| Nail guns are highly useful tools for fastening wood | | | | works and when they should be used. |
| and other materials together quickly and efficiently. | | | | 2. When trying to accurately place a fastener with a |
| They have made hand nailing virtually obsolete for | | | | contact trip nail gun, be as sure of your target and |
| professional builders and now for do it yourselfers as | | | | the backdrop as you would if you were firing a pistol. |
| well. | | | | There is always the possibility of a double shot that |
| The biggest advantage of nail guns is their ability to | | | | will not be contained by the wood. Keep body parts |
| rapidly fire a fastener into the substrate and to do so | | | | out of the possible line of fire. |
| repeatedly. In high speed applications like framing and | | | | 3. When using a pneumatic nail gun, be alert to the |
| roofing nails, the nail guns are usually set to fire a nail | | | | added hazard of the air hose. Compressed air has its |
| anytime the muzzle makes contact with the surface | | | | own hazards, but having an air hose stretched |
| as long as the trigger is pulled. They can fire rapidly | | | | through a construction site adds to the already |
| almost like an automatic weapon. | | | | hazardous environment. Watching roofers with |
| Last week, while doing a minor carpentry project in | | | | pneumatic nail guns always reminds me of the story |
| my barn, I was reminded of just how fast a large | | | | about Mark Twain in the city: He said one day he |
| framing nail gun can deliver three inch framing nails. | | | | saw a fellow on a ledge threatening to jump. A large |
| While nailing in some bridging between floor joists, I | | | | crowd had gathered below but Mark Twain said he |
| was holding the bridging lumber with one hand and | | | | was the only one in the group with the presence of |
| the nail gun the other. As I was building some | | | | mind to throw him a rope and pull him down. The air |
| overhead storage to get some of the clutter off the | | | | hose always looks like someone has already thrown |
| floor, I was standing on some of the soon to be | | | | the roofers a rope. |
| stored clutter. Not exactly stable footing. | | | | 4. When holding a work piece to be nailed, be aware |
| When using a nail gun with a contact trip, like most | | | | that the force of the nail gun will drive through any |
| framing nail guns are set for, you have to have just | | | | obstacle in the wood like knots or other fasteners. |
| the right touch to prevent the gun recoil from | | | | The path through the wood is not always certain |
| causing it to fire a second nail right on top of the | | | | however. Nails have been know to come out the |
| first one. Normally this is easy as you just swing the | | | | side of wood and in some cases even made a U turn |
| gun and let it bounce off the work as the nail fires. | | | | and come back at the gun. Keep you hand at least |
| However, if you are trying to put a nail just where | | | | the length of the fastener you are shooting away |
| you want it, you can also compress the muzzle and | | | | from the muzzle at all times when joining wood. |
| then pull the trigger to fire the nail. This works well | | | | 5. Don't use rusty fasteners. Using old nails in a nail |
| when you develop the right touch to let the gun | | | | gun can not only damage the gun, but they can send |
| recoil off the work piece. Experienced carpenters do | | | | rust and scale out toward the operator. Be sure to |
| it all the time. | | | | use new clean nails for safe operation. |
| However, if you happen to loose your balance just | | | | 6. Wear your safety glasses or face shield. Not only |
| as you pull the trigger, I found it is possible to fire | | | | can the nail gun send errant nails your way, but the |
| not just two but three nails into the same hole. Only | | | | force of the nailing operating can splinter the |
| the first one makes it in - the other two go off in | | | | substrate as well. And if you ignored number six |
| random directions. | | | | above, rust and scale can be ejected as well. So |
| Fortunately this time, I mostly missed my body parts | | | | protect your eyes. It is a lot easier to use a nail gun |
| that were in line with the nail path and got by with | | | | safely when you can wee what you are working |
| just a minor scratch on my thumb. It did swell up | | | | with. |
| nicely and still hurts a bit today. | | | | 7. Maintain the nail gun properly. Regular maintenance |
| So here are some nail gun safety tips to add to the | | | | and lubrication will reduce the possibility of jams and |
| list in the owners manual: | | | | misfires that require potentially dangerous repairs and |
| 1. Understand the difference between sequential trip | | | | unjamming procedures. |
| trigger and contact trip triggers. Be sure you are | | | | 8. Read and follow all the manufactures safety rules |
| using the right one for the right work. The Bostich | | | | and procedures. |
| catalog has a good description of how each trigger | | | | |