I have a question about cordless nailers. I’ve been doing more remodel and punch list type work lately so dragging my dirty air hoses through a finished house is not something I want to keep doing. My question is can I do most all trim (casing, base, shoe, etc.) with a 16 gauge paslode? When trimming with pneumatics I use a 15 ga. and an 18 ga. for shooting into the jambs. Do you think I need to buy two cordless guns? $$$ Thanks.
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I have two Paslode trimmers & two Paslode Framer and have never looked back.
I've never owned a compressor. I've framed whole basements and trimmed whole houses with the Paslodes. It depends on if you have a helper with you all the time as to whether you need two or not, but i'd at least have one.
I don't know that you could trim everything with one Paslode 16g nailer.
I have both Paslodes, 16 & 18g and I can do everything I need to with those. I often use air nailers because others on site do so I just plug in and use the pneumatics.
They(Paslodes) are very handy when you just have to go in and nail a few pieces of trim up. I've trimmed entire houses without ever having to plug a compressor in and that's kinda nice too.
Doug
My subs have a couple senco pneumatics but they would rather use my Paslodes. I guess they ( both 15-16 ga ) have fully trimmed out a dozen houses
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I've had the 16 ga nailer for about 8 yewars, and that was great for wood trim, but since moving to So Cal about 5 years ago, much of the trim is MDF. The 16 ga leave too much of a mess for an entance wound, but I recently bought the 18 ga and that works great. It depends on the type of finnish work your nailing.
I saw it done on T.V. that way...
I own a 16ga angled Paslode. Also have all the other size nail guns too. I have used just the paslode to full trim jobs a couple of times. Just be careful on how you place
the nails. If your putting a nail in a smal bead turn the gun perpendicular to the bead so the Head doesn't split it. I say go for it and only tip is to use the rectangular head to your advantage.
Framing guns are garbage to say the least. Trim guns are ok, I would buy two just in case one is down. When there not working life is miserable. I just go home.
My 2 cents, Lou
Whats wrong with the framers? I have two and have driven cases of nails with no problem.
The older black ones were crappola, but the new ones go fine if you keep them cleaned. Most complaints are from not cleaning. But they are not up to the task for steady production work. As a remo guy or minor repairs etc, they are fine.
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Agree, if I were into production I would use coil. I love my old Bostitch coil but have not picked it up lately since getting a couple of the impluse framers.
Whats wrong with the nailers? I have so many problems with them. I clean them religiously, I dont beat them up, I just have problems. Don't get me wrong; When there working they are great. Man when there down its frustating
-Lou
I four years, the only problem i've ever had with them is when I dropped one down a flight of stairs and bent a part.
I rarely clean mine.
Give that a try.
I think we're on the same maintenance schedule...
16ga angled, and framer...cases-o-nails, 0 problems.
I only wish they fired a bit faster.
I've never used an air powered nailer before but I must say I did build a header pretty quick with the Paslode yesterday.
The resident, self elected gurus tell me that gas operated is just as quick, (or at least quick enough) but I'd say I can have 4 headers nailed with air in the time it takes your one... Oh - and for two-thirds the price...
Edited 4/24/2008 7:43 pm ET by Matt
Whats your time worth. I'd rather buy the gas once every couple of months then wrap up a compressor and hose everyday.
As far as the task at hand, you'll beat me on the headers cause I have to stop and reload nails to finish the job.
every couple months?!?!full force framing I can use a gas cartridge in less than a day sometimes.
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I remodel kitchens and bathrooms.
The header I built yesterday was probably the first one in 6 mos.
Admittidly I dont do a ton of framing, but when I do the gun performs well.
I have both Paslodes and pneumatic guns. I use whichever's appropriate for the job.
I have the Paslode Pneumatic stick gin too, so I can use same nails with either.
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A friend of mine has that Paslode air gun. Its seems nice and light.
I've got the Hitachi 15 ga. finish nailer, along with my Paslode gas guns. So I gotta keep all kinds of different nails.
it is just right. Too light and it would recoil.It drives into LVLs just fine
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I ran a couple of Paslode cordless guns for about a decade (my 16 ga. gun was the old original black model). I liked them when my main job was punch list work for a builder.
Now I use 23 ga. micropinners, a narrow crown 18 ga. stapler and a 15 ga gun often, and need air anyway. So I bought a small, light and quiet trim compressor and just got rid of the Paslodes. I have "clean work" poly hoses for the inside work.
What is the QUIET compressor you are using?
