Harbor Freight tools ( floor nailer)

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blel

Feeling the Heat
Jun 6, 2008
273
Southeast CT
I realize this is not a "hearth" tool but I know there are a lot of HF tool users out there. Has anybody had any experience with the HF pneumatic floor nailer?
 
Not rippin on HF as I am a fairly regular customer, but there are too many deals on tools out there to take a chance on a HF nailer.
 
I do not have any direct knowledge on the nailer but after buying and using several tools by both myself and family members we have a general rule on HF tools.

If it is a consumable tool or a specific tool and only needs to be used a couple of times or projects and looks like the HF tool will suffice and if the cost savings is worth it then Buy it from HF.

If it a tool that you will use often and on many projects and should last a long time look for a quality brand and tool on sale and buy elsewhere in most cases.
 
I think Tony H is right in his comments above. I have no problem spending $15-$25 on a brad nailer (practically disposable) fron HF but even at the huge discount over the bostitch nailer that they have knocked off, I would have to stay with the Bostitch. Just the parts support from Bostitch is worth something. If you use any pnuematic tool for a long period of time, you will need parts. In all fairness, I have never tried to obtain any parts from HF, but it certainly isn't anything that I really want to try.
 
I have one. I've done about 2000sq ft with it and not a problem! I prefer the cleats over the staples! I also have a brad nailer and pancake compressor I bought from them about 6 years ago and they still works great. Their electric tools leave much to be desired!
 
Bubbavh said:
I have one. I've done about 2000sq ft with it and not a problem! I prefer the cleats over the staples! I also have a brad nailer and pancake compressor I bought from them about 6 years ago and they still works great. Their electric tools leave much to be desired!

Thanks. this is exactly the info I was looking for. I have a flooring job (300sf) coming up and was going to rent one but HF has it on sale plus a coupon, final price $110. That's approx what the rental would be.
 
blel said:
Bubbavh said:
I have one. I've done about 2000sq ft with it and not a problem! I prefer the cleats over the staples! I also have a brad nailer and pancake compressor I bought from them about 6 years ago and they still works great. Their electric tools leave much to be desired!

Thanks. this is exactly the info I was looking for. I have a flooring job (300sf) coming up and was going to rent one but HF has it on sale plus a coupon, final price $110. That's approx what the rental would be.




For only 300 square feet, I'd use my hammer and save the $110.
 
I have a HF framing nailer and it works wonderfully. The only problem was that I bought one with a strange angle to it, so when I went to big box stores it was hard to find nails with the proper degree. Not impossible, just harder. I love it, and am glad I bought it. I can't compare it to other framing nailers, but it seems to get the job done.
 
kenny chaos said:
blel said:
Bubbavh said:
I have one. I've done about 2000sq ft with it and not a problem! I prefer the cleats over the staples! I also have a brad nailer and pancake compressor I bought from them about 6 years ago and they still works great. Their electric tools leave much to be desired!

Thanks. this is exactly the info I was looking for. I have a flooring job (300sf) coming up and was going to rent one but HF has it on sale plus a coupon, final price $110. That's approx what the rental would be.




For only 300 square feet, I'd use my hammer and save the $110.

After 1hr of tongue nailing with a regular hammer you would have allready wasted $100 in flooring!
 
I agree. It would just take too long as well, having to manually set every nail.
 
Not a floor nailer, but I purchased a framing nailer (multiple angle) and a roofing nailer from HF. Installed 90 bundles of shingles with roof nailer and built a 30x48 garage with framing nailer. Guns worked perfectly. No problems. After doing the 90 bundles on my house I stored gun for almost 3 years. Dug it out when it came time to roof my new garage and it fell off my bench on concrete floor and broke the plastic nail holder. I had the extended warranty which expired in 20 days. Took it back to HF. No questions asked, they gave me a new gun. Worked perfectly on my new garage roof. Some HF tools are a good deal.
 
I bought the HF floor nailer a couple years ago and did about 350 sq ft with it. Worked fine for me and not a single jam. I had thought about a rental too, but for me the problem with the rental was that I felt it would rush me. Rarely do I get a whole weekend to work on something, more of a few hours here and there. In general I haven't had any problems with HF pneumatic or hand tools, but I stay away from the electric ones.
 
When I did my flooring, I used a manual nailer that uses a BFH instead of air. The pros said that the BFH will set the boards much tighter together than the pneumatic nailers.
 
LLigetfa said:
When I did my flooring, I used a manual nailer that uses a BFH instead of air. The pros said that the BFH will set the boards much tighter together than the pneumatic nailers.

In the past, I have used the manual one but as the years pass I don't feel like swinging the BFH anymore. If I have to, I use a block and a wedge to straighten a board.
 
blel said:
LLigetfa said:
When I did my flooring, I used a manual nailer that uses a BFH instead of air. The pros said that the BFH will set the boards much tighter together than the pneumatic nailers.

In the past, I have used the manual one but as the years pass I don't feel like swinging the BFH anymore. If I have to, I use a block and a wedge to straighten a board.

If you hit the pneumatic harder it will pull the boards a little tighter to straighten a board. Unless you have a really bad one. I've never had a problem with getting them tight. Winter shrinkage is when they open up a little!
 
I don't know if you bought it yet, but I just got an email coupon for the nailer for 99.99. If you haven't gotten it and you want the coupon PM me your email and I'll send it your way.
 
SPED said:
I don't know if you bought it yet, but I just got an email coupon for the nailer for 99.99. If you haven't gotten it and you want the coupon PM me your email and I'll send it your way.

I haven't bought it yet but I got the same coupon.
Thanks
 
Bubbavh said:
kenny chaos said:
blel said:
Bubbavh said:
I have one. I've done about 2000sq ft with it and not a problem! I prefer the cleats over the staples! I also have a brad nailer and pancake compressor I bought from them about 6 years ago and they still works great. Their electric tools leave much to be desired!

Thanks. this is exactly the info I was looking for. I have a flooring job (300sf) coming up and was going to rent one but HF has it on sale plus a coupon, final price $110. That's approx what the rental would be.




For only 300 square feet, I'd use my hammer and save the $110.

After 1hr of tongue nailing with a regular hammer you would have allready wasted $100 in flooring!



When I was working as a carpenter, there was no "floor nailer". We had skills and ambition. Not much skill needed just to swing a hammer anyway.
Be a good consumer (lazy) and buy the easy way and have to go to work another day.
 
When I was working as a carpenter, there was no "floor nailer". We had skills and ambition. Not much skill needed just to swing a hammer anyway.
Be a good consumer (lazy) and buy the easy way and have to go to work another day.
[/quote]



Are you implying that a person who uses a floor nailer has no skills or ambition and is lazy as well?

Nailers have been around for a long time. Using one gives a better and faster result by far than hand nailing. Try installing oak without predrilling for every nail.
 
i reserve the term lazy and skill-less for those that have nearly 1500 posts on a forum, yet still are unable to quote appropriately.
 
I am all about making it easier with the proper tools. I use many air/electric tools to get the job done faster, If that means i am lazy the so be it. lazy this Kenny..
 
woodsman23 said:
lazy this Kenny..




You another MILF?

Buying a floor nailer to do one small room is like buying a tire changer to fix a flat.
And we all complain about the price of things.
I don't consider myself that old but that sure are a lot of young, spoiled, american consumer type attitudes
displayed here.
 
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