Last updated on July 14th, 2020 at 06:53 am
No tool collection is complete without an air framing nailer. It is an exceptional tool that doesn’t let you count on the hammer and give you indeed better results than it. It is engineered to do with so much strength and pressure, which you can’t achieve manually.
An air framing nailer is powered by an air compressor.
It often has a pneumatic and electric motor that shoots the nails with full force. Recent statistics and surveys show that a good air framing nailer can have an operating pressure of 60-115 PSI, which is more than enough to work on industrial-level projects.
How To Use An Air Framing Nailer – Effective Tips
Usually, all of the air framing nailers share some common features, such as incredible force, air cap to protect the air inside, bump/single firing, oil-free maintenance, and etc. However, there are some cautions too which you should keep in mind before using them.
For example, there is a single and dual firing option. It utterly depends on the model of your nailer. You have to opt for them according to your style or need. In some cases, the dual firing option can be controlled with two separated triggers too.
Therefore, it is important to keep and learn all the features before using a Framing Nailer.
Below are a few special tips that will help you to use an air framing nailer like a pro. It doesn’t matter whether you are planning to use it professionally, or for occasional odd jobs.
These below tips will facilitate you and keep you safe all the time.
Safety First
For a novice, using an air framing nailer can be dangerous if he isn’t careful about the safety. The first thing you must remember is always to disconnect the power supply if the nailer isn’t in use.
Many beginners and even professional keep the power supply on and doesn’t disconnect it once they have used the nailer.
This is immensely dangerous and even can be deadly if some kid is around you. Furthermore, in case you feel the machine isn’t working properly, it is better to disconnect it that time as well. Let the expert assess it carefully before using it again.
Apart from this, don’t forget to use the hard hat, while using it or walking around people using one. A hard hat protects you in more ways than you can imagine.
You can survive an accident on some part of your body, but the head is something which can’t survive the force of nail. That’s why most professional use hard hat on the working sites.
Don’t forget to buy protective eyewear too. You don’t want any small flying piece of wood go inside your eye. You can buy both a hard hat and the eyewear online. They are widely available and they are not expensive either.
Types of Trigger
Air framing nailers come with two types of the trigger – bump fire trigger and single fire trigger.
Both of these modes of triggers are important and used in their own specific ways, particularly by the professional carpenters.
In the single fire trigger system, the nail tip is pressed against the wood. This is the only way to activate the fire. This mode is considered the safest as well. You just need to make sure you aren’t pressing the tip of it against a human body. Furthermore, you have to be super alert to activate that mode.
On the other hand, in the bump fire, it is essential to press down the trigger and bump the tip into the wood. This mode is specifically for those who desire faster operation, but it is risky too, as you have to be more controlled and precise.
In our opinion, a beginner should always opt for a single fire trigger system. It is safe and you should always start with this mode if it is your first time with a framing nailer.
Even experts recommend single fire trigger system for beginners. According to them, they should use it until they have a solid hand on the safety and operation.
In reality, they won’t need to count on the bump fire, a single-fire system can be used in all DIY or professional level projects.
Loading The Equipment
It is pertinent to learn how to load the equipment in your machine correctly.
With an air framing nailer, you can’t start firing until the fasteners are loaded. Though each brand has its own specific way of loading, there is often a magazine which you can open and load the equipment inside it. It is either on the bottom or at the back.
In addition, you must load only that equipment which is developed for your machine. Since, when it comes to the framing nailer, there isn’t any general size that fits all. Almost every framing nailer has its own specific size of gauge of nails which can’t be loaded in other models.
Therefore, before buying the nailer, it is indeed better to contact the customer support team of the brand and ask about your machine’s nailing size requirement.
There are some special machines too that can handle different sizes of the nail with some little adjustment. But, again, it is better to confirm that first before opting for it.
Now, if you really own a machine that can handle different sizes of the nail, makes sure you have practiced on it too.
Before working on the actual project, practice your skills and different nail sizes on some spare board in order to comprehend how it works.
Concluding Thoughts
In general, using an air framing nailer is easy if you perceive all its features. Just keep in mind, like all the other machines, an air framing nailer can compel you to deal with jamming issues too.
Once you feel your nailer is jam, stop using it immediately, especially if a nail doesn’t come out right away and correctly.
Before using it again, the best thing you can do is to open the magazine and pull out the nail that jammed.
If the issue persists or if you have to reset every second to reset a jam, it is better to contact an expert to resolve the issue. Don’t keep on using it as it can cause a mishap or damage the condition of your nailer even more.