Saw the new Max 400 psi system for the first time in the flesh at the local contractor appreciation night tonight. Way too expensive at $2900 for the compressor, hose and stick nailer. But so petite! At first I thought the hose was an extension cord. Beside a Bostitch stick nailer, the Max one looked like a 15 ga. Nice features but only production framers would see a justifiable benefits from the smaller size and lower weight.
There was also a concrete nailer there – different gun also running at 400 psi. Certainly fired nails into concrete OK, but one has to wonder who will buy this? Maybe steel stud guys looking for cost savings on shots for Hilti gun? Even then, they are giving up cordless freedom by putting away their Hilti shooter.
I’ve used a Max conventional coil nailer for a while and thought it was OK, but not worth the 50% higher price. Seems like the new 400 psi tools fall into the same category. Beautifully made and truly innovative design, but is the big buy-in price worth it? Not to me – yet. Sometimes things come down in price a lot once the marketplace accepts them.
Replies
What exactly would someone use a 400 PSI system for? My el'cheapo compressor can counter-sink 3.25" nails into 3x1.875" LVLs so I got to wonder what some of you are doing out there.
I guess it would make it easier for someone to win the Darwin Award for nailing yourself to death. Hah
it comes down to low pressure/large tool or high pressure/small tool. the force applied to the ram on a nail gun is equal to the air pressure in the gun multiplied by the surface area of the piston. if you wanted to apply 400lbs of force to a nail and your gun is running on 100psi the piston needs to have a surface area of 4 sqin. Conversely, a 400psi system would only need 1sqin. for piston surface area to apply the same force.
in other words, you can effectively reduce the size of the tool by 75% in this situation. the million dollar question is, can the small tool withstand the same abuses as a larger one??
I understand the physics involved, but didn't really think to apply it in the sense of tool-size. I thought all FH members were He-Man, Builders of the Universe. I say this while I toted around a 55-pound camera tripod in college (hobby). I suppose I would be scared more on the smaller tool dramatically coming apart.
I wonder how stiff a 400 psi hose is? . I wonder what its like when you disconnect it under pressure?.
Tim Uhler (I probably just butchered the spelling of that name) did a review when they were first released in JLC, I know it was in the last year.
Sly,
We tested that gun, compressor and hose for JLC about 2 years ago. That is hands down the finest system. Oh man that compressor is light and quite and every time I think about it I drool.
I saw a Hitachi hi-pressure system at the International Builders Show in Vegas 2 years ago and it had a belt hook. Oh what a sweet system.
By the way, if you use a coil framing nailer, go with the Hitachi NV83A2. It's just a nicer gun than the Max. We have both.
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/6440753/117152019.jpg
I should add to this post now that I read the others.
A guy over at JLC bought the setup for 2k I think about a month ago. The hose is very light and not stiff at all. We've had Flexeel in the past and I would put it just a little heavier than that. It's a great hose. Can't repair it though. We shot through the first hose (on accident) and got a replacement from Max, then the last week we had it, someone shot through that one too. We shoot through hoses maybe once or twice a year and then to do it to that system.. . . . . .duct tape doesn't work :-)
The whole point of the high psi is that you can lower the weight. Is it too light at 5lbs? not at all. We've tested nearly every coil and stick nailer on the market of different weights and the Max high pressure was the most powerful with almost no recoil. It is the only gun to consistently shoot through lvl. We ran it at 275psi by the way.
Here are a bunch or pics. By the way, the compressor doesn't trip the temp power. Makita has a high system in Japan.
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/7154567/121848103.jpg
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/7154567/121848098.jpg
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/7154567/121848089.jpg
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/7154567/121848077.jpg
Jasen http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/7154567/121848084.jpg
Edited 12/14/2005 8:49 pm ET by Timuhler