Air Nailers Or Electric nail guns?

[Stevekane]

Hi, we have a fair number of old architrave sets to refit as well as several flights of new stair spindles, and was wondering if this would be perfect for some sort of nailer?
We dont have a compressor so would need to buy both it and a gun if we need a phnumatic one, but then we saw the Titan one being sold by screwfix, its only around £30 and uses up to 30mm pins, gets good reveiws but,,I read one reveiw which said that he bought it to fix stair spindles and it wouldnt work because the nose of the gun has an interlock that requires the gun to be held flat before it will fire, it couldnt cope with the angle the pins needed to fire at.
So my questaion is, how do phnumatic nailers fair in these conditions, any thoughts most welcomed.
Steve.

 

[sams93]

Hi, we have a fair number of old architrave sets to refit as well as several flights of new stair spindles, and was wondering if this would be perfect for some sort of nailer?
We dont have a compressor so would need to buy both it and a gun if we need a phnumatic one, but then we saw the Titan one being sold by screwfix, its only around £30 and uses up to 30mm pins, gets good reveiws but,,I read one reveiw which said that he bought it to fix stair spindles and it wouldnt work because the nose of the gun has an interlock that requires the gun to be held flat before it will fire, it couldnt cope with the angle the pins needed to fire at.
So my questaion is, how do phnumatic nailers fair in these conditions, any thoughts most welcomed.
Steve.

I cannot comment with a huge amount of experience on this topic, however very recently I wanted to purchase a 23 gauge headless pin nailer, but found that it was near impossible to get an electric one (and they were >£300 where I could find one).

I have used the titan 18 gauge brad nailer (screwfix) and whilst it works fine, it has a very short cord, and also does not like to be held at different angles other than straight up or horizontal. There is nothing wrong with it, and I have used it for attaching skirting etc without issue.

The situation with trying to buy a headless pin nailer resulted in me purchasing a cheap small compressor (this one), and then one of the axminster headless pinners. I have been really pleased with it, firstly it doesn't care what angle it is being held at, it just works all the time. It fires much more rapidly and feels overall more solid. I will in due course get rid of my titan screwfix 18 gauge nailer and replace it with an 18 gauge equivalent axi air nailer for the same nails.

The overall cost of a compressor AND the air nailer came to £130, versus the cheapest electric model was £350!


I will get use out of the air compressor and the nailer for years to come, which significantly influenced my decision (as obviously I could just have used a hammer and some pins...) so if you are likely to use air for multiple future projects then maybe worthwile, otherwise it would be a waste of space.


I should also say that whilst I chose to buy a new one as I had very specific size requirements, I would usually look for used stuff, and you can pick up used compressors on facebook marketplace for <£50 (i.e this) and nailers for <£30 (i.e this), both of which you could likely sell for the same price when you finish using them for the job, therefore costing nothing overall!

EDIT - I must add to this, that if I did not have any desire to at any point own a 23 gauge headless pinner, I would go for a cordless battery powered model rather than air (probably dewalt because I have their batteries for some other tools already, but I know the ryobi stuff is cheaper so if I wasn't partial to dewalt I would probably get one of them)

 

[eribaMotters]

In 2018 I was in a similar position. I was fitting our bungalow and needed to fix skirting boards, architraves etc and needed a 2nd fix nail gun. I considered a Paslode gas powered model, but soon realised these were best suited to 1st fix.
I bought a DeWalt 12v with 2 x 2 amp batteries. I believe the standard is now 18v. The 2 amp batteries are definitely up to the job and I could fit out a room with charge left on the first battery. The nails would fix through to studwork and sometimes into brick. Where they did not I left the bent heads protruding until the next day when the no-nails behind the skirting had set and then pulled then out or snapped them off.
Fixing in this way is such a giant leap forward over my first house jobs 40 years ago when you had to screw and plug skirts.

Colin

 

[ps.harris80]

Not got a huge amount of experience but have used both and only low end tools as well but did find the Air nailers performed better, in both speed of use and in setting the nails and they are lighter as well.

