[Closed] Nailguns: Paslode or .......

Paslodes do the job but are a pain in the arse if they play up, which they often do, specially if you don't regularly clean them - another pain in the arse job.

Dewalt guns have imo less to go wrong, but they are really heavy to use all day long, which many people find off putting.

By far my favourite is my compressed air gun as there basically isn't anything that can go wrong with it - as long as the compressor is ok obviously. But for obvious reasons it isn't practical to drag around on a site.

I don't have any experience with others such as the Hitachi but I expect reliability issues are no different to Paslode as they work in the same way.

Hmmm, OK the compressed air ones do look good but the compressor isn't ideal.

Are the paslodes that bad?

Ernie Lynch is pretty spot on.
I bought a compressor & brad gun for my house (250LM of skirting & 12 sets of door archi's) even though we have paslodes available from work. Main reason being you have a better choice of brads (i.e smaller gauage) hence neater, plus it can beused for other things afterwards.

Although you will probably get a good price if you plan to re-sell the paslode afterwards.

Compressed air guns are not bad, but yeah, I've avoided using them ever since borrowing a mate's one - lugging the compressor around was a royal pain in the arse and they don't feel as powerful as a Paslode (though I imagine you can crank up the air pressure...not too sure).

As ernie says, the DeWalt is battery operated and is bloody heavy.

I wouldn't risk a second hand Paslode tbh; unless they've been well maintained and kept clean, they're a pain in the arse. I have my own (2nd fix) and while I'd consider myself pretty diligent at looking after my kit, cleaning a Paslode is a bit of a faff. As a result, I don't do it often enough, and it really does need a service now, so I'd imagine anything second hand won't have been cleaned anywhere near enough.

Having used a few others here and there, I don't think anything comes close to a working Paslode. They have always felt to best to me to use. It was an easy decision for me to buy one - it sort of paid for itself in a few weeks compared to hand-nailing, or even using the compressed air gun that I was sharing with a mate. But for DIY? Well, it's a big old purchase for that. I imagine new, by the time you've got the gun, nails (few different sizes, £20-£30 a box) and spare gas, it must be around £400...steeeeeeep.

EDIT: Oh and if you're going to use anything gas powered like a Paslode, wear ear protection.

....and they don't feel as powerful as a Paslode (though I imagine you can crank up the air pressure...not too sure).

Yep, a proper professional compressed air nailgun should be noticeably more powerful than a Paslode gun. My first fix compressed air nailgun can handle 100mm ringshanks, Paslodes can only handle 90mm smoothshanks.

Yep, a proper professional compressed air nailgun should be noticeably more powerful than a Paslode gun.

I'm guessing noticeably more expensive too. 🙂

Not really, half the cost is the compressor, the actual nailgun is surprisingly cheap. And I believe Paslodes have gone up significantly in price recently.

😯

Jeez, you're right. £420 for mine (from quick check on screwfix). So gun plus nails to get started around £500. That's a bit steep for DIYer I reckon. He could always hire a compressor and gun for a few weeks I guess.

I'd better get cleaning mine. I'd hate to have to use a compressor. 🙂

if you're going to get a paslode there are a couple of tips to keeping them working well for longer. don't put your hand over the top of it to push it down, grip the body if you have to use 2 hands. by putting your hand over the top it causes it to suck air in from the bottom which is full of dust kicked up by the last nail being fired.
also, clean the top gauze filter regularly. a can of brake/carb cleaner and it will take you a couple of minutes.
i used to completely strip, clean and reassemble a paslode in about 30 minutes. basic split and clean and reassemble about 5 minutes. i have made previously unusable guns work better than new in 30 mins. if you look after it, theres no reason it shouldn't last.
hitachi ones are basically a green and grey paslode gun. same issues similar functionality.

also, if they hold their value, buy one, use it, sell it on ebay. look after it and you'll get the vast majority of your cash back.

Got a Rapesco nail guin an electric one added an extension cable with a conector and it does the job, cheap brads from Screwfix etx.

Also got an air gun, and its a lot easier to use, and more powerful, can also be used to blow dust away, and pump up bike tyres etc, just get a long air hose and again cheap brads from Screwfix,

Oh and they are eveil things, they will fire through 1 inch mdf no problem so keep fingers and legs from out of the firing line, oh and if ever it jams disconect the power of aior line and repeatedly press the trigger to get any stored energy out, along with any stuck brads.

