Round or clipped head framing nailer?

[gidon]

I thinking of bringing a framing nailer back with me from the US - they are at least half price and I'll need one when I finally get around to building my new shed.
In the US round head seem to be as or more popular than clipped - and cheaper. But in the UK the opposite seems to be true - and round headed nails seem to be harder to get hold of.
What do you all reckon - go for a slightly cheaper round headed nailer (I quite like the idea of it firing proper nails !) or go for the more expensive but popular in the UK (read easier to get nails) clipped nailer?
A couple of (round head) choices I'm looking at are:
Porter Cable FR350
Milwaukee 7100
And another question - if I buy a 22 degree nailer can I use 20 degree nails?
Many thanks
Gidon

 

[mailee]

JMHO, I would go for the clipped head version if they are more readily available in this country. As for the 22 degree nails, no I wouldn't have thought they would work in the 20 degree gun. Nail guns can be very finicky in the nails they use IMHO. :wink:

 

[Pete Robinson]

Thought I would reply even though it may not help you in the slightest. I have a FOX 90 series 34 degree framing nailer, in the manual it lists the specifications of the other models in the range, the only variable factor is the nail diameter, mine will take nails from 2.87-3.3mm. All the models have specific degrees these are 17, 21, 25, 28 & 34 which are to be used in the correct nailer and are NOT inter-changable. As you see, there is only a few degrees between the different models so I would imagine you have to use the correct one. Mine takes clipped nails and I tend to use Makita nails which I find plentiful and excellent quality.

I would tend to go with a nailer that you can easily get the nails for, they are fairly expensive in comparison to brads and if you have to pay an arm and a leg for them this will soon out weigh the saving of bringing one back from America, but saying that, I haven't really looked into it.

Hope this is of SOME use!!!

Pete

 

[woodshavings]

Hi Gidon,

I bought a faming nailer from eBay for about £80, including 2500 2 inch nails

I also bought some 2500 3 inch nails for about £30.

So far, its worked fine - I've used it for a rebuild on my workshop.
It uses clipped head nails and the angle is not interhangeable.

At the current ex rate, it's not much cheaper than the PC offer and the construction quality of the PC is probably better. However it was a no hassle purchase and it does the job.

 

[Jake]

Nails for the round head dewalt gun are easily available (from toolstation, as well as the nail gun nail specialists)

 

[Another Dave]

Hi,

Full-head nailers are required in many areas of America to meet the building codes. Hence the Paslode and Hitachi full head gas nailers being popular there too.

As said above the angles are critical and nails must match the gun.

Be aware that some air nailers will may not handle their specified full length nails when they are ring-shank, but they will push in a plain shank no bother - Axminster's old framing nailer was an example. Finishing part set ring-shanks with a hammer is no fun!

Regards,

Dave. (20 nailers in a past life and always short of nails!)

 

[gav]

I recently bought one for my workshop build and other projects and went for the full head following another thread on here. I was going to go for the dewalt d51845 but couldn't find a price I could afford. In the end I bought a reconditioned stanley bostitch N88RH-MC2N from here http://www.dynatools.co.uk/products.asp?cat=67. It has a tip adaptor to allow you to swap over to nails designed for frame hangers.

I too was concerned how esay it was to get the full head 21deg nails.

I phoned this place http://www.davronline.co.uk/product/21st-century-20-degree-full-round-head-framing-nails because they quoted theirs as 20 deg. They advised you could use them in 20-22deg guns.

So I went ahead and ordered the gun and nails which I started to use yesterday. Fired a few 90mm nails so far and they work fine. The frame hangar attachment works well too and have hung 28 frames already with it.

Hope this helps

Gav

 

[JanneKi]

In Finland the cite the nail angle to be 21 degrees... They've all worked fine, I have a Testo 2190S nailer.

There are pros and cons in 21 vs. 34 degree (or full head vs. d-head)

21
+ you need only one nailer and can do framing plus wood paneling (outside) work - the round head nails look natural
- it takes more space, its harder to fit into really tight corners

34
+ fits into smaller space, the nail combs are also shorter
- the d-head nails look unnatural to my eyes, so you might end up buying another nailer for the outside board work.

 

[gidon]

Thanks all for your help and advice - much appreciated. I wanted to be able to get hold of nails easily but I also like the idea of full round head - since looks better if on show.
So went for the Dewalt D51845
20 degree rh nails seem far easier to get hold of - and even though it seems these nails will also work in 22 degree nailers I don't want to take the chance. The DW is also more expensive but the support for it should be good in the UK should anything go wrong. It's less than half the price it is in the UK!
Will let you know how I get on - thanks again. Now I really must get that new shed built !
Cheers
Gidon

 

[RogerS]

So went for the Dewalt D51845
Cheers
Gidon

Shoot...you could have bought mine. D'ya want some nails?

Roger

 

[gidon]

Now you tell me Roger ! Why what's wrong with it?
And yes would love some nails - please PM me with what you have and how much you want for them.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[RogerS]

Gidon - nothing wrong with it - I just find it easier to do things without a hose dragging around behind me.

Will pm you re the nails..postage is going to be the problem I would guess.

 

[lostintheforest]

gidon if you are buying a dewalt nail gun in the US the UK wont fix it if it breaks so you will have to send it back to the US. i think it says something about this on the dewalt web site.

 

[Richardhw]

Hope I'm not breaking rules here but if postage is the issue you may like to check out this.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWA:VRI
:wink:
Passed on from another forum no association

 

[gidon]

Too late - already have it!
Thanks though.
Cheers
Gidon