We just got a new Hitachi positive placement nail gun for joist hanger installs and from day one have had problems with the nose piece jamming. Has anyone else got this gun and seen the same problem? It almost seems as if there is too much play in the plunger on the nose of the gun that depresses. It gets bound up about every 5th nail. The nails appear to be the right size and angle. I haven’t had much luck with the manual so far. Hitachi’s website doesn’t seem to offer much help. It’s frustrating when you pay big bucks for a new tool and immediatly have problems.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
From plumbing failures to environmental near disasters, OHJ staffers dish on our worst and best moments.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
I've used that gun and it was flawless. I'll buy one of my own next time I need to nail a bunch of hangers. If yours is new and causing problems I would just send it back and ask for another. The burden of troubleshooting a new tool shouldn't be on you.
Just finished the deck framing for a customer using the same gun. We had two batches of nails for the hangers: the first were Senco's and jammed constantly, the second were Bostich nails and the gun worked perfectly. A wonderful tool when using the proper nails...
Oops!!!!!I just re-read your post and realized you were talking about the Hitachi nailer and not mine (the Bostich). I would still make sure the nails you used are recommended by the manufacturer-it did make a difference with my gun...
Ditto on Espo's post-are you using the Hitachi nails? Bet it will make a difference.
Dustin
FWIW, I hear good reviews about the one with the short magazine and bad reviews (jamming) about the one with the longer magazine.
Which one do you have?
Sorry I'm so late getting back, been too busy to get online.
I don't know if the one I bought is considered the long or short, I didn't know they made two. I took the gun home, pulled of the plastic nose shroud, and found a spring that wasn't fastened in correctly. That seems to have fixed it so far. If it doesn't hold up, I'm sending it back and asking for a replacement. It must have come like that from manufacturer as it misfired from the first load of nails. They are the correct nails also.
I've loved every hitachi product until we bought that positive placement tool. It sucked wind from day one.
At some point in time, after my tool guy fixed it a few times, I discovered some design flaw. I don't exactly remember but I think some sort of drive pin kept slipping out. There wasn't a replacement part so I think we ended up gluing the thing in or something like that. I vaguely remember the tool guy telling me that it would make the tool impossible to fix, but I simply refused to listen telling him that it would soon be a boat anchor if my "solution" didn't fix it.
My solution worked and the thing started firing faithfully, until it got all gummed up.
I cleaned it up spotlessly and gave it a liberal dose of silicone spray. Again it worked.
Then we discovered that one particular brand of nails were a tiny bit too long. We solved that by switching brands. I think someone else was right: the hitachis don't work right!
Then we discovered a new truth. The nails have a paper binding and if it gets wet it tend to jam things up. So now we don't leave the clips lying around exposed to the weather.
All in all, I don't like tools that need to be babied like that. I'm an abuser, not a pamperer. If it won't take abuse, I start shopping for it's replacement.
The tool sales guy wanted me to buy the Hitachi saw from him. I offered to buy one only if he would be willing to drop it from the second floor onto the concrete garage. If it survived, I'd buy it. He refused. I've dropped my Makita many times, sometimes on concrete. It normally survives. Sometimes it has broken if it is very old.
I'd look for a differnt model of positive placement tools.
blue
Jeez Blue, are you sure you don't frame in Southern California? You would fit right in. Anyway Bish, I have three of those Hitachi positive placement nailers, NR65AK. One with the short magazine. They have been flawless. Have always used the Hitachi nails for them as recommended by my supply house. They will jam frequently with other brands. Hitachi nail guns are real good, but not perfect. Try the nails and/or a new gun before giving up.
Same problem. I hate that gun.
We had the Paslode, but it finally died and the Hitachi seemed like a good deal and was at the local lumberyard. We just bought the new Paslode and love it. It is by far a better gun.
Tim, I'll check out the paslode. I need 2 more guns shortly for some college dorms we're framing now. There are three buildings, each over 50,000 sq.ft, and there are joist hangers all down center corridors along with other misc. spots. I'm hoping I can get by with one gun for ea. bldg. That's also hoping the Hitachi keeps working. I'm suprised how finicky this gun is, as my experience with hitachi in the past has been very good.
Tim, I just started looking on the internet for the paslode gun. What model did you get? It looks like there is a model F250 and a 5250. Is the 5250 a newer model? Where did you buy yours and if I may ask how much did it run? Thanks.
Bish,
I ordered mine online. Here it is http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=4541023&uid=2163851&members=1 I think I look pretty cool in the glasses they sent :-)
Here is the gun http://www.paslode.com/products/tool_catalog/5250-65S_PP.html and I bought it from http://www.nailzone.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=117
I don't have any close up pics of it, but it automatically adjusts for nail size and the magazine is easy to pop off to clear jams and the tip is much more stout than it used to be. The gun feels lighter and seems like it'll last a long long time.
Tim,
ROAR! I was just poking around in that picture trail you linked to and I'm wondering if it's the wrong one? Didn't see the paslode, but I did see you running some "interesting" operations with the forklift! Been there, done that, bought the outriggers. LOL.View Image
I'm guessing everyone knows Bostich makes a framing nailer that also has a positive placement tip (toolless tip change) and shoots tico nails. But I'll say it here, just in case.
Hey Diesel - BoSox gonna trade us Matt Clement for Jeremy Reed or not?
You thinking you might want Matt Clement, huh? He'll make it to the All-Star roster for you and then break your heart after the break. You're welcome to him.
I'm praying that Baltimore has a change of heart and sends us Miggy Tejada in exchange for Clement and Manny. Tejada is such a gamer, man. He'd sure look good with the Green Monster over his shoulder.
FWIW, I've got that Bostitch nailer with the positive placement nose piece and have no complaints with that gun what-so-ever. Had it about a year and a half now and it still hasn't needed servicing. (Now it's going to break tomorrow). We don't use it for framing, just as a dedicated hardware nailer. Does it's job well.View Image
Yeah, we saw plenty of Tejada when he was in Oakland. Talk about "a pressence" in the line-up. He'd put up Hall of Fame numbers in Fenway.
You know, I used to think of Garciapara the same way you talk about Tejada. I used to think of him as the "anti-ARod". Talk about a guy with grit.
Anyways, offer still stands - Reed for Clement straight up. You'll love Reed. Talk about a gamer, man. Wall crasher. Lots of doubles in the gaps. Might even develop some power there in Fenway. I'd hate to see him go, but we need another legitimat arm in the rotation. What about Bronson Arroyo? What's the skinny on him? He's the other name we keep hearing here.
You know, I checked awhile ago to see if those folders were public or not. Found out they were, checked to see if it's too embarrassing and then left them there. There are some funny ones there. I try to put as many pics on that site as I can incase my computer crashes.
Here are some pics from today. We've had nothing but rain for the last few weeks and we've been trying to frame. We got a lot done yesterday and today didn't get so much done. It was raining on us all day and it was one of those days when half the crew's brains are misfiring :-) Here's the thread at JLC with the pics from yesterday http://forums.jlconline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29302&page=2
Today's pics http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/8885471/123600321.jpg That is a 3 1/2 x 18 LVL hip beam. It is sized to so that it doesn't have to be supported. We were planning on supporting it by the stairs, but you never know with homeowners. I cut the steep cuts with the Bigfoot. It really does well with that Bosch motor.
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/8885471/123600318.jpg
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/8885471/123600328.jpg
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL293/2163851/8885471/123600335.jpg