And if your nailer isn’t properly calibrated? We’ve got you covered. Here’s how to deal with a nail gun that’s not countersinking properly.

Needs More Power

If you’re using ring or spiral shank nails for their superior holding power, it’ll take a little extra pressure to drive them. If you’re driving any kind of nail into hard materials like treated or engineered lumber, you’ll need more pressure and an industrial-strength nail gun capable of handling the load.

Blame the Driver

In the worst case, the driver may be damaged. Remove all the nails and the air exhaust cap at the top of the driver. Use an implement (not your fingers) to reach in and depress the driver. This should cause the driver to extend all the way out past the nailer’s tip. If it doesn’t, the driver is damaged and needs replacement.

If it does, the nailer is probably still in good order. Increase the pressure to 125 PSI and try again.

Under Pressured

If you find that several shots countersink smoothly and then the next nails do not, the problem is likely not in the nailer itself. The air compressor may need some adjustment to ensure that it is running consistently at the right PSI. Set the compressor to turn on when it falls to 105 PSI and off when it reaches 135. This is 10 PSI more than is usual, but very helpful when using rapid fire nail guns.

The post Countersink Trouble? Check the Nailer, Check the Compressor appeared first on Airking Fastening Systems.

O-rings are rubber seals that separate the internal parts of a pneumatic tool from the unpressurized exterior. Inside is over 100 PSI struggling to escape, and outside is the tip of the driver that impacts the nail.

That’s a lot of power up against a little ring of rubber, and sometimes it breaks- especially weather cold enough to harden the flexible ring. Here’s how to tell if your tool needs a new o-ring:

If air is leaking from the top exhaust port-

Your tool has developed a head valve leak. The o-rings are worn and need replacing, either at the head valve itself or on the cylinder that houses the driver.

If the driver does not fully retract-

It’s possible that the trigger valve is failing to cycle properly, in which case you will need to determine if a replacement can be purchased (not every manufacturer has such parts readily available).

More commonly the o-ring on the cylinder near the exhaust valve is the culprit and needs replacement.

If the nailer seems to be operating with low power-

This is the easiest problem to diagnose and solve. Confirm that your air pressure is sufficient. If it is, the problem is inside the tool. Replace the o-rings and it should be back to full strength, ready to fully drive in a nail.

Note that even o-rings that appear completely intact may have flawed seals that can’t be seen. As replacing o-rings is the only practical solution to an under-powered nailer, it’s best to give it a try before giving up on the tool entirely.

If you want your o-rings to last as long as possible-

Don’t use gasoline to clean a nailer; this will result in sticky o-rings that need replacing.

By the same token, neglecting to clean a pneumatic nailer regularly with the proper lubricant will also lead to damaged o-rings. Daily lubrication with tool oil will protect the entire machine… unless, of course, you’ve got an oil-free nailer that requires no lubrication.

The post Repair Your Nail Gun With an O-Ring Kit appeared first on Airking Fastening Systems.

That problem is solved with the drum-style freed of coil nail guns. These are typically roofing nailers, and while they’re a little heavier and tougher to handle than a slim stick-fed tool, that’s a small price to pay for not needing to go down and up ladders each time a clip empties or trying to keep track of a bucket of nails on top of a roof.

Here’s a quick primer on coil nail guns:

All Powerful

You can find nail guns that will accept any type of power source. Compressed air fed by a hose still common and reliable, but managing loose hoses on a roof is complex and time consuming. There’s just as much clutter, though much less set up time, for electric-powered guns that require an extension cord to stay powered. For roof work, the best choice for powering a coil nailer may be a rechargeable battery that requires no set-up. The batteries can drain fairly quickly, but you’ll still get more solid work in between charges with a battery-powered coil nailer than with an air-powered stick nailer.

Load and Lock

Reloading nails is pretty simple for a stick-style gun: Just put the strip of paper-collated nails into the stick and squeeze it into place. A coil-style tool takes just a few more steps. That drum-like storage compartment will need to be unlatched and the entire coil of nails will need to be carefully set in place and aligned with the nail discharge chamber. That’s nails down and flat ‘shanks’ facing up towards you.

While it may be possible to carry extra sticks up on a roof with you, it may be best not to do this with nail coils, as bumps and falls may cause the coil to misalign and become difficult to load smoothly. Once you’ve got the nails properly lined, lock up the drum and get back up on the roof.