I only have electric ones now but do miss my air guns.

Yes you need a compressor but I would say just from the user experience that's the way to go if you can.

 

[Stevekane]

Many thanks to you all for the prompt replies and really usfull info and it seems that an 18g Brad nailer would probably do the trick, additionally my son rang to say he has been given a parkside compressor thats had little or no use and been in a shed for a few years, hopefully it will be a runner, not sure if there are any airlines with it and Im hopeing its a fairly small model! which then aims me towards the Air Nailers. The battery cordless ones are great bits of kit but expensive and I suspect I will be passing it all on when this job is finished, so I cannot justify the expense.
So my first job is to check the compressor is working and then look for a nail gun,,
Steve

 

[baldkev]

Hi steve,
I ( trade ) have had quite a few guns of all types.
Paslode ( gas ) are great, but you must maintain them and initial cost for a small job isnt worth it.

I have the 18v dewalt 1st and 2nd fix. 2nd fix is the better of the 2, but both have needed repairs within warranty. The 2nd fix is generally good, can fire at angles no issues. About 260 quid bare.

I have a few pneumatic ( 1st fix x 1 , 16g x 2 , 18g x 2 )
Generally I prefer the reliability of pneumatic and theres a good thump. The only draw back being the airline trailing around and needing to drag a compressor to site etc..... but for the odd job, go pneumatic.

I would though, recommend getting a paslode or makita pneumatic etc because the quality difference is obvious when you handle them. You may well start looking for jobs for it!

A compressor should be plugged into a mains socket, not an extension, so get enough hose to reach your projects, whatever you think that may be.

Edit to add: my paslode pneumatic fires happily at an angle.
You can 'dovetail' fixings in skirtings etc, to make it less likely to pull out., so aim 1 fixing up a bit, 1 down a bit etc

 

[TRITON]

Forget the wannabe's. Maestri veneer pinner.(also do brads,staples etc. Different models), but totally professional piece of kit.


Ive an old Tacwise 191EL which has seen better days, but if and when i replace it it will be a Maestri.
they arent cheap though, come in at(model dependent) between £160-£250

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

I purchased a couple of Freeman pin/brad nailers (18g and 23g) a few years ago. These were on the recommendation of another. I did a little research at the time, and the results were good. Since then they have worked flawlessly.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Freeman-G2...29&sprefix=freeman+18g+nailer,aps,398&sr=8-26
I later purchased a Grex 23g (because they are meant to be the best). Frankly, I cannot see the difference.
Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Fergie 307]

I have a cheap elecric gun from screwfix which has proved very good, but had exactly the problem you refer to with the interlock. On mine it proved very simple to disable it by just tying the rod that operated it in the closed position, and removing the foot that operates it.

 

[Ollie78]

I always have this debate with myself and have yet to buy any nailgun because of indecision (and skintness). I use an air one in the workshop but have a big compressor so no good for portable use.
I recently borrowed a Senco Fusion 15 guage to try it out and it was really nice, much better than a paslode, no stinky fumes or buying gas. The guy I borrowed it from loves it and says it has never jammed.
It feels like an air powered one to use, just instant nailing it then winds up before you are ready for the next shot.
It's on my list.

Ollie

 

[wurglesnash357]

I bought the Titan one from Screwfix to fix D-line trunking. It's perfectly fine on flat surfaces, but the head is so bulky that I couldn't get it into the quarter-round trunkng without a struggle, and even then I couldn't get it straight. The upshot was that the staples didn't really penetrate the surface but mostly 'snaked' over the top.

Removing the plastic moulding cap from it helped, but it still seems more bulky than necessary.

Les

 

[Stevekane]

Well I cannot thank you all enough for the really usfull info. The Passlodes and cordless ones are great bits of kit but I feel overkill for the small job Im doing, and of course there is the free compressor which is at present an unknown but overall it does seem to me that I might get a good useable gun at a modest price if I can go with Air. Its a shame about the limitations of the electric ones,,somthing I dont quite understand why,,how is it that one running off an 18v cordless drill battery can work great whilst one plugged into the mains is not so good?
Once again, many thanks to you all,
Steve.

