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dgale wrote:Thanks for the input - sounds like I should consider renting or some other option if/when I get around to the sand blasting and instead focus on a smaller compressor for the more typical uses. Any advice on preferred brands for nailers?

I don't use nailers very often, and when I do I have an ex-contractor friend who we lend tools back and forth. He has a Bostitch and a Bosch, both 10+ years old and both seem to do a good job. Most of his air tools from his business were Bosch. No idea about the quality of new ones.

On sandblasting, I do quite a bit as I build vintage motorcycles and mess a little with old cars and trucks. It's a mess. If you're only sandblasting very small stuff that fits in the typical DIY blast cabinet, in large batches, it might make sense. Last summer I media blasted a motorcycle frame and front fender before I decided I didn't want to be in that game anymore, which is very rare for me to do. Now I outsource the big stuff, and use very mild chemicals in a parts washer for everything else.

dgale wrote:Thanks for the input - sounds like I should consider renting or some other option if/when I get around to the sand blasting and instead focus on a smaller compressor for the more typical uses. Any advice on preferred brands for nailers?

I'm not a heavy user by any means, but have found the cheap guns are better than they used to be. That said, a Bostitch isn't that terribly expensive. I can't remember when I last used my 15 ga nailer, but the smallest compressor can handle 18ga brad nails and 23ga pin nails. I just have a 4 gun set I picked up from the Home Depot. It's the red line of guns, so it might be a Husky brand. If you watch he deal sites you can often pickup a 4 piece with a crown stapler for $100-$200 depending on the brand.

The pin nails don't really have any holding power, but they sure come is handy for holding pieces while the glue dries. I think Woodcraft is offering Freeman brand for a pin nailer and brad nailer for around $50 this month. I've heard hey are a step up from the red Husky guns I have. You would think they can't be that great, but they have a 7 year warranty, so that is worth something.

It doesn't take much of a compressor to run nail guns. A small pancake compressor easily does it, but you'll get more SCFM with dual stack setup.

Father's Day is coming up, so HD puts them on sale. NuMax is the same as Husky and Freeman is the same company, one step up.

NuMax 4 guns -$120


HDX 5 gun

Oh, "HDDAD5 get you $5 off $50 or more at Home Depot.

I don't know if you still need a nailer but this one is on sale for about 50% off @ Woodcraft.



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joshh wrote:I don't know if you still need a nailer but this one is on sale for about 50% off @ Woodcraft.



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This a deal!!!!!!! I have the Freeman pin nailer and I like it. So far it has performed flawlessly and done everything I expected it to do. Can't ask for much more than that.

Or you guys could road trip Saturday morning. I'm flipping a coin on whether I want to brave the crowd or not. The Harbor Freight on that end of town gets ridiculously busy on Saturday mornings and I have this personal space hang up when I'm shopping. I assume this will be similar.

On a related but odd note, the Federal Medical Penitentary where they keep that fruit loop that shot the Congresswoman is two blocks north of Grizzly, if you want to do any sight seeing.

http://www.grizzly.com/events/2013/01/Tent-Sales-2013

frank81 wrote:Or you guys could road trip Saturday morning. I'm flipping a coin on whether I want to brave the crowd or not. The Harbor Freight on that end of town gets ridiculously busy on Saturday mornings and I have this personal space hang up when I'm shopping. I assume this will be similar.

On a related but odd note, the Federal Medical Penitentary where they keep that fruit loop that shot the Congresswoman is two blocks north of Grizzly, if you want to do any sight seeing.

http://www.grizzly.com/events/2013/01/Tent-Sales-2013

Unfortunately the nearest outlet is a 9-10 hour drive for me...

joshh wrote:I don't know if you still need a nailer but this one is on sale for about 50% off @ Woodcraft.

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Thanks for the tip - I saw that same brand on the Costco website but they weren't that cheap...I had never heard of this brand so wasn't sure of the quality but sounds like there's at least one positive experience here.

dgale wrote:Unfortunately the nearest outlet is a 9-10 hour drive for me...

If you can get a hold of anyone in WA or PA for the next Grizzly tent sale, the finish nailers were probably the best deal they had there. Bostich 16ga finish nailers that normally sell for $150 were $50 without the case. Framing nailers were marked down to $20. Had an entire table full.

They also had a bunch of these air compressors marked down to $25 for piddly things like scratched paint, missing rubber feet, or cracked plastic cowl. Looks like something that would meet your needs, ignoring price.

http://www.grizzly.com/outlet/3-Gallon- ... ssor/G0465

The DeWalt girls weren't hard on the eyes either!

I finally sorted out my choices for compressor and nailers. I was able to cash in a bunch of credit card "frequent flyer" miles for Amazon gift cards and buy this compressor:

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-MAC2400-Big-Bore-Compressor/



And I just placed an order through Costco.com for this nailer package:

http://www.costco.com/Freeman-5pc-Nailer-Kit.product.11759095.html



The nailer package certainly covers the entire range of what I could need for a pretty reasonable price and I went with Costco for their long-term no questions asked return policy. The compressor's sitting in a box out in the garage thanks to my Amazon Prime 2-day free shipping but alas the Costco order will probably take a few weeks as they always seem fairly slow.

I like that air compressor. Good design, metal in all the places that need to be protected.

Have a hose picked out yet?