Hold Your Fire

With that much power and ammo at your fingertips, control should be your first priority. It’s tempting to go with the contact trip trigger style, which means that the gun will fire any time both the trigger and nose are depressed. This can allow for “bump” firing, or holding down the trigger while rapidly moving along and pressing in the tip for repeated shots.

It’s also riskier than the sequential trigger style, which requires that the nose be depressed FIRST, followed by the trigger. This means each shot must be made deliberately.  A little extra focus is required, but the result is a lot less potential for accidents or injuries.

The post Coil Nail Guns Keep Going and Going appeared first on Airking Fastening Systems.

Get together your new nailer, a saw (hand or powered depending on the type of moulding you are installing), a tape measure, some putty, and your lengths of moulding.

Mark and Measure

Find and mark the wall studs that you’ll be nailing the moulding to. Begin with the most visible wall, this is likely the wall across from a door. Measure the length of the wall and prepare to cut a length of moulding to fit. Estimating for an extra 1/8 inch of length should make for a suitable snug fit.

Prime Time

Don’t reach for that nail gun just yet. It’s a good idea to prime and paint the moulding before installation. This will save time and trouble later on.

Covering the First Wall

Once the paint’s dry, it’s time to go ahead and nail up the first wall of moulding. Use the stud marks as a guide when nailing. A quality finish nailer will speed this process up by making deep, precise strikes that won’t damage or split wood.

Coping With the Second Wall

Now comes the hard part: “Coping” the next length of moulding to fit flush against the first in the corner. There are some types of moulding that come complete with cornerpieces that cover rough joins in an attractive way. If you aren’t lucky enough to be working with these shortcuts, you’ll want to begin with a rough 45 degree cut and follow up on detailed shaping with a coping saw.

When you’re finished, you should be able to make a clean join between the first and second strips of moulding. A little sanding and filing should help with any minor misalignments.

Finish the Finish

Now it’s a matter of repeating the process with the remaining walls, taking care to measure and cope each length to fit with its neighbors. If you’ve already prepared by painting and priming as suggested, all that’s left is concealing the tiny nail holes with putty. Congratulations… now what are you going to nail next?

The post How To Install Crown Molding appeared first on Airking Fastening Systems.

1. Recorded work procedures
Encouraging safety is a good start, but having clear, detailed instructions in writing is far better. Including such material in employee handbooks is a great way to ensure that everybody on the job is following the same standard and alert for the same risk factors.

2. Regular training
Initial training and periodical review of the operation of all models of nail gun used plays a large role in preventing unintended discharges and other accidents.

3. Full sequential triggers
Nail guns with these triggers will only fire when the contact tip and trigger are depressed in the proper order. They dramatically reduce the chances of a misfire.

4. Safety gear
Safety glasses and hard hats are essential equipment for ensuring safety, and sturdy work gloves are advisable. Hearing protection may be wise for powerful nail guns seeing repeated use.

5. Encourage accident reports
Even a ‘close call’ that does not result in an injury should be immediately reported and shared with the crew. Encouraging workers to be forthcoming with these incidents allows for lessons to be learned and ensures that any injuries will be treated in a timely manner.

6. Immediate medical attention
Even minor injuries, like splinters, can lead to serious consequences like infections if not properly treated. Encourage employees to seek immediate medical attention.

These guidelines require investments of time and effort to implement and follow, but the benefits of reducing injuries and workers’ compensation claims are well worth it.

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Todd’s a big fan of the penetrating power of this heavy-duty industrial nail gun. He even went to the trouble of making a video showing the DF350S nailing together two dense pieces of laminated veneer lumber (LVL).

He also gives the DF350S high marks for its light weight and great balance, and Todd’s not the only one impressed by the performance and ease of use: “It’s not often that I bring a new tool onto a job site and have the guys talking about it afterward. In fact, the guys like this gun so much that I don’t think I’ll be getting it back from them anytime soon… The DF350S impressed us so much that we’ll most likely outfit our entire crew with this impressive new framing nailer.”

Here’s the bottom line, straight from the expert himself: “I definitely recommend this nail gun and will likely purchase additional ones in the near future.”

Sound promising? Check out all the stats on the DF350S on our site, or learn more about the features Todd loves—including the handy rafter hook, switchable trigger, and tool-less depth adjustment—in his review.

The post Construction Expert Punches Through LVL with Duo-Fast DF350S Strip Nailer appeared first on Airking Fastening Systems.

Framing Nailer – Unless you’re aiming for a drive-in experience, you’ll need this tool to put together the walls – and the false walls you can hide all kinds of AV gear and cables behind. Give every aisle a clear view by building risers. A framing nailer will also help to build a sturdy projector housing and mount.

