Air Powered Nailer Technique?

[Wiley's Woodworks]

I have the same problem every time I use a brad nailer powered by a 6 gal. compressor. Every time I make a piece some of the brads (nails) bend in their own direction and blow out the sides of the receiving boards, pine and plywood. It doesn't happen every nail, and it's not consistent as to how much of the nail protrudes, but it's unpredictable when it will happen. Some nails have so much sticking out it can't be my aim is just slightly off angle. I've blown 3/8" out when driving a 1 1/2" 16 ga. brad through 3/4" oak flooring into the edge of 3/4" thick white pine.

The only thing left to blame is myself, and that there is some technique that I don't know for proper aiming and aligning of the foot before I pull the trigger. I also would like to know the correct depth of penetration into the 2nd board.

 

[Bas]

This might help.

and here's why

 

[mpeele]

When ever that happens to me when using good straight grained material it seems I using a brad that's too long for the material or the wrong gauge brad . Or I'm holding the nail gun perpendicular to the piece where the exited. As far and penetration it depends if there is glue. If there is glue then I try to get about 1/2". If there is no glue then the thickness of the top piece of material.

 

[walnutjerry]

I read somewhere the fastener should be 3 times the thickness of the material being fastened. Thus, a 3/4" material needs a 2 1/4 " long fastener. Do not remember any reference as to whether it applies to nails, brads, screws, or whatever. Has anyone else heard of that ?

 

[wbarnes]

Using the method in the video that Bas posted basically eliminated any nail blowout from my experience. I was having an excessive amount of problems like what you mentioned and now I have almost no issues. As to brad length, I just use whatever length I have that won’t penetrate all the way through the piece.

 

[Woodmolds]

I have the same problem every time I use a brad nailer powered by a 6 gal. compressor. Every time I make a piece some of the brads (nails) bend in their own direction and blow out the sides of the receiving boards, pine and plywood. It doesn't happen every nail, and it's not consistent as to how much of the nail protrudes, but it's unpredictable when it will happen. Some nails have so much sticking out it can't be my aim is just slightly off angle. I've blown 3/8" out when driving a 1 1/2" 16 ga. brad through 3/4" oak flooring into the edge of 3/4" thick white pine.

The only thing left to blame is myself, and that there is some technique that I don't know for proper aiming and aligning of the foot before I pull the trigger. I also would like to know the correct depth of penetration into the 2nd board.

Most likely it is the chisel on the brad/nail point that is following the grain and turning it out. This will apply to edge, end, and sometimes flat grain in the wood. By learning which way to turn the gun(based on the nail chisel point) and always doing this the same you will mostly eliminate turnouts. I can explain better if needed. I'll see if I can find some diagrams to illustrate.

Tony

 

[Phil S]

I have found that 15 gauge is considerably stronger than 16. Also the brand of nail/the strength of the steel makes a big difference. Try to bend individual nails from different manufactures - there is a big difference. I still have a decade old stock of Senco nails that are great. Most of the off-brands are garbage.
My newest gun is a 21 gauge Grex. Fantastic gun and yes very strong nails

 

[bob vaughan]

I have found that 15 gauge is considerably stronger than 16. Also the brand of nail/the strength of the steel makes a big difference. Try to bend individual nails from different manufactures - there is a big difference. I still have a decade old stock of Senco nails that are great. Most of the off-brands are garbage.
My newest gun is a 21 gauge Grex. Fantastic gun and yes very strong nails

My experience also since the 1970s. Cheap fasteners I've tried went to the trash with a resolve to never buy that kind again.

Every now and then the grain of the wood will deflect the fastener but its rare.

Good fasteners like Senco will do well in a cheap gun.

 

[Oka]

Code requires different safety factors to different applications. But, the code states (and ASTM) for attachment, the nail must be equal to the thickness of the member it is trying to attach to + a safety factor (normally 1.1-1.2)
So for example:
A 3/4 inch 1x nailed to a building would require a #5-6D penny minimum(1.75") but as we know most people would just use a 8 penny sinker style (2.25"). Mostly not to have so many different sizes and engineers usually calc their shear based on that length.

I read somewhere the fastener should be 3 times the thickness of the material being fastened. Thus, a 3/4" material needs a 2 1/4 " long fastener. Do not remember any reference as to whether it applies to nails, brads, screws, or whatever. Has anyone else heard of that ?

 

[Wiley's Woodworks]

Yes Bas! That YouTube was the simplest, most concise explanation I've seen. It hadn't occurred to me that the gun was directional; I always blamed the wood. I almost can't wait for my next project to prove this theory. Thanks for your interest.

 

[JNCarr]

I've witnessed the same thing - nails bend toward/away from the chisels. The video is spot on.
The only thing I'd suggest is to get in the habit of holding the other hand further away from the gun head. If a nail does take off at an angle that pops it from the surface, you want to be clear of it. He's using short nails here, but getting into a good habit is a good habit.