Nail+Guns

Nail Guns are the most common form of timber joining systems in use today. There are 3 main types: 1. The pneumatic nailer 2. The combustion nailer 3. The electromagnetic nailer.

Typical pnuematic nailer: To find out how these guns operate followin this link to the **Howstuffworks** website http://home.howstuffworks.com/nail-gun.htm

The most important points are; 1. Types of nailers by size
 * 1) //**Always**// wear eye and hearing protecting
 * 2) **Never** point the nailer at anybody
 * 3) **Never** disable the safety mechanism
 * 4) **Follow** manufactures maintenance instructions.
 * 5) **Make sure** the nails are the correct type for the nailer and the work to be done.

Bradders/Pinners/Staplers -

These nail guns are used for attaching glazing beads, light mouldings, panelling, trims, picture frames, cane furniture, fixing out, shopfitting, furniture manufacture, cabinet making, door and window trims and upholstery. (light building, craft, hobby work)

Strip Nailers (Framing gun)-

These nail guns are used for framing, roofing, trusses, joists, flooring, decking, steel framing and temporary nailing to green concrete. (general all-round building work).

‘T’ and Finish Nailers (Fix-out gun)-

These nail guns are used for door and window frames, smooth-edge strips for carpets, timber to light gauge steel, flooring, window manufacture and box making.

Corrugated Nailers -

These nail guns are used for butt-jointing timber, truss fixing, door-frame manufacture and furniture assembly. (simple joint connection work)

Coil Nailers -

These nail guns are used for trip-L-grip fixing, ply bracing, fencing, joist hangers, cladding, steel flooring, internal steel framing, sub-flooring, treated pine lattice, crate/pallet/box manufacture and fencing. (repetitive strong work)

Advantages: • No waste material around head of nail after nailing; • Cleaner, better looking jobs. • Ideal for visually exposed work such as decking; • Ensures positive delivery of the nail every time.

STRIP NAILS

Generally limited to larger nails such as those used for construction framing. The lower load volumes of the strip nailers generally result in a lower weight tool, roviding ease of use on building sites. Advantages: • This system enables round headed nails to be collated for Duo-Fast strip nailers; • Useful for applications where round headed nails are required.

=NAIL COATINGS= A standard polymer or glue coating is applied to the nail shank. This coating performs two functions: • Reduces driving force to enable fasteners to be driven, using less energy, or be driven deeper. • Greatly increases resistance to withdrawal, in some cases by as much as 50%. Plated finishes are provided where the nails will be exposed to the elements, acids or reaction with other materials, which will lead to corrosion of the nails. • Simplest and cheapest method to reduce corrosion; • Identified by a bright silver finish on heads and points; • Coating thickness is 2 to 3 microns of zinc; • Used on most brads and staples. • Extremely common and economic method of providing moderate corrosion resistance; • Identified by a lustrous silver or gold finish; • Coating thickness is 6 to 9 microns of zinc. • Polymer coating used to bond zinc flakes to the nail surface; • Identified as a dullish silver-white finish; • Typically used for internal steel framing, sub-flooring and internal fixing. • Most widely accepted method of providing long term corrosion resistance to metallic objects. • Identified by a dull grey colour and a rough texture; • Typical coating thickness is 40 microns. • Nails are first galvanised, then dacrotised; • Typically used for external applications such as fences, decks and fascias. • Highly effective method of providing long term corrosion resistance, whilst maintaining a high quality appearance and finish. • Nails are coated with 25 microns of 75% zinc and 25% tin; • Suitable for use with timber treated with CCA (Copper, Chromium and Arsenic salts); • Identified by a dull grey olive finish and a smoother texture than hot dipped galvanising. • Nails and/or staples are manufactured from stainless steel; • Used for extreme environments where corrosion resistance is essential. Nailers are operated by two main methods; 1. Compressed air 2. Impulse fuel cell Consists of a portable air compressor and hoses to deliver air under pressure. It is critical to use the correct oil to ensure long term operation of the compressor and ensure that the moisture removal system is appropriate for the system being used. The following should be considered before the compressor is purchased: • Add up the air requirements for all the air operated tools/devices to be used. • Refer to the manufacturers data/tables to verify the capacity of the compressor required to operate the necessary tools; • For general power tools use, a reciprocating type would be suitable and for continuous operation a rotary type would be used. Fuel cells consist of compressed liquefied gas, which is flammable. They are normally available in packs of two (2) and used in conjunction with a re-chargeable battery. Typically, the red cells are used for framing nailers and the yellow cells for finish nailers.
 * PLATED FINISHES**
 * Zinc Plated Wire** (also known as galvanised or galvanised wire)
 * Electroplate** (also known as EP, ZP, Zinc plate, Electro galvanising)
 * Dacrotised**
 * Hot Dipped Galvanised** (also known as just galvanised)
 * Galvanised and Dacrotised**
 * Mechanically Galvanised** (also known as mechanical plated)
 * Stainless Steel**
 * POWER SOURCE for NAIL GUNS**
 * Compressed Air**
 * Selection of an Appropriate Air Compressor**
 * Impulse Fuel Cell**

• Review the owner’s manual carefully; • Receive instruction from someone who is familiar with it’s safe operation; • Always wear safety glasses and ear muffs/plugs; • Do not hold the trigger down unless about to fire, especially when descending ladders; • Keep area clear of other workers where possible and exercise extreme care around other workers if they are in the area; • Never point the tool at anyone. The tool should be treated like a firearm, i.e. never assume its empty; • Disconnect the air hose before clearing a jam or making adjustments; • Do not fire the tool unless the nose is pressed firmly against the timber; • Only use compressed air with the power tool, not bottled gas; • Keep your free hand safely out of the way during use; • Do not operate the tool around flammables; • Nail top to bottom, when nailing wall sheeting in a vertical position; • When nailing tile battens work from the bottom up to the ridge, to prevent accidental walking off the edge of the roof; • Move forward, not backward, when nailing horizontal areas; • Secure the hose when working on scaffolding, to prevent the weight of the hose from dragging the tool off the scaffold, when placed on the platform, and • Never direct air streams at any exposed part of the body or body openings, as this may lead to serious injury or even death.
 * __SAFE OPERATION AND USE OF PNEUMATIC NAILERS__**To use nail guns CORRECTLY and SAFELY you MUST: