Flooring Nailer

[ElDorado]

Being as you all seem to have answers to all of lives challenges and I do not know where else to ask here goes:

I am thinking of adding a pneumatic floor nailer to my tool crib. I found one on amazon that looks like a Bostich MIIIFS by a company called Akuzuki. So here is my question, is it chinese junk that I should run from or does Bostich out source to this company?

Any info on flooring nailers is appreciated

 

[hawkeye08]

I have not used it yet, but recently bought a Porter Cable FN200 flooring nailer. It uses L cleats instead of staples or straight nails, supposed to have holding power of staples but allow the expansion/contraction of the hardwood floor. Local power tool store was within a few dollars of online, gave me 10% off on 10,000 nails. I have several of the Porter Cable nailers and like them.

 

[inveresk]

I have a Chinese copy of the Bostich. It hasn't been used particularly hard - I've hardwood floored our main house (2200 sq ft), our guest cottage (1600 sq ft), and my office (650 sq ft) which the nailer has handled without problem or incident.

 

[ElDorado]

Hey guys thanks for the responses. Since posting I found a reconditioned one at cpobostitch.com for about the same price as the chinese take off. I have bought reconditioned before and have yet to be burned so I'll probably go that route. That is unless someone posts a compelling reason to buy another brand or not go reconditioned. I knew you guys had the answer.

Thanks again.

 

[MarkV]

I would go with the Bostitch if for no other reason than availability of repair parts. Flooring nailer/staplers tend to need rebuilding more often than other pneumatic tools.

MarkV

 

[forester2]

Used Harbor Freights $120 nailer for 900 sqft of hickory- flawless. Saw similiar experiences on net before purchaing. Did NOT use their nails on advice of other users.

 

[clemsonfor]

Forester2 your name is not by chance Jon is it?

 

[clemsonfor]

Do yall reccomend using cleats or staples , im fixing to put in 3/4 redoak in my house in a room im redoing. Part of the subfloor is 1x wood gum/poplar and the other is plywood subfloor. I have staples and think im going to use them. I bought my HF nailer on sale for about $80.

 

[ElDorado]

clemsonfor - what I was reading on the web says that staples do not allow for as much expansion and contraction of the wood as nails/cleats do. This maybe a lot of bunk, I do not know ( no experience yet therefore the question ). It seems to make sense to me.

I know from removing flooring that was nailed/cleated that they hold very well and once removed de-nailing was impossible. The whole batch wound up in the burn pile.

Any pros out there that have any comments??

 

[/pine]

just curious...unless you are a flooring or gen. contractor why would you not just rent a nailer for an installation?

And if you are a contractor why not buy a name brand commercial gun ?

 

[ElDorado]

I have a tool fetish............ What can I say. When I was a boy one of Grandfathers used to say that if you need a tool today (and can afford it) buy it, you never know when you'll need it again. That said I find this very true.

 

[/pine]

did you check on e-bay?...bettter prices on name brand nailers...also with their protection policies there is no risk like there once were...

 

[Marveltone]

I went with the non-pneumatic approach for my oak floor. I've seen many professional installers use this, as there is no need to haul compressors and hoses all over the place. This makes it easier to carry around and set up. Plus, it's just about as fast and the hammering action seems to tighten the boards together more.
Factory Reconditioned Bostitch U-MFN200 Manual Flooring Cleat Nailer Kit

Just my :2cents:

Joe

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

just curious...unless you are a flooring or gen. contractor why would you not just rent a nailer for an installation?

I bought a Porter Cable Nailer and so far it has worked perfectly, although with limited use. I bought because I have 4 rooms to do, over a period of time. Owning allows the ability not to rush on any given day whereas with rentals you are really working in 1/2 or 1 day increments. After a few rentals, you've basically paid for the tool but don't own it.

 

[CurlyDave]

After a few rentals, you've basically paid for the tool but don't own it.


This is the absolute truth. I have rented too many times, only to need the same tool again and again. At the end, I have used a poorly maintained rental tool and paid more money than buying a good tool up front would have cost.

No more rentals for me.

 

[/pine]

This is the absolute truth. I have rented too many times, only to need the same tool again and again.

I do agree to a certain extent...And...I do understand in the case of an extended project but how many "average DIY'ers" would not be better off buying a tool that they could use more frequently once the initial project was completed?...how many times is the average (non-contractor) person going to be putting down hardwood flooring?...to me a flooring nailer is far from being at the top of my list...even though as a mostly retired contractor I do encounter more HW flooring work than the average homeowner does...
...There are a lot of tools that I have rented that I would like to own if I could justify the cost versus the number of times I would use said tools after the original purpose...
...In an (abstract) respect..an active DIY tractor enthusiast that may own several tractors over a period of years and fabricate and or repair their own (customized or fabricated) attachments etc...would be better off buying a hose crimper (and bulk rate fittings) and making up their own hydraulic hoses as opposed to (over the years) spending much more on shop bought hoses than a crimper would cost? but how many do this?

 

[keegs]

I put down all the finished floors in this house and I'll be doing the same on the new place in Maine. I didn't go for anything fancy though. I bought a manual job.....at the HD....and no one asked for my ID....:laughing:

 

[forester2]

No, not Jon. I was referring to HF's flooring nailer. Recommendations I got from most everyone was to use cleats. The combo of hitting with a hammer and pneumatic drive did a great job of drawing the boards together. Sale price equaled weekend rental rates I was quoted. Sold on C.List when I was done for $120.

 

[tsteahr]

I do agree to a certain extent...And...I do understand in the case of an extended project but how many "average DIY'ers" would not be better off buying a tool that they could use more frequently once the initial project was completed?...how many times is the average (non-contractor) person going to be putting down hardwood flooring?...to me a flooring nailer is far from being at the top of my list...even though as a mostly retired contractor I do encounter more HW flooring work than the average homeowner does...

As a contractor I'm sure you know it takes time to do a quality job, even more so for a DIY average homeowner who does not have the speed of a skilled craftsman. For example, I needed to put down about 800sqft of flooring through hallways, into closets, around corners, butted up to stairs and thresholds. It was a typical homeowner DIY remodel. In other words, work that takes time as many boards have to be custom cut to fit. The cost of renting a nailer for the several days it takes to get through that typical job exceeded the cost of buying a knockoff pnumatic nailer.

Speaking as a average DIY homeowner, renting fairly low priced tools just does not make sense. The rental costs are to high, at least in my area. I have found renting is only finacially viable for high cost equipment. Stuff that has initial costs in the thousands, not hundreds.

 

[bdeboer]

Here is another brand,

Porta-Nailer hardwood floor installation DIY woodworking tools.

I have this brand, it was what the local rental place was using 10 years ago.