Framing Nailers

[Andrew May]

I have several jobs coming up that will need a fair amount of stud partitioning and I am thinking this might be an excuse to get myself a framing nailer.

Does anyone have any experience of these and any recommendations? I don't want a pneumatic type and the Paslode seems to be the defacto standard but is one that requires a gas cartridge any good for occasional DIY use? Do the gas cartridges have a limited life which would mean that I would come to use it and find that I needed a new cartridge even though the old one still had plenty of gas in it. In which case is one of the newer battery only devices (Dewalt, Hitachi (HiKOKI) the way to go?

[Alan]

Virtually no one in the trade uses wood for studding now, it is all steel framing. Generally much quicker to put up, and the price isnt much diffrent too, with the bonus of no warped wood. You still need a but of wood around door frames for extras rigidity/support. Save yourself on the nailer and go steel. TP below, they are not the cheapest:

[alan_m]

I was considering early this year using

which seem to have metal studding products 50% cheaper than TP for the job I need to do, albeit with a minimum order quantity of £75+

Youtube has videos on method of construction using these type of products.

[John Rumm]

No experience with the gas nailers. I do have a few pneumatic nailers - which for workshop use are fine, but more of a faff for site use. Hence I would probably go for a 18V cordless nailer if I were buying now.

[tabbypurr]

Yeah, get one that uses paslode compatible consumables or you could dislike the cost & availability of supplies for it.

Gas life is limited, to what time I don't know. Electric have a run cost upside but cost a lot more, not worthwhile unless you're using it regularly. They're also heavier & drive less nails per charge.

NT

[Andrew May]

If I go down the gas route then it would likely be Paslode for the nail gun. Might be more expensive but seems to keep their value quite well if I sell it on when I have finished with it.

Its the gas life that concerns me. I don't want to spend on a gas cartridge and then have to replace it after a year even though it has had little use. Especially if the next job is only a hundred nails or so. But specs seem very coy about how long they last. This is unlikely to be a problem if you are using it every day, but for occsional use...

[Andrew May]

Not sure I would build the garden room with steel and the house down the road was built with timber so probably need something for timber anyway.

[Vir Campestris]

The guy who built the place I am sitting in now obviously isn't virtual... it's all timber above the floor level.

He used a gas nailer FWIW. Don't recall the make.

Andy

[The Natural Philosopher]

Total bollocks

[Alan]

Really? You work on sites doing refurbs and new builds every day? I havent seen any 'traditional' wood framed studding for 2 years + now.

[The Natural Philosopher]

saw three houses buil with all wood frames last year

[Andy Burns]

I think we're only talking about steel studs for the internal partition walls, not the structure.

[The Natural Philosopher]

those were all wood too.