Why are 16 gauge pneumatic finish nailers only offered in straight guns vs angled guns ?

My GUESS would be related to typical application of 16 gauge finish nails versus their heavier 15 gauge cousins. Is that correct ?

It may be that the "heads" on the 15 gauge are wider which wouldn't allow for efficient non angled stacking. Just checked some 15 gauge, and the heads are nested.

16 ga are smaller than 15. I see Paslode makes an angled 16 ga battery/fuel gun, and Milwaukee makes an angled 16 ga battery gun, but no air driven models that I can find with angled configuration. Strange. Maybe the power tools companies are moving away from pneumatic tools, not making sense to make both pneumatic and battery angled guns for this smaller nail. I dunno. I've had good luck with my Rigid 18 ga pneumatic brad nailer, and they make a 15 ga model, but their 16 ga model is a straight nailer, along with all the other manufacturers. I think I'll call some of those manufacturers and just ask them. It's probably a common question they've answered before. I'm sure professional trim carpenters also know the reason. If you go to Paslode's website, and look at the pictures of their angled 16 ga battery/fuel model, you will see the advantage of that angled model for better positioning for more complex, larger trim and casing jobs. I don't know about that trade, but the pictures of it being used at more angles makes its advantage obvious.

As an aside, I read the entire Paslode operating manual for their battery/fuel models, it looks like the battery compresses the air into a metered amount of fuel from the fuel cell, and ignites the mixture inside a small combustion engine of sorts, to drive the nail. And the battery also runs the fan to cool the engine. But that system comes with lots of restrictions regarding environmental temps and elevations, and looks too complex to run with all of its gotchas and extra complications. Like running and maintaining an older BMW. Makes you wonder if this is considered a good way to go for professional trim carpenters. Maybe that technology is considered obsolete these days, I dunno.

I have a Paslode 16ga angled nailer. I have zero problems with its functionality. I do construction as a second job.. Much faster than the Dewalt cordless version. Too much ramp up time to fire. Not sure how it compares with the Milwaukee.

I am not sure why they don't make an angled 16ga pneumatic especially when they have a 15 ga pneumatic nailer. Wouldn't need much redesign.
But you still can get into a corner with a 16ga pneumatic nailer although you may need to adjust the depth setting.

I like my Hitachi 15 gauge angled nailer. The one draw back is that it seems to only like Hitachi nails. I do like the blow gun feature to clean dust and other debris out of the way.

Everyone in the building trades has gone to battery-operated. Just so much easier and quicker than lugging a compressor and hoses. If you are in a shop building cabinets or something then sure. I think the demand has moved away from them.

The only 18v Dewalt tool I still use is my angle finishing nailer. Everything else Dewalt I've moved to 20v. I don't use the nail gun often but when I do it just works every time.

A lot of guys are still using air guns.

Depends on the job.

Small quick jobs battery guns are used.

All day long stuff I am still seeing air guns.

Weigh less, nail faster, and no changing of batteries.

SIDE QUEST
I know Paslode uses butane bottles to drive the nail. Do the other cordless use butane or is it some other tech?

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
SIDE QUEST
I know Paslode uses butane bottles to drive the nail. Do the other cordless use butane or is it some other tech?

My 20V MAX battery DeWalt 1/4" crown stapler uses an electric motor to compress a small charge of air for each operation, it is the compressed air that actuates the piston that drives the staple. Works at least as well as my Porter-Cable pneumatic 1/4" crown stapler without the annoying hose. It is, however, bulkier and heavier than a pneumatic tool. I am pretty sure that there are pellet guns or Airsoft guns that use a similar mechanism.

For finish work, I would think a non-angled nailer would be somewhat easier to precisely control the angle. My narrow crown stapler and my pin brad nailer are both non-angled. They are for cabinet making.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
SIDE QUEST
I know Paslode uses butane bottles to drive the nail. Do the other cordless use butane or is it some other tech?

Generally the other battery nailers use either a flywheel to drive the nail (dewalt) or use a captured gas cylinder that the electric motor compresses the piston on (hitachi/metabo did this first, but Milwaukee also uses. Generally use nitrogen or air in the contained system. Eventually need to be recharged, often by the factory but the metabo you can do it yourself if you buy the adapter)

I know that Paslode used to make a 16ga angled nailer that ran on air. It's been 25 years since I've used one. Don't know if Paslode even makes air tools anymore.

quote:

Originally posted by hairy2dawg:
I know that Paslode used to make a 16ga angled nailer that ran on air. It's been 25 years since I've used one. Don't know if Paslode even makes air tools anymore.

They make air tools and they are light. Probably the lightest on the market. I have some and never had any problems.