 psi or less, a gun ready to use right out of the box, and a gun that functions a little better than a HF, even for the fasteners that the HF will drive. You ought to get something better for 4 or 5 times as much money, however.

Jim

[Salty]

Thanks all. I looked at the Ridgid and they are still too pricey for me as a 'beginner air tooler'! You see, even an HF el-cheapo would be such a step up from my B&D electric brad nailer. It jams every 3rd nail and will not drive a 1-1/4" nail all the way into cheap plywood.
So....
I picked up the air compressor today and will get a brad nailer soon as I have a chance to get to HF again.
BTW, a question on the compressor...shown below. It says in the manual that it has a 'metal air filter', but it does not say anything about replacing or cleaning it at any point.
Is that something that should be done? Nice unit though. I ran it for about 15 minutes with the drain valve open, per the instructions, and then pumped it up to shutoff. Has been at full pressure for 15 minutes and has not lost any air. Do you guys leave yours sit with air pressure in it when you are not using it?
Also, I went with one that has wheels instead of having to carry the thing everywhere.

[herb fellows]

Over oiling a brad nailer can be a problem , I also have many brands but the price for a better designed nailer, esp. on depth control and QR are worth the money. The DW and PC I have has been good, made in Taiwan .
The 2 Hitachi framers made in Japan are even better built, not the ugly bright green type made in China now.

Over oiling can be a problem? Ok, educate me. I use it rarely (maybe once every couple of weeks to shoot 30-40 nails), all the instructs say to put 6-10 drops in the gun each time you use it(oil free PC compressor).
Should I not be doing that? what time frame/amount would you recommend?

[LCHIEN]

I always heard 2-3 drops of air tool oil, once each usage session, like not more than once per day.