Cordless 2nd fix nail gun

[mjc55]

Will need one of these quite soon for the timber cladding.

 

I would prefer De Walt cordless as we have gone down the De Walt route but recommendations for any make are welcome.

 

Thanks in advance

[Super_Paulie]

ive got a DeWalt and a Makita 2nd fix gun, much prefer the DeWalt. It seems to "wind up" before it punches, where the Makita just comes down like a ton of bricks which makes it difficult to handle. Both are big units like but both work well, the DeWalt uses angled brads which are a bit harder to come by. DeWalt wins for me though, but make sure you wear a belt as it pulls your trousers down if its hanging off a loop. With hilarious consequences. 

[SimonD]

1 hour ago, mjc55 said:

Will need one of these quite soon for the timber cladding.

What fixings are you planning to use? This will guide you more in terms of type of nailer. I presume you want full round head stainless steel nails? In that case you'll want either a coil, 21 degree or 34 degree framing nailer with a no mark tip, not a second fix nailer that uses brads.

[Bonner]

I used stainless brads for larch cladding. Got a Dewalt second fix, as @Super_Paulie said it’s quite big but works well.

[mjc55]

Having looked at this a bit more it seems that a 1st fix nailer is better for timber cladding?

 

Thoughts?

Edited 22 hours ago by mjc55

[Super_Paulie]

I've got a DeWalt first fix as well and it's f'ing huge. Never used it, got it at work but I'd only ever use that for framing.

[Nickfromwales]

1 hour ago, mjc55 said:

Having looked at this a bit more it seems that a 1st fix nailer is better for timber cladding?

 

Thoughts?

Yes

 

 

2 hours ago, SimonD said:

In that case you'll want either a coil, 21 degree or 34 degree framing nailer with a no mark tip, not a second fix nailer that uses brads.

This 👆

 

I have an air coil nailer, and for cladding and featheredge it is just so much better. My 1st fix Hitachi just explodes the featheredge if attempting 'hidden fixing' on the leading thinner edge. Coil nailer fires a full round head too vs a clipped head, so offers the benefit of less penetration into the wood.

[mjc55]

Hmmm.  Seems to me that a first fix nailer would not be suitable for cladding as it uses larger nails and leaves a larger hole!

 

What I am after is a nailer that uses smaller fixings that don't need any further finishing work on the timber once nailed.

[Nickfromwales]

6 hours ago, mjc55 said:

Hmmm.  Seems to me that a first fix nailer would not be suitable for cladding as it uses larger nails and leaves a larger hole!

 

What I am after is a nailer that uses smaller fixings that don't need any further finishing work on the timber once nailed.

Exposed face fixings or secret nailing?  

[Gone West]

When I built my place I had a Senco 1st fix and a Senco 2nd fix nailer. I used 50mm stainless brads for cedar cladding.

[SimonD]

15 hours ago, mjc55 said:

Hmmm.  Seems to me that a first fix nailer would not be suitable for cladding as it uses larger nails and leaves a larger hole!

 

What I am after is a nailer that uses smaller fixings that don't need any further finishing work on the timber once nailed.

That's what a decent nailer should do, 1st or 2nd fix - just adjust it correctly for use and you'll get a lovely finish with the nails. E.g. I have interior birch cladding fixed with brads, but my extrerior cedar uses round head and used a 1st fix nailer. But it depends on what finish you're after. The round head nails that are traditionally used on cladding will have a nice shiny round head that sits on the surface of the cladding. For these you use a 1st fix 'framing' nailer as mentioned above. If you want hidden fix, or you just want a pin hole visible on the surface, then you use brad nails and for these you need a 2nd fix, brad nailer that is made for the gauge of brad nails you need to use. Difference in diameter is about 0.8mm as brads for cladding will be about 2mm and round head nails about 2.8m diameter. But, when you buy your 2nd fix nailer, just make sure the angle and size of brads is available in the right material for that nailer.

So to help us give you proper clear advice, you need to decide on what finish you're after and also let us know what timber you're using as there are some timbers that can be a bit brittle and still need pre-drilling to prevent splitting, in which case you're probably better of hand nailing, however painful that may seem. 

[mjc55]

Thanks @SimonD, very comprehensive.

 

We are planning to use a Thermowood cladding and current thought is not to have heads showing (much - there will be some viability of the nail/hole I believe).  Sounds like a 2nd fix nailer is what I need.

[Nickfromwales]

7 hours ago, mjc55 said:

Thanks @SimonD, very comprehensive.

 

We are planning to use a Thermowood cladding and current thought is not to have heads showing (much - there will be some viability of the nail/hole I believe).  Sounds like a 2nd fix nailer is what I need.

 

 

[mjc55]

Thanks for that @Nickfromwales  they look really interesting.

[Tosh]

I used 16g SS pins through a Hikoki. Initially to pin the cladding as a temp measure before final fixing with visible SS nails. Cladding company spec'd the nails. There's a section of gable that's been left for over 12mths now, waiting for me to get around to it, and the pins are still holding fine. Not sure I'd trust them long term though. Timber can move around a lot.

[Onoff]

20 hours ago, Super_Paulie said:

I've got a DeWalt first fix as well and it's f'ing huge. Never used it, got it at work but I'd only ever use that for framing.

 

I've been mulling the £400-500 Makita 18V first fix one that does 90mm nails.