Brad Nailer – If you want a theater with all the trimmings, you’ll need a trim nailer. Use it to secure sconces and other decorative features. Molding is an attractive addition for walls and columns alike.

Stapler – If you’re serious about sound, you’ll need a pneumatic stapler to drive the thousands of staples needed to build and upholster fabric-covered frames to cover the walls and camouflage speakers. That’ll put an end to echos. Sound good? You bet it does.

After the work’s done, you’re ready to relax and watch This Old House the way it was meant to be enjoyed: On the big screen through a 22-channel sound system.

The post The Perfect Tools to Build the Perfect Home Movie Theater Room appeared first on Airking Fastening Systems.

Here are a few of the reasons Mike recommends these specialized power tools:

1. Compact Design

A well designed metal connector nail gun will be able to fit between joists spaced 12 inches on center – a typical framing nailer will not. It’s no fun swinging a hammer in tight quarters either.

2. Exposed Nail Tip

Joist hangers, hurricane clips, steel strapping, and rafter tie connections require precise placement of nails. An exposed nail tip design makes quick work of setting and firing nails into the holes in metal trusses.

3. Firing the Right Fasteners

Mike recommends using 1-1/2 inch nails – longer nails will leave hazardous protruding tips. 10d common diameter nails will be thick enough to hold most loads. A metal connector nail gun will be compatible with these requirements.

4. Powerful Enough for Engineered Lumber

Despite the confined spaces and tough angles that metal connector nail guns are designed to handle, they are still powerful enough to fully sink a nail into high strength engineered lumber products like laminated veneer lumbers and paralams.

“Metal connector guns are nothing short of amazing,” says Mike, “This is a tool which will easily pay for itself in time savings and thumb nails!”

Give metal connector nail guns a try. After just one job, you’ll be as big a fan as Mike!

The post 4 Reasons Building Guru Recommends Metal Connector Nailers appeared first on Airking Fastening Systems.

Japanese graphic designer Kenya Hara is heading a new online venture that supplies detailed blueprints for the construction of imaginative dog houses customized to specific breeds of indoor dogs. He’s calling it “Architecture for Dogs” and warns that it’s no “pet project” but rather a serious project for architects. Hara commissioned thirteen renowned architectural design firms to each provide an original design with the goal of changing the way human beings interact with their dogs.

The results are certainly visually impressive: a seesawing sloped home for beagles, a fluffy ribbed inner tube for bichon frises, and a cooling surface for furry dogs in summer. Our favorites include a hammock for Jack Russells that fits an old t-shirt from the owner onto a wooden frame – “The smell of the owner is very, very important for a dog, it makes the dog feel safe and want to be here,” says Hara – and a zig-zagging slope for dachshunds made to bring the short-legged breed up to eye level with its owner.

Unfortunately, some of the more whimsical designs are more appealing to humans than canines. Hara himself designed a dog house for teacup poodles that required the tiny breed to walk up a narrow set of stairs. His logic was sound: “Putting a dog on the table is not so good, yet the floor is a little too far away.” But logic didn’t impress the poodles asked to make the climb, who only did so when bribed with treats. And no amount of treats could tempt a Boston terrier into entering a dog house shaped like a sphere.

An exhibition of the dazzling designer doghouses recently wrapped up in Miami, but the blueprints are still free to download from Architecture for Dogs and require only some basic woodworking skill. When you’re finished, you can upload photos of your creation to the website to show off your own customized kennel.  So go ahead and grab the designs and get ready to Nail It!

The post Nailed It: DIY Architecture for Dogs appeared first on Airking Fastening Systems.

Among the five-star reviews, one contractor says, “It works great when you’re only shooting in a couple of nails then moving to the next joist when nailing deck boards. It REALLY shines when building a fence on a wooded lot. No more snags.”

Another agrees, saying “It’s great for ‘Grab-N-Go’ projects, where setting up a compressor and hoses is not warranted.” Some contractors are even making the switch to using cordless nailers full time rather than deal with compressors and generators.

We offer an updated model of the Paslode Cordless Framing Nailer, #CF325, featuring Li-ion battery technology that charges twice as fast, holds its charge 5 times longer, and drives 50% more nails per charge. Pick one up and you can look forward to even less downtime on the job in addition to the improved mobility and flexibility of a cordless nailer.

The post Paslode Lithium Ion Cordless Framing Nailer A Favorite with Reviewers appeared first on Airking Fastening Systems.