I've only used an airless M18 finish nailer, which unfortunately broke down after just a few months. Since I've read some mixed reviews about them, I'm curious about framing nailers. How do they hold up in general? Are the batteries decent? I mostly have 5.0s. Also, do they come with plastic carrying cases? I haven't found any info online regarding that. Lastly, if anyone knows of any good deals, I'd appreciate the heads-up! I'm leaning towards a 30-degree nailer since that's what my Paslode air nailer uses—does that matter?
4 Answers
I bought a 30° framing nailer about a year ago. I had some issues with it being too heavy and the gas refill needing some disassembly. Heard from a rep on an innovation tour that they’re developing a lighter, user-friendly model, which is a plus! The marketing claims 750 nails per charge and it's pretty accurate—I managed about 600 nails with a 4xc battery. Just a heads up, it can overheat if you push it hard on a 5xc pack. No plastic cases, though; it comes with a big tool bag with the -21 kit.
I got my 21° framing nailer used, and it's performing great! When framing my remodel, it held up really well. Just make sure to oil it regularly during heavy use, or it'll start jamming when the nails run low in the clip. I recommend running it on 6 or 8 amp batteries instead of just the 5 amps, especially for extended projects. I used housing nails (HOs), and they worked well.
I just picked up a 30° framing nailer a couple of weeks back. It's a bit heavy but overall it works like a champ! No significant issues so far.
I’ve had my framing nailer for a couple of years now and it’s been smooth sailing! It’s a backup to my Metabo nailer. I usually use smaller 2.0 and 3.0 batteries for weight savings, and they last long enough that I can charge one while using the other. Just be prepared for it to take up a lot of space in your storage—it's definitely not compact!
I use mine with 2.0s to keep the weight down!