Nailgun and Green Poplar

[skyhightree1]

Has anyone had a issue with using a nailgun in green poplar? Is there a better nail to use in green wood? My gun is turned all the way up for depth and my air pressure turned all the way up it sinks a 3.5 inch almost all the way in its sticking out 1/2 inch. Has anyone ever had that issue ?

 

[Angus Cowman]

Has anyone had a issue with using a nailgun in green poplar? Is there a better nail to use in green wood? My gun is turned all the way up for depth and my air pressure turned all the way up it sinks a 3.5 inch almost all the way in its sticking out 1/2 inch. Has anyone ever had that issue ?

had the same issue on oak when we were building some fence for a guy we just hand drove them the rest of the way

 

[pdfangus]

actually if using oak I would rather have it green as it is tough to drive a nail in dry oak.

green poplar I never had much trouble with. but then I don't own a nail gun either. Just hammers and hatchets.

 

[upfrombottom]

If your nailing siding into framing that has been drying for a week or two you will have a few problems. If I were nailing 1" siding I would change to a 3"-#12 or 2 3/4"-#10 and they will still hold and sink up tight.

 

[1982vett]

Couple things come to mind that could be part of the problem. One is a worn or broken driver. If it is worn it my be slipping over the head of the nail as it nears the end of the stroke. Second the o-rings may need to be replaced. To much air leaking by the cylindar piston. Maybe a third, make sure the airhose doesn't have a restriction at one of the couplers that is acting like a regulator. I had a that happen to a hose that got dirt in it and lodge at one of the connectors.

What diminsion is your poplar? Nailing thru poplar to poplar or what?

 

[skyhightree1]

Couple things come to mind that could be part of the problem. One is a worn or broken driver. If it is worn it my be slipping over the head of the nail as it nears the end of the stroke. Second the o-rings may need to be replaced. To much air leaking by the cylindar piston. Maybe a third, make sure the airhose doesn't have a restriction at one of the couplers that is acting like a regulator. I had a that happen to a hose that got dirt in it and lodge at one of the connectors.

What diminsion is your poplar? Nailing thru poplar to poplar or what?

Hey nah its a brand new hitachi nail gun... turned all the way up for depth.... compressor pressure turned all the way up with new hose and coupler... the boards are 1x8x12 the framing is 2x6 fir that came from local lumber yard,

 

[1982vett]

Is the problem just with the poplar or does it happen with all types of wood?

Also, If you are just nailing thru the 1x into the fir, you probably don't need to use a 3 1/2 inch nail. Surely a 3 inch would do and probably a 2 1/2 would be enough if the 1x poplar is milled to 3/4 inch. If you really need more holding power use ringshank nails if available.

Just thought of something else but I doubt this is the problem since even it it were equiped with one it should drive it up tighter than the 1/2 inch you mention. Anyway, does it have a shoe on it to keep it from setting the nail to deep. But for the Hardi-Plank Sidings you need a shoe to keep it from driving the nail in to far and cracking the siding. Maybe it is equiped with something similar.

 

[upfrombottom]

How big is the tank on your compressor? A framing gun needs a lot of volume. The gauge may say 100psi but if there is not allot of volume it will drop as soon as you pull the trigger. When using my framing guns I have a 5 hp compressor with a ten gallon tank, anything smaller and the compressor cannot keep up with the air gun.

 

[bear]

What is the length and diameter of your air hose? My framing nailers will not work very well with 1/4" hose. The 3/8" hose works surprisingly better, especially when longer hose is used.
Bear

 

[lavacarancher]

Never had a problem nailing into anything with my nailers. I use a Bostich framing nailer, a Bostich finish nailer and two Porter Cable brad nailers.

Poplar ain't all that hard, green or dry. And fir is like balsa wood so you should not have a problem nailing with anything.

Just curious why you're using 16d nails for 3/4" siding? 10d or 12d would work just fine. Fir won't hold a nail, by the way. You need to be using ring shank nails for sure if you're nailing into fir.

 

[skyhightree1]

ok I got all the info on what im using I thought they were 3.5 inch nails there only 3" nails that have a .120 ring shaft nail... I am using them cause i had them left over from framing a lil shed. the compressor did fine nailing regular lumberyard fir with same nails and my compressor is 6 hp and 21 gallon tank and on the nailgun it does have some kind of thing that has rubber piece u press against the wood. oh yea and the compressor hose is 3/8 inch.. I even nailed other scrap 2x4" together and worked fine the 1x material is maybe 1/16th away from being a solid inch.

 

[novatech]

Double check the regulator setting. If not that take the gun back to where you bought it or a repair shop. Even with flush nailer attachment it should flush nail all the way especially in poplar and fir.

 

[1982vett]

Yeah, seems like you've checked everthing that I can think of that could be a problem. Time to take it to someone for hands-on professional advice. Hope you have a good tool shop available that can help.

 

[skyhightree1]

no tool shop but i just bought the nailgun ill take back and get a new one tonight and try it and let yall know how it goes.

 

[skyhightree1]

i got a new gun same thing not all the way in then i got a friend of mine who builds sheds and decks and his nail guns did the exact same thing he said the wood is hard as a ........

 

[1982vett]

Bummer......

 

[Fred Belknap]

I have that same nail gun and haven't had a problem with it. Just built a 24x48 shed and use 175' of 3/8" hose. It was mostly framing lumber and treated pine. I nailed a few dried oak boards to the treated posts, no problem. Maybe you are tuning the depth adjustment knob in the wrong direction. My pressure regulator is set at 90lbs. :?
Fred

 

[skyhightree1]

yea i thought may have been me but it isnt... even my friend thats been framing for 20 years his guns wouldnt shoot through that stuff... also noticed when i got the green poplar i sawed first it goes in alot better i guess since its dryer.

 

[MosesR]

Volume of air is everything. I deal with this in my "real" job all the time in the Collision Repair Industry. Any air tool that requires a high volume of air should have larger couplers along with the larger diameter 3/8 hoses. Check the CFM requirements on the tool versus the CFM capabilities of the equipment (compressor, regulator, drier, plumbing, hose, couplers, etc). Also, remove any quick disconnects that are not needed. If you need a longer hose for an extended time, put them together with no couplers. An example we use is "a twenty five foot ¼ inch hose with a quick disconnect on each end will lose about 30 (usable) psi at the users end". Go to any Automotive Paint Supply store and ask for HVLP (high volume low pressure) couplers and hoses and they will get you what you need. I use them on all my air tools but they are a PITA when you are changes tools a lot. Milton shorts are perfect for most work around the shop or farm.

Regards

 

[alabama]

I built a barn out of green sweet gum one time. By the end of the summer it had drawn up so much that it was only sitting on one piller.