# What type of Nail Gun and Staple Gun



## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

Harbor freight can be your friend or Craigslist.. Guns that I use are senco narrow crown 5/8 and 1" frames. A old senco that does up to 1" but am using 5/8 for the end of frames. A 7/16 wide staple 2" long for boxes lids and so on. Add a air Compressor and for get the Electric gun. And yes I am a tool junky. 

David


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## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

LB - Fatbeeman uses a stapler for everything. Air stapler that is. Crown staples up to 1 5/8" can be used in the ones sold at harbor freight . That's what I use on my equipment. I use a 1 1/2" staple that is 1/4" wide. Works on frames great, works on boxes great. If you want a good nailer though you should be able to find one at the same place cheap.


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Here's a link to a nice thread discussing this subject.


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## mrobinson (Jan 20, 2012)

"Compressed air is your bestest friend." An air-driven stapler, and an air-driven nailer, will make you quickly put your "hand" tools into The Forgotten Closet. And, the very-nicest thing is, the tools are not particularly expensive.

_Still ..._ "be aware of 'analysis paralysis.'"  At the end of the day, "you are assembling a sturdy wooden box, for _insects_ to live in." Those insects will care much less than you do.


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## mathesonequip (Jul 9, 2012)

I have both harbor freight and rigid [home depot] nailers and stapler, the much cheaper home depot ones are better in my experience ... the nails/staples from harbor freight are variable, ok to awful however. I like the nails and staples in the porter-cable brand from home depot much better, they cost not much more.


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## Tomek (Aug 29, 2014)

We use cheap (made in China) air staplers for the frames, with 5.7 mm wide and 40 mm long staples. 
Stapler is similar to this:







But it works fine...


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## Arc-n-spark (Mar 19, 2013)

I picked up a harbor freight 1/4in stapler for less than $20 + free shipping. You can't beat a price like that! I use the porter-cable 1 1/2 staples on the boxes and frames and 1/2in or 5/8in staples to hold the wedge in place. I also glue everything with titebond III. Its a great time saving tool!


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## LKBruns (Jul 12, 2014)

I apologize for the repeated thread. I'm still trying to figure out this forum from an iphone


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

Dont spend your money on HF staplers or staple/nails. The staples will jam your guns. Go to HD or amazon and get this one 

Hitachi N5008AC2 2" 16 Gauge Standard 7/16-Inch Crown Construction Stapler
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WJYC60/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 for boxes

RIDGID ZRR150FSA 1-1/2 inch 18 Gauge Finish Stapler with Magnesium Housing
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GW2C12/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 for frames

Ridgid ZRR350RHE 3-1/2 in. Round Head Framing Nailer for Pallets etc.

You wont be sorry with either of these.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

EastSideBuzz said:


> Dont spend your money on HF staplers or staple/nails.


That has not been my experience with Harbor Freight staples. I use 1 1/2 for boxes, 1 inch on bottom boards, 1/2 on wax cleats. I have shot thousands, and thousands, and thousands, and I have NEVER had a single staple fail, bend, choke, jam, or anything else. I have a Hitachi stapler, and I NEVER buy staples anywhere other than Harbor Freight. They work PERFECTLY in a Hitachi stapler. Normally about half the price at Harbor Freight.

cchoganjr


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## wpoley (Oct 20, 2013)

The fatbeeman uses an old Paslode staple gun,I feel harbor frieght airtools are ok.to get factory remanufactored try blueskytools.com great prices on Dewalt and Hitachi.


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## Terry C (Sep 6, 2013)

I'll bee using my HF framing nailer with <probably> about 1 7/8 headed nails for the boxes . Next time I assemble frames I'll use a Porter-Cable 18ga pin nailer . I'd use the P-C 16ga with 2" pins for the boxes , but I'm going to use rabbeted corners and headed nails will hold better . 
Useta build cabinets for a livin' , I sure love me some air nailers !


