Brad gun?

[Anonymous]

Have been reading GR's "Garden Railroading" book sub titled "Getting started in the Hobby". A Christmas present from my better half. In reading the section "More Tools" a brad gun is mentioned as a very useful tool for building wooden items for the railroad, but as an absolute must for trestle construction and installation. Now my question is what make of air driven tool would you all suggest and to handle what size of brads, guage. I will also use it to fini***he window trim and molding installation in my new workshop. Would appreciate your toughts and suggestions. Have been wanting a brad gun for some time but haven't justified it until I read the bit about trestles. In the process of building my first piece of rolling stock, plan #68, in the Dec.2004 issue of GR.

New to all this and wondering where I've been? Fun!
Pat in the cool upper midwest.

[kstrong]

While I can't comment on particular brands of air nailers, whatever you get you'll want to be able to handle brads down to 5/8" or 3/4" up to 1-1/4" for most garden railway work. I've got an electric nailer that does 1" brads which was very handy in doing a Howe Truss kit I built. There were places where I would have liked to use smaller nails, but the electric one doesn't handle them (at least according to the instructions.)

A quick web search seems to indicate that most common air nailers can handle brads from 5/8" up to 2" on the same gun, so it looks like you'll be in fair shape. A 2" nail should handle your remodeling needs with equal ease. Most use 18 gauge nails. (I looked at www.nailgunstore.com - no affiliation or experience, just what came up on Google.)

Later,

K

[markperr]

When I first decided to buy a nail gun, I looked at all-in-one kits, (compressor, gun, accessories). I found a nice Campbell Hausfeld pancake model at Home Depot that I think is 2 gallon, along with a nailer that would handle from 5/8" to 1 1/2" 18ga. nails. I believe the whole thing was under $200. It worked very well for me when I built my trestle. I have subsequently added a Bostitch air nailer that'll handle up to 2" nails as well as a Paasche air bru***hat I just got for Christmas and am dying to try out.

Mark

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by patseale

a brad gun is mentioned as a very useful tool for building wooden items for the railroad, but as an absolute must for trestle construction and installation.

Very Useful... Yes,
Absolute must...No

I've built a few trestles and I don't own a brad gun.
There is no way I would be paying $200 for a gun just so I could build a trestle. That makes it one very expensive trestle!

Don't be put off by people that tell you that you have to set yourself up with a full range of tools before you can get started in this hobby. Brad guns, lathes, saw tables and drilling machines are very nice to have, but many good results can also be achieved with a basic hammer, saw, and drill.

Glen.

[tangerine-jack]

I agree with Glen, a nail gun is a "nice to own" item, but you can go for a long time without one. Some of the best layouts I've seen were done with hammer, nails and shovels. Shoot, I'd love to have a small Bobcat, but I can't justify the ten grand for as much as I would use it, I would average about $800 a hole! I assume since you stated you've been wanting one, that the nail gun would be used for other projects as well? Buying one simply for the RR seems like a waste of money when you could be spending it on track and trains. But then again, I've used many weak excuses to buy things I've always wanted [;)]

[oX)]

[grandpopswalt]

You might consider an electric brad gun. I bought mine at home depot for about $60. It shoots #18 brads from 5/8" to 1 1/4". So far it hasn't failed to perform it's job. However, when shooting 1 1/4" brads into hardwood such as oak. it doesn't always completely set the brad.

Walt

[Kiwi Down Under]

get a air operated brad gun. Here in NZ there cheap ( around $60.00) so they should even be cheaper there. ( Thats assuming you have a compressor.)

Once you have built the tressle, you can use it for just about every model.
Those buildings Phill ( toenailridge) builds out of korboard ( land agents signs) I cut down trellis timber into 10mm width and use the nail gun to build a frame and attach the korboard on. This plus the glue ( no more nails) means it aint every going to move.

I wish I had brought a brad gun when I statred making things, they save thast much time and also skin as I hand nailed over 5000 sleepers with a hammer, it would have been so much safer and faster to use a brad gun.

Tony

[Anonymous]

Pat, Unless your planning on doing alot of nailing I would suggest using a inexpensive one $75.00 to $100.00 that shoots 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inch brads and make sure the readily available ones are galvinized. I myself use Senco products which can now be found at the Home Depot as well as various lenghts of pins but I use them all day every day! My gun is a Senco SLP120 which retails there for I think $ 189.00 or so which is a far cry cheaper than what I paid for it! I've know many who have had great success with the cheaper guns.

[Anonymous]

I agree with Matt.

Just buy one so you will never need another because other projects come up not only in GRR!!!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the input gents. You all have been a great help. Now off for some shopping today and I'll try to keep the wallet in the pocket, for now at least!

Off to try and beat the snow now.

Pat

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bluebonnet - 71

I agree with Matt.

Just buy one so you will never need another because other projects come up not only in GRR!!!

I must update this.
As I found there are many different guns to do different jobs. I know hammer and nail is the one but after my stroll over to my cusins house <contractor> he has many from finishing to framing in.
Just think what you will use yours in or up coming events that you might place on GRR.

[Anonymous]

Haven't we been through all this before and Brad Nailer and is he related to Brad Pitt. Seriously I have a very cheap brad gun that shoots 14 mm brads and it is veru useful for some very specific purposes.

The book you havbe been given is an absolute gem, it is my bible and I have nearly worn mine out. Read very acrefully and take great notice of the articles written by Jack Verducci, they rae 100 % correct and very practical. He list an enormous number of tools and you think huh I don't need them. well now two years later if just abouthave them all in a slightly different form maybe but I have foun uses for just about all of them.


Regards Ian

PS Just buy them when you need them.

[markperr]

Since buying my air nailer (and compressor), I have built 32 feet of trestle, 26 feet of Howe Truss and installed over three hundred feet of moulding in my home doing room renovations. Not to mention filling up pool toys annually as well as the occasional refilling of a basketball or football and keeping the tire pressure in both my cars and all four family bicycles regulated. Once I am done cleaning up from Christmas and my garage is back in order, I'll be doing some experimenting with my new airbru***hat my wife bought me for christmas. I would never imply that an item is a "must-have" in order to do a project. If someone wants to pound in several hundred nails by hand, enjoy. I myself, prefer to use air. One trigger pull, one nail driven. It's sorta like a computer. Don't really need one to survive but boy oh boy, once you have one, you can't remember how you ever survived without it.

Mark