Good air nail gun for crating

[Ignoramus13959]

I would like to know if anyone can recommend a good air gun that would be suitable for crating.

I bought a Harbor Freight 18 gauge air gun.

I had to make four crates this weekend (done with 3 so far). Unfortunately, while it works as advertised, it is not a good gun for crating. The 18 gauge nails are too thin and do not hold things very well. So I had to shoot an insane amount of nails to hold the crates.

I looked at something like this

I am not sure if a finish nailer is the right route to take. Maybe I should use different kinds of nails, as opposed to finish nails? Or staples?

Any ideas? The kind of crating that I do is using 1/2" OSB and 2x3" boards.

thank you

i

[Pete C.]

For crating you may be better off with a narrow crown stapler, Porter Cable makes a nice one. Crating it's like framing with 2x material so a framing nailer isn't very good and a finish nailer isn't appropriate either. Many of the crated items I've dealt with are stapled.

Pete C.

[Ignoramus13959]

Pete, I agree with you. What gauge do you think is apropriate?

How about this one

gauge air stapler by Porter Cable

i

[Trevor Jones]

Don't piss around with little brad nailers for that work. If you want the stuff to stay together, look at the staplers that are used to put sheathing on houses these days.

Coupla shots with one of those, and stuff stays put.

Cheers Trevor Jones

[Gary Brady]

I think a medium crown stapler is what you're after. This tool is used for fastening down roof decking on houses. I saw a Duo-Fast for $249 at Home Depot this morning.

[Ernie Leimkuhler]

My favorite heavy crating gun is a Senco MK III. It shoots 7/16" crown staples up to 2-1/2" long. Great gun.

Here is one on ebay now, Auction # 320069013337

[Jim Behning]

[B A R R Y]

I agree with Pete.

Senco also makes good examples.

[Pete C.]

The NS150A is the one I've used. It's less than half the price as well. The 1/4" narrow crown staples are easy to find, not sure about those

7/16" medium crown ones. The shorter 1 1/2" max length shouldn't be an issue for crating materials.

Pete C.

[Ignoramus21090]

Jim, I think that my 18ga gun can shoot staples too. I will try them today on my last crate (4th out of 4). What gauge is your gun?

i

[lwasserm]

A stapler is definitely the way to go for crating or other uses where appearance is not an issue. For about the same price as the 18 ga brad gun HF has an 18 ga narrow crown stapler the shoots up to 1 5/8" staples. If you need even more holding power, use a 1/2" crown 16 ga stapler and the OSB will break before a staple pulls out.

[RoyJ]

Stapler is the only way to go. I have a Bostich 1" crown unit that I prefer for crates although the 1/2" and 7/16" sheathing staplers will work fine. 1/4" staples are too narrow, they will pull out. I usually do

5 sides witht he stapler, put the t> I would like to know if anyone can recommend a good air gun that would

[Ignoramus21090]

Trevor, thanks for suggesting staples. Since my nailer is also a stapler, I tried 1 1/8" 18 gauge staples, they work much better than little finish brads, and I find this basically acceptable, though not perfect. I think that I will stick to the tool that I have (18 ga nailer/stapler), for now, and will use staples for crating.

Problem solved. Thanks to all for good food for thought and great suggestions.

i

[Ignoramus21090]

Yep, I tried 1 1/8" staples, they work okay. Thanks Pete.

i

[rigger]

Not an expert but when you buy staples perhaps check to see if they're coated, it makes a big difference in holding power. Also the type of cut on the points is a variable on some as well; this controls how the staple behaves as it passes through the wood (I always wondered why you'd use anything besides straight driving staples though).

Also a general note: Some guns need oil lubrication, others can be harmed by lubrication, even if earlier models, by the same manufacturer, were not built that way. Check your literature or check with the manufacturer and you may avoid costly time-consuming repairs.

dennis in nca

[Tom Kendrick]

Answer: Stapler

1. Medium crown PC MS200R (2" max) - sheathing application 16-guage
2. Wide crown Hitachi N5024A (2" max) - roofing application 16 guage
3. Narrow crown PC NS150A (1.5" max) - cabinet backs and trim 18-guage

If you will do much crating, the medium crown is the best. Large home centers will have the staples but not the stapler. I buy these staples in boxes of 10,000.

The narrow crown will probably have more other uses besides crat>Any ideas? The kind of crating that I do is using 1/2" OSB and 2x3" >boards. >

[Hroller]

Dura-Ace sti shifters are a bicycle componant. They are the controls you use to shift gears on a bike.

Mike (TDF junkie) Hroller McKnutt Pornstar, Mad Scientist, Genius for Hire Girls chased and caught!