1st Compressor & Nailer Issues

[Oscar43634]

So I pulled the trigger and bought my 1st compressor and nailer after reading lots of posts on here (Hyundai 24l and a Silverline 18g 50mm) but having issues with the nails not sinking in deep enough.

I used PTFE tape on the quick connector before screwing into the gun. I’ve set the regulator as high as it goes but the nails just aren’t going deeper than being slightly proud or if I put a lot of pressure on the gun it marks the wood. I can hear air leaking from around the trigger of the gun when I press it slightly but not sure if that’s a fault or just how they operate?
The compressor seems to max out at just above 90PSI. The hose I have is the cheapish one that came with the Hyundai kit, since all the kit is new and I’m new to air tools I’m a bit stumped at diagnosing or knowing if something is faulty.

Any help would be much appreciated thanks.

 

[fezman]

I've just bought exactly the same combination this week - without the accessory kit. I'm waiting for a hose and some connectors to be delivered tomorrow, so will report back when i get chance

 

[peter-harrison]

It doesn't have a depth setting, does it? Mine isn't the same make but has a wheel you spin to make the nails go in deeper or shallower

 

[Oscar43634]

Unfortunately no depth adjustment on the gun.

 

[hog&bodge]

can you increase the psi up a little...?

 

[Oscar43634]

I've set the regulator to the maximum but still get inconsistent results. Seems odd.

 

[hog&bodge]

Is that mdf you have fired the nails in. have you tried pine.

 

[artie]

On my parkside brad nailer, I've discovered that, if I use it by first pressing it against the wood and pulling the trigger, it works very well but if I get in a hurry and try holding the trigger and bumping along it leaves them a little proud.

 

[Oscar43634]

Is that mdf you have fired the nails in. have you tried pine.

Yes 12mm mdf I could try some pine tomorrow but was hoping to use it on mdf.

 

[mikej460]

I have a Makita 2nd fix nailer and I need to turn up my pressure on my compressor if nails end up proud. I've had to do this on ply so I suspect mdf is the same. Saying that I have a 90l 14cfm Wolf Dakota so a bit more umph than your Hyundai.

 

[gog64]

50mm is right on the edge of what that nailer can do and 90psi is only around 6 bar. Most DIY compressors will go higher than that (about 8 bar), so I suspect that might be your problem. Have you put a couple of drops of oil in the air inlet of the tool? Obviously before you connect the air line! The piston might be a bit dry, losing power? Other than that, the tool might wear in a bit with use, but realistically you probably just need a more powerful compressor.

 

[Sachakins]

My silverline gun has an adjustment just above and behind the gun head.
It it has an adjustment wheel on it, almost like a depth stop.
Never had a problem with it. Always used tacwise 18 gauge,
A drop of oil into gun helps also.
If it has a rubber boot on the nose try removing it.
Also ensure you fully press gun onto workpiece, and hold it firmly, if the gun is lifting, even a tiny bit, then brads will be proud. You must keep firm downwards pressure on the head, these guns are not like the high powered first fix nailer.

Note your compressor should go to 8 bar, not 6 (90psi)

 

[Oscar43634]

Thanks for all the tips will try some of these out tomorrow.
I should have added the nails I tried were only 25mm, so it does seem that the compressor isn't quite getting to maximum 8 bar as it should.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

So I pulled the trigger and bought my 1st compressor and nailer after reading lots of posts on here (Hyundai 24l and a Silverline 18g 50mm) but having issues with the nails not sinking in deep enough.

I used PTFE tape on the quick connector before screwing into the gun. I’ve set the regulator as high as it goes but the nails just aren’t going deeper than being slightly proud or if I put a lot of pressure on the gun it marks the wood. I can hear air leaking from around the trigger of the gun when I press it slightly but not sure if that’s a fault or just how they operate?
The compressor seems to max out at just above 90PSI. The hose I have is the cheapish one that came with the Hyundai kit, since all the kit is new and I’m new to air tools I’m a bit stumped at diagnosing or knowing if something is faulty.

