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Member |
I need to replace the railing on my house front porch. It's simple 2x4 and 2x2 ballusters. I will need to fasten all the ballusters to the 2x4s. I don't want to use screws or nails driven manually using a hammer, I don't have the skill. But I can do everyting else pretty well, and could manage a decent job if I had a nail gun. But I don't know what size and type of nails to use, and the type and size of gun to use for these nails. No-one at the Home Depots or Lowes has enough experience to answer those questions. Any advice appreciated. I'm open to electric, battery, or air powered, though if I could use the Milwaukee 18 Fuel battery system that would be ideal since I'm committed to that system. Lover of the US Constitution Wile E. Coyote School of DIY Disaster | ||
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| And say my glory was I had such friends.  |
Not a bit of help, but don’t use the one my urologist used to take samples of my prostate to determine if I had cancer. Good luck. "I don't shoot well, but I shoot often." - Pres. T. Roosevelt | |||
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| Member |
Hmmm. I didn't know about that. I'll keep that in mind, whatever that is exactly. Lover of the US Constitution Wile E. Coyote School of DIY Disaster | |||
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| I Am The Walrus |
I think this is what will serve you well: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Mi...ly-2743-20/206862849j Not cheap at $300 but you already know the quality of Milwaukee tools. I have the 18 gauge version. I also use the 1/4" impact quite often from anything to 6" wood screws to tapcons in block, it just plain works very well. _____________ | |||
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semi-reformed sailor |
2x4s can be nailed in with 16penny nails, you can rent a gun that uses those size or 14s. You can get a used gun at a pawn shop fairly easy. I wouldn’t buy one for framing a small project, but you could also ask around and see if someone has one you can borrow. (Face book neighborhood group) And I’d use galvanized nails if they are outdoors, or like when I lived in Hatteras, with all the salt air, everything was done with stainless nails- but that’s expensive as hell. I have a finish nailer that will shoot half inch to two inch nails that uses little propane bottles ( Paslode brand) and I know it will last a long time on one bottle so if you can borrow a gas powered framer nailer that would be the ticket. "Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor.” Robert A. Heinlein “You may beat me, but you will never win.” sigmonkey-2020 “A single round of buckshot to the torso almost always results in an immediate change of behavior.” Chris Baker | |||
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Member |
The Hitachi (now Matabo) NR83 is the gold standard for framing nailers. Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus | |||
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Drill Here, Drill Now |
From yesterday's small air compressor thread: Kit containing a Porter Cable 6 gallon pancake compressor, 2 size nail guns, 1 stapler, and hose for less money than 1 Milwaukee cordless Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer. | |||
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| Son of a son of a Sailor  |
Framing nailer is what you need, in my limited experience. I have a full set of various pneumatic nail guns, and the framer is the only one big enough for the task you describe. A small pancake compressor will do the trick. -------------------------------------------- Floridian by birth, Seminole by the grace of God | |||
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| 186,000 miles per second. It's the law. |
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Nullus Anxietas |
TBH, for a one-off job I would be disinclined to invest in a nailer. In fact, for a job like this I'd use screws, and I already own pin, brad, finishing and framing nailers. Specificallly: I'd use these: Pan-Head Polymer-Coated Star-Drive Deck Screw They'll drive similarly to a structural screw, requiring no pre-drilling, but, unlike structural screws you can sink the heads flush with the top surface in materials like SPF. That being said: A framing nailer is what you want, if you're set on using nails, or are just plain looking for an excuse to buy a new  "America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe "If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher | |||
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Quit staring at my wife's Butt |
I would use 10d galvanized finish nails, I'm assuming it's made from cedar ? learn to drive a nail it's not that hard you can get it close and finish it off with a nail set. did my 1500 sq foot deck this way they never come up and dont rust. | |||
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| Member |
I'd use stainless steel 316 self tapping flat head screws.....you can get them in square drive and run them in with a cordless drill or impact and get them flush...... | |||
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| As Extraordinary as Everyone Else  |
Boy there’s a whole lot of misinformation here.... First, unless you in a coastal environment you don’t need stainless fastners. You want to use galvanized nails, preferably ring shank nails. Finish nails don’t have the holding capacity and won’t pass code. If you don’t already have a compressor and associated hoses etc. I can professionally recommend getting a Paslode gun as it will be lighter and more maneuverable to use. After 15 minutes you’ll thank me. In virtually all manufacturing plants that use nail guns you’ll find Paslode equipment for a reason...they’re dependable. In a railing situation (not structural framing) 12 gauge nails will work fine. I would recommend 2 to 3 nails at each end. Here is the nail gun: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Paslo...ing-Nailer/999995972 and here are the nails: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Paslo...tic-Nails/1001221982 Edit to add that I didn’t see any M18 framing nailers but if you can find one go for it. Just use the right nails. ------------------ Eddie Our Founding Fathers were men who understood that the right thing is not necessarily the written thing. -kkina | |||
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| Member |
Last Oct, I got a Bostitch 20V framing nailer kit for ~$250 at menards. I was finishing out my pole-barn shop & needed something to nail the girts without 4 hands available. It has exceeded my needs, but I would go air or paslode if I was doing it every day. If I didn't see a need beyond the railing project, I'd use screws. Milwaukee has 18V framing nailer, but it's expensive for 1 use | |||
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member |
Vlad the Impaler. When in doubt, mumble | |||
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I'm Fine |
Love my Paslode framing nailer. Bought it when trying to hammer over my head onto a ceiling (try it sometime - seemed nearly impossible to me at the time). It's one of my favorite tools of all time. That and my bandsaw. ------------------ SBrooks | |||
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quarter MOA visionary |
 That was great but it deserves an embed. | |||
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| half-genius, half-wit |
My cousin Sam is the guy to advise you on nailguns. He's the one who put a nail clear through his nail a while back. It didn't hurt on account by the time the pain got up his arm he was unconscious, having reared back in the split-second OMG moment and rendered himself unconscious hitting the roof truss. Falling through the hole in the ceiling, he broke his collar bone on the way down. Next thing he recalls was opening his eyes in the ambulance wondering what the hell was going on. | |||
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| Nullus Anxietas |
That sounds hilarious, tac, though I'm sure your cousin didn't think so at the time. You read these stories and wonder "How can somebody do that?" But I've read enough of such stories, as I have mishaps with other power tools, to I hope inure in me a measure of respect for the damage you can do yourself with one of them with only the briefest moment of inattention. "America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe "If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher | |||
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| Member |
While it's true you don't need stainless if you're not coastal. Screws hold better than ring shank nails and don't ever back out with the expansion and contraction of the wood due to temperature swings and humidity and stainless won't bleed rust and if you're buying them by the 100 pack, stainless self tapping screws aren't that expensive and easy to run them in with either a cordless impact or drill, hence no need to buy a nail gun most people rarely use or a air compressor (which is handy for other things like airing up tires). | |||
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