Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Nov 15, 1999 05:09pm | #1

   *
   Not even a guess? Was it in the 50's? Anyone?

1. 
   Guest_ | Nov 16, 1999 10:36am | #2

   *My palm nailer from Danair came with a brochure that said they have been making them since 1967.There is a start to the answer JR.jim at GW

1. 
   Guest_ | Nov 16, 1999 08:11pm | #3

   *The following is from the Duo-Fast web site. There was a post on another woodworking discussion board asking for informtion on a "turn of the century" nail gun, the name of which was given. However, I can't seem to locate this post and I would have to assume that it was not pneumatic or similar to today's nail gun. "During the war years, Fastener Corporation was awardedsubstantial government contracts for Duo-Fast tackers and staples.The major use of these products not only allowed the company togrow, but also created an acceptance of automatic stapling invarious industrial markets. This allowed for continued growth duringthe post war years.""It wasn't until 1947, the company began developing Duo-Fastproducts that more closely resemble today's product line. This wasthe result of an effort to break a production bottleneck in theupholstering trim shops of a major automobile manufacturer. Theirengineers had tried to adapt an air-drive arrangement to varioushand tackers on the market, and found that the Duo-Fast modelwas best adapted to the job. This led to the development ofpneumatic (air-driven) staplers." "In 1957, under the direction of John Torstenson, the companyexperienced tremendous growth. Part of the reason for that growth was the development of the CN-137, the first Duo-Fast roundheaded construction nailer, in 1964. The new markets opened by the nailers brought on a new period of phenomenal growth and developed the company you know today."From: http://www.duofast.com/About/history.html

1. 
   Guest_ | Nov 16, 1999 08:24pm | #4

   *Whoops, can't revise a post once you close your browser...Anyway, Duo-fast doesn't claim to have invented the nail gun, so the actual origin is still open. There is a web site on "Nail Gun Litigation" (by a litigation attorney) which states:"Nail guns first emerged after World War II and are now common in the construction industry."http://www.civilrights.com/nailguns.html

1. 
   Guest_ | Nov 17, 1999 09:00am | #5

   *Thank you, Jim. I didn't think palm nailers went back that far. JRN

2. 
   Guest_ | Nov 17, 1999 09:11am | #6

   *We are getting warm. I thought it was an American invention, though it doesn't really say. Wars seem to bring on technology leaps. Thank you, Casey.....JRN

3. 
   Guest_ | Nov 18, 1999 10:46pm | #7

   *Sent an e-mail inquiry to Senco regarding the invention of the nail gun, this is the reply (references are to the accompanying photograph, which you may not want to spend the time to load as it is just four guys sitting at a table looking at a nailgun):"The person in the center is Al Juilfs, the inventor of the staple gun in 1948. Mr. Juilfs was a Cincinnati area inventor who held patents for automotive suspension designs. Mr. Juilfs was approached by William Tillinghast (left), a fastener salesman, to construct a tool to help automate stapling applications for Ford Motor Co., and Federated Department Stores. George Kennedy (standing right), a schoolteacher, served Mr. Juilfs as a draftsman."These three gentlemen founded the Springtramp Eliminator Company in 1951. Thanks to the high price of sending telegraphs, the name was soon shortened to SENCO."Pneumatic staplers became popular for a wide variety of applications, ensuring steady growth of SENCO. The first nail driving tools were introduced in the mid to late 1960s. "There is some uncertainty as to who actually invented the first "nail gun". Some say it was SENCO, some say it was Paslode, others believe it was a joint effort by both companies."I would say Mr. Juilfs deserves the "inventor" status."RFS"

4. 
   Guest_ | Nov 19, 1999 08:49am | #8

   *I remember when Senco would give you a gun if you bought a certain amount of nails.. My how times change! L. Siders

5. 
   Guest_ | Nov 19, 1999 05:01pm | #9

   *Yes, I remember......so did Duo-Fast and Paslode. Nails were expensive back then and the guns were 100% junk. Those were the days......It must have been the Jap giant Hitachi that refined the guns to what they are today; light, fast, and reliable..... JRN

6. 
   Guest_ | Nov 22, 1999 05:54am | #10

   *god must have created it

7. 
   Guest_ | Nov 22, 1999 04:10pm | #11

   *Thank God.