I bought a roofing gun for a workshop i was building…chose the PC b/c of its light weight and lower price. It nearly drove me crazy! Almost every other nail was underdriven or crooked–I spent way more time with my hatchet than I wanted to.
So I took it back to HD and replaced it with the Hitachi NV45AB2, and used it on a little project (using laminateds instead of 3 tabs on first job). Worked much better, although still a few crooked nails.
Is there any way to prevent this? Or to help it? I’m not a terribly experienced roofer, so bear with me here. Thanks.
Jason Pharez Construction
Mobile, Alabama
General Carpentry, Home Repairs, and Remodeling
When quality is your only consideration
Replies
i had the same problem with my pc (my only pc tool i am not satisfied with), but don't do enough roofing (a few small ones a year) to care. i mostly use it on hardibacker 1/4" when i'm tiling floors now. it got better once i got more used to the tool's needs in terms of angle and bump speed (can't bump the hardibacker). she's done maybe 10 roofs and i only miss a quarter of the time as originally, though throws a bender every so often in the hardi. should have gone with the bostitch that i had used for a while and liked (i now realize it was love, i just couldn't recognize it since she was first), but i dug all my other pc tools so i figured why not? learned my lesson. the crooked nails will lessen with experience, but you'll always need to pull the hammer on occasion, so don't expect miracles. only used a hitachi a couple times, but still like the bostitch.
Crooked nails are because you have the gun slightly tipped to the deck. Make sure it's perpendicular. Put yur body a little further down hill from yur nailing line.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming....
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i had a similar problems, with my bostich. the nailer was fine it turned out to be the pressure regulator on the air compressor. every time i set a nail the pressure would be different. it was an easy low cost fix.
I had the same problem with my Max roofer. After using it for a while, it seems it was more user inexperience. Much better now.
Richie