The world of framing nailers has really expanded in recent years and these excellent tools are no longer restricted to professionals. There are a host of options out there that can make the decision pretty tricky. Whether you’re interested in a framing nailer for personal projects or you work as a carpenter this post will tell you everything you need to know about purchasing a framing nailer, as well as reviewing some excellent products out there.
What is a framing nailer?
If you’re keen on working with wood then you will no doubt have experienced the tiresome nature of hammering in nails manually. The repetitive nature of this is not only tiring it can also potentially lead to an accident. A framing nail gun is designed to speed up the process of nail work as well as making it a lot more accurate. With a framing nailer, you can connect large pieces of material at fast speed and ensure a quality lasting finish. This is a great tool to have if you are required to hammer in nails regularly as it will save you time, energy and provide better results.
What can a framing nailer be used for?
A framing nailer is usually used for more heavy-duty projects and is not the nail gun you need if you’re looking for anything that requires a neat finish (this is where a brad nailer comes in). Framing nailers use larger nails and are the best type of nail gun for any structural work such as building a deck for your garden or even a frame for your home. A framing nailer can also be used for building fences, carpentry work and, as the name suggests, framing.
How to choose a framing nailer: Buying guide 2020
Once you’ve decided that a framing nailer is the right tool for the job the next stage is to consider which type of framing nailer you need as there are a few options to consider. Fortunately, our buying guide has these options covered below.
#1 Pneumatic or cordless?
One of the main decisions when it comes to selecting a framing nailer is how it is powered. The two main times are pneumatic framing nail guns and cordless framing nail guns. A pneumatic framing nailer is powered by an air compressor, this is a device which converts power into energy which is stored in pressurized air. A pneumatic nailer is the most powerful type of nail gun around usually comes in a little cheaper than a cordless framing nailer. However, bear in mind that you will be needing to purchase an additional air compressor to go with it.
A cordless framing nailer is battery powered and also has an internal compressor to help release the nails. Usually, a cordless framing nail gun works by pre-charging the battery and then can function pretty much all day without running out. You can even purchase additional batteries to be sure that your nail gun lasts as long as you need if you’re going to be away from a power source. The benefit of using a porter cable framing nailer is that, as the name suggests, you are free of cords! It gives you more flexibility and freedom with where you work and doesn’t require a cumbersome air compressor attached. The downside is they can be a little pricier than a pneumatic nailer.
#2 Stick-style or coil-style?
This is more of a personal choice than anything else but something we’re sure you’ll be glad that you’ve considered beforehand. Stick-style and coil-style refer to the type of magazine used in the framing nailer (the part of the device which holds the nails). A stick-style magazine can hold both round and clipped head nails whereas a coil-style magazine can solely hold the round head nail type. The plus side of having a coil-style magazine, however, is that it can hold more nails so if you’re going to be working on a project that requires a lot of nails this could be the choice for you.
#3 Angle size
Another important consideration when purchasing a nail gun is the size of the angle. The framing nail angle is the degree with which the nailer can fire the nail into your chosen material. To put it simply, the larger the degree of the angle the easier it will be to access corners and other hard to reach places. However, the nails do get a little more expensive for framing nailers with greater angles.
If you’re only going to be using your framing nailer for easy to reach places, and it will be largely kept in an upright position, then a 21 degree angled nail gun will suffice. Whereas, if you will frequently be needing your framing nailer to access small and tight spaces then you should look for a framing nailer that has at least a 28 degree angle.
Best Framing Nailer: Reviews for 2020 [Updated]
When it comes to purchasing a framing nailer, it can be hard to know where to start due to the vast amount of choice! From Harbor Freight framing nailers to Rigid framing nailers, Senco framing nailers and beyond – there is a lot to choose from. Here we take a look at our top picks for framing nailers in 2020 to make choosing the right nailer for you a whole lot easier.
#1 Best Cordless Framing Nailer: Paslode Framing Nailer 905600
If you’re looking for a cordless framing nailer but don’t want to forgo the power of a pneumatic then take a look at this excellent product from Paslode. This delivers excellent power to drive those nails in without the need for an external air compressor. Plus, this framing nailer is incredibly lightweight weighing just 7.2 pounds making it a breeze to use for long periods should you need to.
The power of this thing means that it requires a gas cartridge as well as an external battery which will need to be replaced after around 1200 shots of the nail gun. On the plus side, the battery charge lasts for a whopping 9000 shoots thanks to the 7V Lithium-Ion Battery. This is a superb framing nailer that would be a great choice just so long as you can pay the price tag.