 

[Ollie78]

Well I cannot thank you all enough for the really usfull info. The Passlodes and cordless ones are great bits of kit but I feel overkill for the small job Im doing, and of course there is the free compressor which is at present an unknown but overall it does seem to me that I might get a good useable gun at a modest price if I can go with Air. Its a shame about the limitations of the electric ones,,somthing I dont quite understand why,,how is it that one running off an 18v cordless drill battery can work great whilst one plugged into the mains is not so good?
Once again, many thanks to you all,
Steve.

It's a different mechanism. The Senco fusion, Hikoki, Milwaukee, Ryobi air strike etc. have a little air or nitrogen tank on them, for each shot this is compressed by pulling the piston back, then they shoot like an air powered gun and the piston gets pulled back again.
The mains powered ones are just like a staple gun using a spring.

For the air powered ones I have an 18g draper that was very cheap, it works great.
The only thing I feel is missing is a control on the gun for depth control. I have to use the air line pressure to adjust this which is annoying. I wonder if more expensive models have this control ?

Ollie

 

[sams93]

Cheap enough air nailers are available at tool station and for what you’re trying to do I’d be keen to go down that route. At the end of the day if you get it from toolstation/Screwfix and it turns out to be rubbish they will always take things back.

https://www.toolstation.com/draper-air-nailer/p35168

 

[James555]

Are you on any battery platforms already? I mean do you have any cordless tools already?

 

[baldkev]

For the air powered ones I have an 18g draper that was very cheap, it works great.
The only thing I feel is missing is a control on the gun for depth control. I have to use the air line pressure to adjust this which is annoying. I wonder if more expensive models have this control ?

Ollie

My pneumatic paslode 16g has a wheel on the front near the trigger, you wind it in or out to adjust the depth of the nose , which in effect puts the firing pin closer or further from the workpiece.
Similar on the dewalt

 

[Noel]

Many thanks to you all for the prompt replies and really usfull info and it seems that an 18g Brad nailer would probably do the trick, additionally my son rang to say he has been given a parkside compressor thats had little or no use and been in a shed for a few years, hopefully it will be a runner, not sure if there are any airlines with it and Im hopeing its a fairly small model! which then aims me towards the Air Nailers. The battery cordless ones are great bits of kit but expensive and I suspect I will be passing it all on when this job is finished, so I cannot justify the expense.
So my first job is to check the compressor is working and then look for a nail gun,,
Steve

Hi Steve, assuming compressor works you’ll need hoses/air lines but don’t waste your money on the curly wurly plastic ones. They will crease, break, leak and get caught on everything. Go for the straight hose type ( and quick fit connectors).

 

[Stevekane]

Hi everyone, intresting explanation of the way the battery nailers work, its a wonder one of the electric nailer makers dont copy that design. Everything I have is Makita and they do a cordless bare unit but its still hundreds,,and untill now Ive never had the need for a nailer,,so I dont think I can justify the cost for this job. However if the compresser works then one of the cheap nailers to go with it would probably well enough for me, and I would definitely go for a regular airline rather than the curley ones which seem to knot themselves up.
Steve.

 

[Doug71]

If you are on Makita platform it's worth taking a look at the Ryobi Airstrike 18g nailer and a Badaptor so it takes your Makita batteries, it's what I use and know a few others on here do. I have been pleasantly surprised at how well it's performed so far.
You can't beat cordless, you will find yourself using it loads more than if you need to get the compressor out every time.

A bit more info on it here

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/18g-18v-nailer.131664/#post-1496120

 

[Simon89]

I have a silver line pneumatic nailer and it does the job, probs a very similar machine to the draper previously mentioned.
You can also manually retract the pin if holding it at an angle to trick it into firing!