Air Framing Nailer Problem

[The Haymaker]

Sounds like a bump fire issue, but get it fixed before the Federalis show up with cuffs for owning a fully automatic weapon. Delete this thread before they see it.

I agree with the bounce issue. Even my finish nailer will do that if not controlled properly.

 

[BrentD]

As for your problem......when you squeeze the trigger do you hold it down? Or do you squeeze and release? If you're squeezing the trigger then quickly releasing it chances are you're inadvertently bumping the trigger when the nailer recoils causing a second or even third shot. Try this....once the safety is in contact with what you want to nail and retracted, hold the gun firmly against the work and pull the trigger quickly and hold it down until you lift the nailer and the safety extends.

I've tried it both ways. If I Just squeeze the trigger and hold I will most likely get a double shot. If I just barely touch the trigger then move my finger away as fast as I can I can sometimes manage a single shot. I think the issue is bounce related, but it feels like something inside the gun is bouncing, because I tried yesterday with my dad putting both hands on top of it while I pulled the trigger and we still got multiple nails every time, even though the gun didn't bounce.

I think I may just ditch this gun and get a newer lighter one from HF. I don't use it enough to really justify spending a large amount of money on one. I've had this gun since 02 or 03 and have used it maybe 4 times.

 

[bstrom]

If you press the nose down hard on the surface you are nailing and hold the gun there hard or push on the back of the gun with one hand it will definitely double fire. It needs to bounce back just a bit. Some of your problem may the gun but some may be your technique. When we nail off plywood we bounce fire and you hold the trigger down constantly and jab the nose along the stud line. It's not a heavy touch but actually just a firm jab. If you are trying to be slower and more accurate when nailing pieces together for instance you press the nose safety down just until the actual nose piece touches the surface then pull the trigger. It's not a hard pushing down with your weight behind it or your other hand on the back of the gun because it will double fire for sure then. Even let the gun recoil off the surface just a bit, not out of control but not a straining push either.

You can swap out the trigger for a single fire trigger on some guns and some newer guns have a switch which is better. Most carpenters want to be able to bounce fire especially when nailing off plywood or shingles with hundreds of nails.

Hope this helps - I use them everyday so this is what works for me.

 

[Chilly807]

I agree with most of the guys here. We tried a new gun from Canadian Tire (our equivalent of HF) building a friend's garage last fall. Same results, in single fire mode we got a lot of doubles. Switched the gun to bump-fire mode, and had near perfect results. It has to be allowed to recoil.

I should define the two modes, for clarity. In single-fire mode, you lightly press the gun in contact with the work, then squeeze the trigger. Bang, it recoils after driving one nail. You have to let it recoil away from the work, if not you'll get a double. In bump-fire mode you hold the trigger down and repeatedly tap the nose against the work to drive successive nails.

I'll bet if you hold the trigger down and tap the gun, nothing happens. Often there's a parts kit in the case which includes a second bump-fire trigger, or the newer guns have a selector switch, apparently. I can't remember changing a trigger on Sammy's gun, so it must have had the selector.

The difference is in your grip usually. When you're aiming a single nail, it's easy to press too hard, almost like you're trying to ensure the nail is fully sunk. That's the problem I had. In bump fire you're already planning the next nail, so more relaxed. Worked for me.

Maybe the better guns (Paslode, Senco, etc) are better in this respect. I've always used the cheapies, so I can't say.

Chilly

 

[BrentD]

I went out and practiced for a while this afternoon firing about 100 nails into a scrap of landscape timber. I think I pretty well have it under control now. Not that I LIKE how I have yo use it, but it will let me finish the project I'm working on.

I think a big part of my problem this time around is that my nails are really rusty. I tried spraying the nails with Amsoil Spray before loading them and the gun works a lot better.

 

[2manyrocks]

If you post a picture, someone may be able to tell what brand you actually have. The paslodes look different than the senco's for example based on the shape of the piston housing.

 

[BrentD]

If you post a picture, someone may be able to tell what brand you actually have. The paslodes look different than the senco's for example based on the shape of the piston housing.

It's a Harbor Freight. I found the Central Pneumatic sticker curled up and faded on the side when I was putting it up this evening.

Oiling the (extremely rusty) nails before loading them and letting the gun recoil off the work after I pull the trigger has solved my problem. I ran probably 400 nails through it tonight and only had one or two double fires when I was in a difficult position. The gun is really darn heavy too. That contributes to my usability issues, but all in all the advice in this thread has really helped. The gun is usable now, and after working with it for several hours today I don't even mind the recoil technique as much anymore.

Thanks everybody. As usual, your collective advice has saved the day.

 

[deepNdirt]

unless you are a every day user of these Nail guns then you will always have difficulty firing just the 1 shot at a time, over the years I have owned many frame nailer's, and so far the Paslode are the most reliable for me, I can shoot this gun effortlessly, although I can hand the same gun over to an unexperienced person to nail with and they will rapid fire it almost every time they have the same problem as you understanding that these guns have "bump fire systems" while holding the trigger down and bump the guns nose into what it is you are nailing is how these guns are productive for us contractors, same as with roofing guns and most any nail guns used in the construction Field, I do understand not everyone needs to nail off a 300 sq ft deck in 20 minutes or a 3 tab shingle in a blink of an eye and that you might only need to shoot a nail or 2 at a time,
for this I would suggest a Paslode Impulse gas charged nailer, they are setup for only firing 1 nail at a time because they run on a single cycle,
when I work someone and see they cannot nail with regular nail gun, I'll give them the Impulse gun to use and get familiar with,..... though really you can shoot 1 nail at a time with any gun if you learn how to handle the gun, think of how you would use a hammer, .... you first start by tapping the nail in the wood, right! then you draw back the hammer with a few wacks,.... well with the nail gun of course you don't have to start that nail and you dont draw back, yo just use a simple bump then pull back each time, actually the gun will have a recoil that will send it back after the shot is fired, firing a nail gun by pressing the head to the wood and pulling the trigger, the tendency of the gun would be to recoil and the pressure of holding the gun to the wood, would in fact cause a rapid fire just as you are doing, There is another important over site,( air Pressure ) I like to use my frame nailer @ 100-120 psi, this gives good drive responce and sets the nail head just as I need it firm into the wood, as for my trim nail guns I set air pressure @ 75-85 psi as to not send the nail too far into the wood just sets the head under the surface enough for puddy, so the long of the short is! you are either going to have to learn to let off the trigger after each shot... or learn to bump the gun into the wood while holding the trigger and let the gun recoil away from the wood, if the safety is correct the gun will not shoot again unless the nose in compressed again :thumbsup:

 

[mapmaker]

I bought a paslode used at a yard sale for $10.00. First time I tried it it spat out 5 nails because I was not holding it hard enough against the board and it kept hopping each time it fired a nail. I called the manufacture to purchase a manual and told the CS rep about my shooting all the nails. after a quick chuckle he told me that they had a replacement trigger that would only allow one nail to fire at at time and that if I would like one he would send it along with the manual at no charge for either. I love that kind of customer service.

 

[spo307]

bounce.. hold the trigger and punch the tip of the gun were you want the nail, if you press the tip and try to fire it once it results in a multi shot. all my bostich do this