#Framing_nailer #Paslode #Cordless #Powerful #Fuel_cell #Lightweight #Quality
#2 Best Pneumatic Framing Nailer: Hitachi Framing Nailer NR90AES1
It might be that a pneumatic framing nailer has tickled your fancy, if this is the case, check out this fantastic model from Hitachi Power Tools (which has now renamed to Metabo HPT). While you will need an external air compressor to kick this pneumatic nailer into action, once you do there will be no stopping you. This framing nailer comes with two firing modes sequential and bump fire so that you can choose what feels right and the most productive option for you. The head guard design also means this power tool is super easy to disassemble when maintenance is required.
With so many great features it is easy to see why this Hitachi framing nailer is a popular choice. It has a degree angle of 21 and a nail capacity of 64 which is pretty high as far as nailers go. Plus, despite it being a pneumatic nail gun it is lightweight weighing just 7.5 pounds and is also compact rather than bulky. A great choice for beginners and experienced nailers alike!
#Hitachi #Framing Nailer #Pneumatic_nail_gun #Air_compressor #Poweful #Tools #Woodwork
#3 Best 30 Degree Framing Nailer: Bostitch Framing Nailer 20V
Not only does this cordless framing nailer save you time and money as there is no need for an additional air compressor, it also has the benefit of having two different speed settings so that you can tailor it to your requirements. Plus, it is super easy to change between these settings and you don’t need a special tool to make the adjustment. With enough power to drive 3 ½ inch fasteners this framing nailer should be able to cope with the majority of your woodwork needs.
It works through a rechargeable battery that sits at the base of the nail gun. After a full charge, this battery can shoot up to 1,200 nails before needing recharging which should be more than enough for a day’s work. One of the main downsides of this framing nailer is it’s magazine capacity, as Bostitch are attempting to keep this nail gun nice and compact it only has room for a single stick of nails so you will need to be reloading it frequently.
#Bostitch #Cordless #Portable_nailer #Adjustable #Hobby #Wood #Nails
#4 Best DeWalt Framing Nailer: DeWalt 20V Framing Nailer
This DeWalt cordless framing nailer is their latest take on a portable framing nailer. It has a 21 degree angle so is suitable for nailing jobs that are straightforward and in easy to reach places (rather than corners or other tricky areas). The tool-free depth adjustment makes it very easy to alter the nailer to ensure that your nail placement is as precise as possible making this a good choice if you’re going to be altering the depth frequently for your projects.
Unlike many nail guns, the magazine on this nailer is made out of strong aluminum rather than plastic which adds to its appeal. It is also easy to operate the magazine to reload your nails (it has a capacity of 49 nails). This nail gun is a little heavier than the previous ones reviewed, weighing 8.2 pounds. However, with the benefit of being completely cordless, it still has a lot of usability appeal.
#DeWalt #Framing_nailer #Power_tools #Bump_fire #Sequential_fire #Poweful #Aluminum
#5 Best Sequential Framing Nailer: Senco 2K0103N Frame Pro 702XP FRH
When using a framing nail gun for the first time it is important to recognize the importance of well-thought-out safety features. This is why it might be a good idea to go for a nail gun that has only a sequential firing method. This means that the trigger can only be used when the nose gun is fully depressed against a surface which means that nails can’t accidentally be fired into the air. Plus, the thumbwheel depth-of-drive is an excellent design feature as it means that you can easily adjust the depth as you work on various woodwork projects.
This is a comfortable framing nailer to use which is designed for professionals and hobbyists alike. It also has some thoughtful additional touches such as a smooth magazine load to make reloading a breeze and a fixed firing valve which helps to improve the speed of the firing and the life of the nail gun. It has a 20 degree angle making it a good every day framing nailer for work such as framing, decking, flooring, and other woodwork projects.
#Senco #Framing_nailer #Flooring #Woodwork #Decking #Sequential #Safe #Nailer
Conclusion
Whether you’re doing up your house and fancy tackling some of the work yourself, you’re a professional carpenter or fancy giving woodwork a go then a framing nailer can be invaluable. With so many options available it can be hard to discern which type of framing nailer to go for. Make sure you consider how the nailer is powered, as a pneumatic nailer requires an additional air compressor and can be a little more cumbersome to handle. A cordless nailer will give you greater flexibility but a little less power.
Other things to consider when purchasing a framing nailer are the type of magazine it has and the angle size. The degree of the angle of the framing nailer will determine whether or not it can reach hard to reach places. Above all, you need to make sure that the framing nailer suits what you need to use it for and is comfortable for you to use. With one of these power tools in your life, you will save time and ensure that all of your woodwork projects are completed with precision and are built to last.