Finish Nailer Techniques

Basic Safety

• Put on safety glasses before even connecting any pneumatic nailer to an air hose. Never point the nailer toward any person, including yourself. Always ensure that the safeties are intact and functioning, not wired or blocked back, which can cause accidental firing. Always disconnect from your air hose before attempting to reload or make repairs or adjustments to the nailer.

Fastener Selection

• Most finish nailers, brad nailers and pin nailers work with a single thickness, or "gauge" of fastener. This is typically stamped into the metal or plastic on the nailer's fastener clip. Always use the correct gauge of fastener, even if a smaller gauge will fit, to prevent misfires and jamming. Choose fasteners that are as long as possible. They should penetrate the overlapping surface completely and drive into the underlying surface as far as possible, without breaking through the other side. Allow 1/4 inch difference between material thickness and fastener length.

Air Pressure Settings

• Adjust your compressor to run within the recommended range for your nailer, which is printed in the nailer's instruction manual and is often stamped on the tool itself. Set the compressor to come on when it reaches the bottom of the range and to go off when it reaches the top for optimal performance. The range will be stated in pounds per square inch, 60 to 125 psi for example. Consult the compressor's operation manual for specifics on making the required adjustments to your compressor model.

Nailer Operation

• Always add three drops of tool oil into the inlet when connecting for the first time in a work day, unless your tool is labeled as oil-less. Attach to your air hose and allow the compressor to fully charge. Align the pieces to be nailed and hold or clamp them firmly in place. Align the nail gun, so that the driver barrel's top plate is parallel to the material in the underlying position and centered in its thickness. Press the nailer into the face of the overlapping material to release the safety and pull the trigger to drive a fastener.