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## waynesgarden (Jan 3, 2009)

I use an Hitachi 2" 18 ga. brad nailer, model NT 50AE2, with a Husky 8 gallon compressor. I don't bother with heavier nails or staples since all wood gets joined with Titebond III wood glue and the brads are there to hold the pieces tightly in place while the glue dries.

My Hitachi worked flawlessly right up to the day I broke it. (My fault.) I looked up my order on Amazon and ordered the exact same one which is now in, I believe, its third year.

Wayne


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## burns375 (Jul 15, 2013)

18 ga Hitachi stapler driven my a super quiet california compressor. Love it. Ill have to try harbor freight for staples, ill bought whatever staples are at lowes and they are darn expensive.


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## ToeOfDog (Sep 25, 2013)

My Harbor Freight stapler works as well as my Bostitch as long s you do not use HF staples in it. It could have been a not broken in thing but Bostitch and Porter Cable staples worked well in the HF stapler from day one.

Number 7D galvanized is my preferred brood box fastener.

Now that several thousand have gone through the HF stapler I may try the HF staples and see what happens


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## kramerbryan (Oct 30, 2013)

It's all about the glue, the staple only holds it in place till it dries. I don't have any experience with Harbor Freight tools, but I buy Rigid because of the life time warranty. I use it to fasten frames, nucs, boxes, and it gets used on the jobsite, tens of thousands of staples no issues.


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

Staples I buy at the my local tool supplier. I buy them in the box of 10k so they are pretty cheap under 50 bucks.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

EastSide I buy them in the box of 10k so they are pretty cheap under 50 bucks.[/QUOTE said:


> 1 1/2 inch staples, box of 5000 at Harbor Freight, under $15.00.
> 
> cchoganjr


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## cowdoc (May 15, 2011)

To assemble boxes, we use a nail gun that holds collated nails. The way they are collated does seem to be important for the picky beekeeper. We use nails that probably fit between 7D and 8D (they are standard "8D" air gun nails). They are hot dip galvanized. 

The plastic collated nails have been dropped from our production line because they leave a small piece of plastic under the nail. Does that come out with a little picking or sanding? Sure, but if you use wire collated nails, there is no plastic piece to worry about. 

Can you use wire collated nails with the same nailer as the plastic collated nails? No, you need a nailer set up for wire collated nails. (A framing nailer for wire collated nails, not a roofing nailer.)

Can you staple boxes together? Sure, but we only use a stapler on the top hole on the short side so as to avoid breaking the thin wood where the frame rest has been cut out. 

Chris Cripps
[email protected]


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## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

I bought Porter Cable. Both a 18 gauge stapler and brad nailer. Very Happy with the purchase. Mainly use them assembling frames. I still glue and use 2 inch screws for most woodenware assembly.


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## spammy_h (Jul 2, 2014)

I've used tools made by Porter Cable, Hitachi, Senco, and Bostitch - any of the name brands will work just fine. HD and other "generics" should probably be fine too for this application. 

If you are using traditional box joints, any nails or staples pretty much just holds the joint in place until the glue dries, and the glue joint is typically stronger than the surrounding wood.


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

I own a Bostitch Finish nailer. I also have the framing nailer as well. I got the Ryobi Airstrike stapler. The stapler is fairly new so I am not sure how it will eventually play out.

Harbor freight is sort of like going through garage sales. A lot of garbage to pick through but if you know what to look for you can get some good deals.

For example years ago I bought there 7X12 Mini Metal Lathe. Dirt cheap in comparison to other sources. And exactly the same lathe. But there is a but. The HF model is not built or finished to the same standards as the others. they have cheaper electronic parts. They are not machined to the same tolerances. A weekend of getting up close and personal and $20 in electronic parts later and it was the same machine with better accuracy than the higher priced machines.

For those that know what they are doing HF can be a great source. It is still not all about price. you still need quality so learn to recognize it.


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