Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)What separates this nailer from other similar designs (e.g., Bostitch) is that it uses a ratcheting device that enables you to drive the nails with more than one swing. This feature works well, and is quite innovative. Learning to use a floor nailer takes some practice (and strength) to be able to drive the nail cleanly in one blow, and beginners will benefit greatly from being able to strike several times in order to seat the nail (or "cleat") fully. Those with experience will also benefit when nailing in awkward positions (those double-handed backhand shots) and close to the walls.
There is a drawback to this approach, however, which is that it will take twice as many blows to finish the job. The manual suggests that you should take two blows on every nail, and they discourage using a single, strong blow. But if you keep the nailer well lubricated (a dry spray lubricant like WD40 or, even better, BoeShield T-9), you should be able to drive the nail in one blow after the tool breaks in (and you break in :-). Lubrication is important, since it will help flush out the residue that builds up inside the tool. Bring the hammer up above your head, strike cleanly, and you'll eventually be able to sink the nail in one blow. Good technique is more important than strength, and this nailer will enable you to build good technique without the frustration of half-sunk nails.
A couple of other notes:
First, you CANNOT use the face-nailer shoe as the above post suggests. I looked at the online manuals from the manufacturer, and it looked like it would work, so I ordered the face-nailer shoe. It does not fit - the bolt holes do not line up, and there's no way to modify the piece in order to make them line up. I suspect this is intentional, which is unfortunate because it looks entirely possible and this would be a great feature. For those not familiar with "face-nailing," this is the way that you start and end each room, and it tends to be the most tedious part of any job. For a small project (a couple of roooms), you can get away with face-nailing by hand. Hold the nail (either a cleat or a 8p finish nail) in a pair of pliers to help avoid bending it. If you're doing 800 feet or more, I HIGHLY recommend purchasing a pneumatic nailgun. It will speed up the job drastically, and will take away the tedium of starting the first few rows or finishing the last four. Get a 15-guage finish nailer and drive nails every 5-6 inches (instead of 10 inches for the cleats). It's not cheap, but you'll find many other uses for the pneumatic nailer, such as putting in the shoe molding. It's definitely money well spent.
Even with a nailer, you're bound to still get bent cleats or unseated cleats every now and then. If they're bent, you can break them off by bending them back and forth. If they're too far in to break them off, you can grind them off with a Dremel tool and cutoff disk. If they're not seated all the way, you can countersink them manually. I use a replaceable screwdriver bit that has been ground off square on the opposite end, and hold it in a pair of Vice-Grips. It takes some practice, but works well.
Finally, buy more nails than you think you'll need. The boxes say that 1000 nails will cover 200 feet, but I think that's optimistic. I've done two houses now, and in both cases I used 50% more nails than they suggest. Try to buy the nails locally, since shipping them tends to break up the groups. You can find local dealers on the Porta-Nails web site, and they usually sell them at Lowe's or Home Depot.
To sum up, this is really an indispensable tool, and this model is a good choice. It seems durable enough, and is from an innovative small company (their router table is still one of the best out there). Good luck with your floors.
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Porta-Nails 401P Porta-Nailer Hardwood Floor NailerInstalling a hardwood floor? Speed up the nailing process withthe Porta-Nailer hardwood floor nailer. In addition totongue-and-groove flooring, this mallet-actuated floor nailer can driveand set nails in decorative tongue-and-groove paneling, subflooring,sheathing, and roofing. The unique pawl and ratchet assembly ensuresthat the ram does not return until the nail is properly seated,preventing the user from leaving half-driven or partially set nails.Its durable construction combines the high strength of magnesium withprecision-machined and heat-treated steel parts, making it light,long-wearing, and easy to handle. The Porta-Nailer comes with anextension handle, hammer, and wrenches.
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