I'd better get cleaning mine. I'd hate to have to use a compressor.

My compressor came in very useful recently when I had some issues with my Stan's Crows.

Oh and they are eveil things, they will fire through 1 inch mdf no problem so keep fingers and legs from out of the firing line

The biggest problem with second fix brads imo is that they can easily get deflected/bent by a knot, as I discovered once when one went straight through my thumb.

HIRE SHOP

If its just for your house and you'll not be using one again then why not hire a paslode for a while...........

^ +1

I just hired a plasload gun from the local too hire place. Great piece of kit that had me looking around for stuff to nail! If I could afford one (and justify it!), I'd buy one in a shot.

As for maintenance of it - all handled by the tool hire shop.

Air guns are cheap as chips, if you have a compressor (or need to 'justify' one). Mine came from Aldi at £15. Just used it for a load of concrete setting out, happily fires a 50mm brad through stuff.

Paslodes are pricey, but the nails and gas are expensive to, you'll pay out more still for a dewalt but without gas the nails are cheaper (and cheaper still if you can find non-dewalt branded nails to fit - such as ones from tackwise) so onces you've got through a few packs of nails you've made back the price difference. There are a handful of other manufacturers making battery finish nailers now (- Bosch being one that springs to mind I suspect they're the same mechanism in a different styled body - same goes for paslode - the hitachi ones have the previous generation paslode's innards inside) , but dewalt are pretty much the standard and its one of the few tools they make that isn't over priced rubbish. But if you already have or want other cordless tools then look at something you can share batteries with - allowing you to buy a 'bare' nailer will save quite a bit of cash. I think Dewalt make a 'bare' nailer that will take a variety of their batteries.

Of the three options gas, battery or air - your neighbours would love you most for using battery, both the gas and the air make a louder bang and if you leave a cheap compressor running long enough you neighbour can legally stab you.

You can probably buy a compressor and nailer for quite a bit less than either gas or battery though, and nails for air nailers are cheaper too. You should be able to get a 16ga nailer for less than £100, prob more like £80, sometimes you can get one for £50ish. A usable compressor for £100 - £120. If you were lucky you might find the two bundled together, though most of the bundles I've seen in the past are for 18ga. 18ga nailers - air or battery - they seem more prone to jamming and messy mis-fires.

Avoid mains electric nailers - they are all totally shit

If you go with air neither the compressor or nailer will last for ever at those prices - but you're not a jobbing tradesman - you've only got one house and a finite quantity of skirting, you probably won't even finish one box of nails if you replaced every bit if skirting and trim in the house.

Only use Paslode nails in a Paslode nailer. The nailer only fails when copy gas is used along with copy nails,especially in the IM65 or 65A. The copy nails are a slightly different gauge and will fail on a regular basis for that reason. Copy gas uses an extremely cheap propellant and clogs the tool up. Any work carried out without the Paslode fuel packs is not guaranteed as the tools are only tested and passed with Paslode consumables.

Where are you based,are you wanting to buy one or just use it for a one off job?

My hitachi one is spot on! But they are still expensive as all of the above have said!! Personally I'd never nail skirtings on unless on stud walls! Always plug and screw!

Ive been using both for around 15 years and I can tell you for definite that paslodes are great until they act up, which inevitably they will, on the other hand a compressor and nail gun are bullet proof!

A couple of notes though-

1. With a paslode you will need to warm the gas can up in cold weather otherwise it won't fire! (put it in your pocket for 5 mins)
2. Always drain the cylinder on your compressor to release the pressure but also to release any water that builds up (can rust the inside of the tank which could in time weaken it!)
3. Always Always Always WEAR EYE PROTECTION!!!

1. With a paslode you will need to warm the gas can up in cold weather otherwise it won't fire! (put it in your pocket for 5 mins)
2. Always drain the cylinder on your compressor to release the pressure but also to release any water that builds up (can rust the inside of the tank which could in time weaken it!)
3. Always Always Always WEAR EYE PROTECTION!!!

4. Fine tune your nailing technique by nailing custard creams to the wall without breaking them

Philbert - how often have you had your Paslode nailer/s serviced for them to eventually 'act up'? Depending on which model you have you can also get fuel packs that work down to minus fifteen. Agree with the eye protection though 😉