ail guns....when to use

[SBH]

I am aware of the obvious when using brad nail guns or even finish nail guns for molding, cabinets, furniture and other completed assembly. Is there ever a time to use a finish nailer for a constructed job such as door frames or other projects when using wood/boards less than a 2x4 thickness?

For example, I am installing a door and frame to a room in my basement. I need to attach a header and side supports to fit the frame. To fill in the difference will require 1x6 on each side, which to me, seems a bit thin for a framing nailer. Therefore I'm thinking of using the finish nailer. Basically, is there a general rule perhaps based on the wood used, when to use a finish and frame nailer?

Thanks

[SBH]

Ooops, I don't know what happened to the "N".

[DanG]

An air nailer is just a substitute for an old fashioned hammer and nails. If you were nailing up the 1x's with a hammer, what nail would you use by choice? Old normal choice would have been 8 penny headed nails. Could you have done it with finish nails? probably, but it would not have been the first choice for many carpenters. Your framing nailer can shoot 8's through 16's.

The bigger question is how many nails would you have used when you were hand driving. An air nailer seems to make it awfully easy to shoot a bunch. I do think old hand nailed work held together better. A carpenter just naturally angled the nails toward each other drawing the boards up tight, air nails tend to all go in straight, they don't draw the boards into plane, and they come apart easier. Ring shanks used on pallets are a noted exception. ______________________________ Keep the whole world singing . . . . DanG (remove the sevens) [e-mail]

[SBH]

Interesting how some of us become so accustomed to technological advancement we forget there was a conventional way. How do you work a hammer, anyway? JK.

The same question does apply to the conventional hammer and nail as well. I'm not a carpenter by any means but can and have done many carpentry projects and simply never gave it any thought to the size nail issue.

Thanks for the education.