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I have the little 1 gallon Dewalt/Emglo trim compressor. Same noise level as the little Senco (69 dB). Weighs 24#'s. Has been handling all the work I throw at it for over a year now.You can still carry on a conversation with it running.
Edited 4/20/2008 9:47 am ET by basswood
Thanks
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Yur welcome.Right now it is cheaper than the Senco on Amazon ($115 and free shipping):http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HZJMFM/ref=pd_cp_hi_1?pf_rd_p=277661601&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0000AQK78&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0NBXQVC3ZFMAX3985JTF
I have a 16 gauge angle paselode and am dissapointed. Even after cleaning I get multiple mis fires,battery keeps falling out and had to hold it in place with a tec screw. Trying to do finness work you have push hard to fire.
I now have a baby Senco with a hundred feet of blue poly hose on one of those orange cord reels,only roll out what I need. 16 gauge is OK for base board and window trim but you should hang doors with 15 gauge nails.
Edited 4/20/2008 9:28 am ET by dedhed6b
Trim-wise I use 16 and 18 ga. I still use my 15ga to install doors and do 5/3 exterior trim.
Paslodes work fine, but for a whole house, I use a compressor and the corded guns.
Just upgraded my 16 ga straight PC to a 16ga angled phenumatic from paslode. I was tired of buying two types of stainless nails (work down the shore) for exterior trim.
PS My Paslode framer gives me some trouble when down to 4-6 nails left in mag, but the 16 and 18's do not hesitate at all.
I have the 16 ga. angle ,the 18 ga. brad nailer and a framer. 5 + years for all 3 with no problems. I do use a hose a Bostitch 15 ga. for most of my work. I use the Paslodes for punch list, tall windows and crown moldings. On the shoe moldings just make sure you stay away from the ends. I glue the corners and nail 2-3 inches back with my 16 ga. If I am doing shoe on laminate flooring I use the 18 gauge to keep from accidentally penetrating the laminate and causing problems. Once you buy one you will want the other. IMO
A little off topic, but you said >> ... dragging my dirty air hoses through a finished house is not something I want to keep doing << Check out flexeel hoses.... I really don't even totally understand it but they have this uncanny ability to clean themselves... I'll roll up one that is totally muddy and throw it in the back of my truck... A few days later when I get it out - presto - it's clean. Must be something to do with how slick the outer "skin" is....
Flexeel hoses are wonderful in so many ways.
Jon Blakemore RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
I just recently purchased the 18, and 16 angled after using the bosses for many years.
The compressor was making less and less sense on all the little remodel, kitchens, baths, insurance work, etc.
I do, however, find myself wearing earplugs more often which i probably should be anyway.
Installing hollow core cheap doors, is probably ok with the 16, careful nail placement, long hinge screw, etc.
There is just something liberating and efficient about not tripping over a hose all day.
"find myself wearing earplugs more often"Gee, yours make noise?My old ears don't really notice it anymore, but I do warn a nearby sub or the lady of the house before touching the trigger sometimes so as not to have stuff dropped and shreiks going off around me.
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I know what you mean.
I was asked to repair a handrail at a bank as a personal favor to a family member that works there.
I used the Paslode 16ga cordless, but warned EVERYONE, inc all the tellers, and the folks behind the desk that it would sound like a gun.
They all nodded yeah......then I fired one nail, and peeked around the corner to see a bunch of startled people looking at me.
Hardly notice it on the job site, but in a quiet bank.........wow.
"Fire in the hole!"
How about the smell? One young helper thinks it smells good, but the company owner/ operator gets a headache instantly.
I'm especially careful about warning families with small kids about the noise.
When I first got one, I shot it in a house with a very young child, without warning the mom.
I only did that once. I do learn from my mistakes.
I usually trim with a 15ga and an 18ga, with a 23ga handy for small stuff.
But I've gotten a lot of use out of my 16ga Paslode. My former co-worker had an 18ga Paslode and a 16ga Paslode; he often wouldn't even break out the 16ga, and I was always stealing the 18ga from him.
Thanks everyone for all the replys. It seems so often I'm climbing 3 flights of stairs to install just a few peices of trim. I'm really considering the paslodes for this type work and using the pneumatics for larger trim installs. Thanks.
Another trick with the Paslodes is that if it's even remotely cold, like below 60°, I keep a gas cartridge in my pocket to warm it up. If one cartridge stops working I'll just switch it out for a warmed one. That and cleaning regularly (I don't clean mine enough) keep them working pretty well. Not as flawlessly as pneumatic, but the tradeoff isn't bad.