Brad Nailers

[doncolga]

Hey,

I've never used a brad nailer before, but it seems like it would be a super fast way to fasten panels while the PL cures. When I built the Tubas, the most time consuming part was drilling pilot holes while making sure the panels were straight, pulling that off, applying PL, then putting the panel back and screwing down. I'd really like to try the brad nailer on the Jacks I'll build soon. PL, place and stick seems to be alot faster. Comments on pros and cons of those? If I put in a brad and something is off, are they hard to get out?

Here is a link to a really inexpensive one I found on ebay....please don't swipe it if it looks like a deal

http://cgi.ebay.com/CRAFTSMAN-ELECTRIC- ... 605wt_1141

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

I've tried cordless brad nailers and they suck. Corded may be better. But you can almost always find a compressor/nailer kit for $100 or less, and then you've got the compressor to drive a hopper gun for applying DuraTex.

[DJPhatman]

Using brads is a very acceptable way to attach panels while the PL cures.

3 things:
1) Don't use the electric ones, like the one you linked to, as they just suck. There is no consistency between shots for depth control. Skip it completely and get yourself a decent quality pneumatic one. Home Depot has a sweet deal on a brad nailer, finish nailer and crown stapler with a compressor, for around US$250.

2) Practice, practice, practice! Practice shooting brads at different angles into scraps of the same plywood you will build with. I cannot stress this enough. Practice with no glue, then with glue. Use clamps until after the brads are all in, and shoot the brads in alternating angles.

Like this: \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ /

See how they sort of pinch at each other? This helps keep the joint from slipping while the PL cures. Use enough pressure so the brad sinks below the surface of the plywood, but you can just barely see the end of it in the miniature "crater" left behind.

3) PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!

[Bryson]

I can't imagine doing it without my brad nailer... it's just a craftsman I picked up at the pawn shop.

[tdogg]

Using brads is a very acceptable way to attach panels while the PL cures.

3 things:
1) Don't use the electric ones, like the one you linked to, as they just suck. There is no consistency between shots for depth control. Skip it completely and get yourself a decent quality pneumatic one. Home Depot has a sweet deal on a brad nailer, finish nailer and crown stapler with a compressor, for around US$250.

2) Practice, practice, practice! Practice shooting brads at different angles into scraps of the same plywood you will build with. I cannot stress this enough. Practice with no glue, then with glue. Use clamps until after the brads are all in, and shoot the brads in alternating angles.

Like this: \ / \ / \ / \ / \ / \ /

See how they sort of pinch at each other? This helps keep the joint from slipping while the PL cures. Use enough pressure so the brad sinks below the surface of the plywood, but you can just barely see the end of it in the miniature "crater" left behind.
3) PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!

rule #4: make sure your hand is out of the way just in case you miss your target!


btw, go pnuematic, you will be glad you did!

[Bruce Weldy]

My wife bought me a Porter Cable brad nailer and a Porter Cable bisquit joiner several years ago for father's day.....she had seen me drooling over them while watching Norm........

Gosh, if you can't love a woman like that......

Of course, after all the tools, amps, guitars, and now my new PA......kinda' hard to argue with new floors...coming next week.

Then the pendulum swings back my way.......bwaaaaahaaahaaahaaaahaaaa

[tdogg]

My wife bought me a Porter Cable brad nailer and a Porter Cable bisquit joiner several years ago for father's day.....she had seen me drooling over them while watching Norm........

Gosh, if you can't love a woman like that......

Of course, after all the tools, amps, guitars, and now my new PA......kinda' hard to argue with new floors...coming next week.

Then the pendulum swings back my way.......bwaaaaahaaahaaahaaaahaaaa

new motorcycle?

[Bruce Weldy]

new motorcycle?

Ha! Gave that up years ago....too much traffic here now. Although I do miss it.

[Tom Smit]

If you get a brad nailer, make sure it's a pneumatic one. A co-worker has both electric and cordless. We did a test with both of them shooting 1 1/4 inch brads into BB and on some of them the brads were not sunk in, especially going through 3/4" BB plies. The 3/4" was used because of jigs that will be made. This test confirmed for me the need for air-powered nailers.

[Frederic Gelinas]

As others have said before, get a pneumatic kit. I started with a small one, just to drive my brad nailer. I'm now using a 5 HP belt driven 50 gallon compressor to power a lot of tools.

If I put in a brad and something is off, are they hard to get out?

Harder than unscrewing and more risk to break something for sure. Hitting a scrap piece of 2x3 with a hammer works.

[Bruce Weldy]

As others have said before, get a pneumatic kit. I started with a small one, just to drive my brad nailer. I'm now using a 5 HP belt driven 50 gallon compressor to power a lot of tools.

If I put in a brad and something is off, are they hard to get out?

Harder than unscrewing and more risk to break something for sure. Hitting a scrap piece of 2x3 with a hammer works.

If you can get to the errant nail from the other side - pull it all the way through. If you can't get to it....then you can't see it anyway. Always try to angle away from the "good" side, so any blowouts occur inside the box.

[Frederic Gelinas]

If you can get to the errant nail from the other side - pull it all the way through.

I thought the original concern was more: "what if the nail goes right through the center of the panel, but my panel is not positioned correctly and I need to undo that mistake". That's the only downside of using nails instead of screws: you can remove the screws without breaking anything and even reuse them once the glue is set. With nails, it's more difficult.

[ewetho]

Oh found out the hard way do not get the brads from Ace hardware. They were so soft they bent going in and went just about everywhere. They suck. Went and got I believe Porter Cable brand brads and all is well.

[quaizywabbit]

If you can get to the errant nail from the other side - pull it all the way through.

I thought the original concern was more: "what if the nail goes right through the center of the panel, but my panel is not positioned correctly and I need to undo that mistake". That's the only downside of using nails instead of screws: you can remove the screws without breaking anything and even reuse them once the glue is set. With nails, it's more difficult.

then you bring out the hammer....

[Bruce Weldy]

I thought the original concern was more: "what if the nail goes right through the center of the panel, but my panel is not positioned correctly and I need to undo that mistake".

Well, the comedian Ron White says, "ya' can't fix stupid".......


Measure twice - cut once.

Line up twice - shoot once.

And if you do shoot in in the wrong place, just yank it up, pull the nail through the board and do it again. The PL is still wet and sticky......ok, I'll admit it - I've had to do this too.