# PAM screwgun



## Vrooman (Nov 2, 2008)

What kind of screw guns do you guys run? Ive been looking into PAM and they seem fairly decent from what I have heard.

I have only used Quik-Drive before and they seem to be broken more than they are working.

Do they all accept the same type of collated screws? or are they differant for each model.

I am looking to use this for subfloor and possibly decks.


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## JT Wood (Dec 17, 2007)

I have the quick drive, it works well for me..

I have used the pam lots too. I think it's better.

The screws are diffrent. they are a torx or something. The pam seemed to jamb less to me.


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## user30697 (Aug 15, 2008)

a Makita is an excellent tool. they have them in 18v lithium and 14.4 lithium as well a a couple of corded models. they use two guides to guide the screw straight into the material. they can use pam screws. they have the same type of skrew as makita, pam, grabber, senco etc. i don't know if you can get a torx bit for it but the makita bits last very long. you can get an extension for it to screw a subfloor while standing if you want to and it puts in skrews in consistantly without bending them etc. never going back to a quikdrive.


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## Vrooman (Nov 2, 2008)

I will have too look into the makitas, problem is the only place that sells tools here is Home depot and they dont carry that type of stuff, so ebay it is I guess...just will have to make sure I can get screws for it at my supplier...

Anyone else have opinion/reviews?


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## user30697 (Aug 15, 2008)

i see you live in Brandon. if you would take the time you could go to portage la prairie for a dealer. the rona store has a huge selection of tools. one of the biggest their is unless Ive never seen the biggest around here. anyway they have the makita autofeeders. they cost about the same as the pam setup i think. for screws they give you pam screws which you might be able to find locally. one problem you might have is finding bits. they last very very long so its not as much an issue. i don't know if this is the case for all BFR550 models but mine came with robertson(square) bits. I used to have a 750 model and it had philips bits. i hope this helps you.


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## StrongBuilding (Mar 25, 2013)

I'm using a Pam gun. I used to have a makita corded.. The Pam has a Milwaukee motor. Its a great tool I have been stitching down sub floor with it but am getting ready to hang drywall with it. It has the deck gun motor, 2500 Tom so it may be a little slow. But as I work alone by the hour that's not such a handy cap. My question is will the Pam use Senco or Makita collated screw strips?


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## StrongBuilding (Mar 25, 2013)

Sorry for dredging up an old thread but its 200 miles to Lowes and they don't have Pam brand screw strips but. Do have Senco.


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## StrongBuilding (Mar 25, 2013)

So, if anyone else has this problem. I learned something today. The H.O. was in town and picked up some stuff for the PAM gun. Turns out Senco plastic collated screw strips are the same as the PAM brand. However the driver bits are not the same length. The Senco is a bit shorter. They have a round shank tho, like the Pam. I don't know if they will work or not as the ones he got are square #2 . 
Now the problem. I have been doing sub floor with the Pam drive 2 3/4" screws in E.G and 3" coated for ACQ joists 
Over 3,000 screws on 1 bit and its still working good. However now I'm hanging rock and was planning on using it without the extension. All the drywall strips have Phillips head so the owner picked up a few Bosch long bits. The Bosch bits have a hex shank and are wider than the round Pam bits. But the worse thing is they are approx.3/8" LONGER than the Pam. Causes the gun to completely jam. So, just a suggestion. Stock up on the correct bits. The dealer was out of the Pam Phillips head bit. . . No problem, just a 400 mile round trip.


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## MKnAs Dad (Mar 20, 2011)

And yet they were only a phone call away.


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## StrongBuilding (Mar 25, 2013)

Unfortunately I learned this after he got back. But, we need t go in to Lowe's tomorrow. Gotta get the kitchen and tub. I found a place that has the Pam bits today and they are holding 2 packs of 4 each. For me. . I've got around13 square of rock to hang so they'll come in handy.


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

Vrooman said:


> I have only used Quik-Drive before and they seem to be broken more than they are working.


I recall the same thing when I worked for a framing company. We used the makita drills with a quick-drive attachment. A two hour job usually meant a four or five hour job because you would have to spend time trying to fix it. I recently rented a PAM and it worked good. If the rental companies use PAM, I'd imagine there's a reason for it, because they work. If they ever rented out the quick-drives, everybody would complain and bring them back.


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## redwood (Dec 5, 2007)

The problem I saw the most with the quick drive was the operator trying to screw in reverse. You can't imagine how many times I saw this happen. Guys swearing, WTF.


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## StrongBuilding (Mar 25, 2013)

Oh no. No one would do that would they. Where are the smiley faces when I need em.


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