Any help would be much appreciated thanks.

The nails look to be 16 gage or less not 18 gage
90psi is probably borderline however the specs say it’s capable of 145 psi.

Though my compressor is rather bigger than yours and I think it cuts in at about 90psi, I’ll do a test run the pressure down to 90 and check with my guns. I’ll post the results when I’ve got it to that.

EDIT
somewhere between 60 and 70 is the lower limit.
I don’t have 25mm nails so have used 30mm 18 gage and 38mm 16 gage
I set the limit on my filter to 60psi 70psi and 90psi
As you can see 60psi did not set the nails but both 70psi and 90 psi had no problem.
here are all 12

here are the actual 18 gage nails

here are the 16 gage nails

So in my opinion either the compressor is not producing the 90psi claimed but actually 60psi or your gun is a P*O*S and either needs replacement or you need to pay out for a better one.

A really good compressor can operate a poor gun, a not so good compressor will work with good gun.
But match a less good compressor with a carp gun and you get your results.

FWIW my compressor is excellent & big enough for spray painting but the nail guns are probably average to low end ones. None of them have a safety interlock on the heads & only the 16gage has a mechanical trigger lock protection

 

[bansobaby]

The cut-off switch on the compressor will be adjustable. Take the placcy cover off and there will be a kind of spring and screw affair that you can fiddle with, it might be marked as to which way to twiddle it, otherwise trial and error. It should be fine to take it up to around 10 bar, and then you can use the regulator itself to set the working pressure and control the nail depths. Obviously do the adjustment with it isolated from the power supply….

 

[sometimewoodworker]

The cut-off switch on the compressor will be adjustable. Take the placcy cover off and there will be a kind of spring and screw affair that you can fiddle with, it might be marked as to which way to twiddle it, otherwise trial and error. It should be fine to take it up to around 10 bar, and then you can use the regulator itself to set the working pressure and control the nail depths. Obviously do the adjustment with it isolated from the power supply….

Before fiddling with the tank pressure, do check to see if you really are getting the pressure that is listed on the gage.

I also would not be running the tank at 10bar even though it claims to be able to achieve that as 90psi is easily able to set the nails and that is 6.2bar & 80psi 5.5bar will also do nicely.

To add to the above the higher pressure is not needed for light usage tools like nail guns, it’s useful if you have high volume usage tools as a reservoir but I drop the pressure way down at the output often to 20~30 psi for spraying and 80 for staples and nails. If you use too high a pressure you will be going through wear parts quickly.

 

[Woodchip Wilbur]

... and here is me, getting very satisfactory results from my Ryobi battery-powered beast!

 

[stuart little]

... and here is me, getting very satisfactory results from my Ryobi battery-powered beast!

Same here, but from my Titan 230v gun.

 

[fezman]

@Oscar43634 My couplers arrived this morning and I've been having a play. My first impression was that mine was fine, punching every nail (15mm ones to start and then 30mm ones after) about 1-2mm below the wood surface.
I did find that occasionally I didn't pull the trigger quickly and that let some air leak out, and got similar results to you. Also when i had the trigger pulled and used it in "Bump" mode, I also got a few proud nails. I think the ones left proud were more to "technique" than an issue with the nailer. To get a good result every time, I pressed the tip firmly (but not too much to mark the soft pine) and pulled the trigger quickly - worked like a charm. Here are my results. 15mm then 30mm

For those with the 18v nailers, how are they for inflating tyres, blowing down your lathe / bench / bandsaw, spraying finishes? ;-) Don't bite guys I'm only joshing. The main reason I eventually pulled the trigger on this approach was that I wanted more than just a nailer.

Ian

 

[hog&bodge]

On my nail guns I have cracked the rubber tips one just got lost.
Anyone know who supplies them or is it keep using the gaffer tape...lol