# Help choosing framing nailer



## NCMCarpentry (Apr 7, 2013)

So the vast majority is saying Hitachi is the best...

I agree, but my main concern is are the newer ones, made in Taiwan, really the same animal... Like I said in the OP last winter I used Taiwanese hitachi staplers , $300+ staplers and they were junk... 

I also like buying from 1st world countries.. With north america being at the top of that list, the Paslode is made in USA. 

If I could find a Japanese Hitachi I wouldn`t have posted this thread and would have bought one last year.


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## NCMCarpentry (Apr 7, 2013)

CrpntrFrk said:


> My vote is for Hitachi also. I actually have one sitting around if your interested in buying a used one. It does have one of those crappy rafter hooks but it works.
> 
> Let me know if your interested.:thumbsup:
> 
> Edit: WHOA! Didn't see that you are in Canada. Shipping would be more than the gun. Definitely not worth getting it from me.


I would love to find a good used Hitachi but no luck after keeping an eye out for a very long time... Thanks anyway for the offer.


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## matthewcims (Feb 15, 2009)

Bostich is all I can find around me. 12's not so nice. 8's Im grip n rip.


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## muskoka guy (Nov 16, 2013)

We have about ten paslode 350, and two hitachis. Both hitachis I have had to buy new casings because they got dropped and cracked the housing. The hitachi are light and hit pretty hard on the lvls. We try to keep them on the ground and not take them where they will be dropped. They are fragile. After 30 years of running Paslode guns, with two crews of framers, I only have about 4 parts guns in the shop. Most of them are the old style and have more than earned their retirement. The rest are all still running.


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## totes (Oct 17, 2013)

I bought my first MAX framer about 6 months ago. It has been very powerful, reliable and quiet thus far. Handles engineered lumber and 5/4 harditrim great, although I feel compressor is a major factor. Some of the prior posts by warren and such bum me out about the potential longevity of the framing gun. But if I get 2 great years out of a $200 gun I drop and drag through the mud, that is okay with me. 
I mentioned in the TBA last month that costco is clearancing pasload350's for $130. Figure it might be worth noting again.


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## kiteman (Apr 18, 2012)

Have any of you bought one of the B&C Eagle SN3483? It's a knockoff of the Hitachi. Under $200, maybe only $150. Reliable, rafter hook, soft nose available. It's so close to the old hitachi, I dropped one and cracked the head, and the guy at the nail shed replaced it with an old one off an NR83. 

I see they also have a pp gun, MC150, $199 on Amazon. 

B&C Eagle is one of the main suppliers of generic nails I use.


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## JAH (Jul 27, 2014)

Over the years I have rebuilt a few Hitachi framers. When you have the parts and pieces of the older guns and newer guns spread out on the bench, you cant tell the difference between made in Japan or Taiwan


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## Sprtman (Aug 16, 2010)

I have 8 Paslodes, oil them religously. 2 of them since I started business for myself in 1998. All are still running great. We use them everyday putting up wood fences. Mainly just 2" nails tho.


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## Roofcheck (Dec 27, 2011)

Paslode. I just bought a new one and it feels stronger and yet lighter easier to load. 

Downside- Orange plastic nail release button whatever you want to call it ablout sanded off as it slid down a asphalt roof- one time.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

I use the older (12 years old) "made in Japan" Max. They even put my name on it. SuperFramer!


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## totes (Oct 17, 2013)

12 years! That is amazing. How many rebuilds, religious about oiling?
I read this thread in the morning, and all this and all this praise for pasload broke me down. tba....


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

I didn't see any Senco recommendations. Any reason?


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## BradingCon (Dec 17, 2010)

I also have a senco frame pro. No complaints. It's just heavier with less nail capacity than my hitachi. Both are capable framers though.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

I have the big Senco 925xp, or something like that. I love it except for one thing. It is so loud I need to use earmuffs with it. It literally makes my ears hurt after using it for a short time. It sounds like a gun shot.


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## Tylerwalker32 (Jun 27, 2011)

I have a max Superframer I like it for the size. I don't do framing everyday. Mainly remodeling. It works great for the 100 bucks I paid. I have a paslode that I like a bunch.


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

totes said:


> 12 years! That is amazing. How many rebuilds, religious about oiling?
> I read this thread in the morning, and all this and all this praise for pasload broke me down. tba....


Your gonna like that gun. I have one that I won in a roof framing contest a few years ago. It loads like the Senco, so that is the only thing that I don;t like about it. Once you get use to that, it is a strong firing gun, and pretty lightweight to boot.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

TNTSERVICES said:


> I didn't see any Senco recommendations. Any reason?


When I was green, my first two employers had them. I thought they were cool till a "framer" brought a Hitachi to the job. 

After that I felt that Senco was big and clumsy. Not as much driving power. I have not used a Senco framing nailer in a long time so I don;t know if they have improved.


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

CrpntrFrk said:


> When I was green, my first two employers had them. I thought they were cool till a "framer" brought a Hitachi to the job.
> 
> After that I felt that Senco was big and clumsy. Not as much driving power. I have not used a Senco framing nailer in a long time so I don;t know if they have improved.


They still suck. I bought one on clearance a few years ago and it never came out of the truck. I sold it on CL last year. My brother had an old one from the 70's that we called Dino. It weighed at least twice as much as any gun I have ever used. We would only use it for building headers.


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## CarpenterSFO (Dec 12, 2012)

I have both Hitachi and Paslode. Both have been workhorses, with no issues, and I would have no qualms about buying either brand. My next gun will be a cordless Paslode finish nailer.


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## Tylerwalker32 (Jun 27, 2011)

Warren said:


> They still suck. I bought one on clearance a few years ago and it never came out of the truck. I sold it on CL last year. My brother had an old one from the 70's that we called Dino. It weighed at least twice as much as any gun I have ever used. We would only use it for building headers.


 my old boss had a senco it weighed a ton, way to heavy for me Id always pull out my own gun.


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## CarpenterSFO (Dec 12, 2012)

TNTSERVICES said:


> I didn't see any Senco recommendations. Any reason?


They make a fine palm nailer.


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## Donohue Const (Dec 31, 2011)

Like most have said, I learned to frame with the older hitachi guns 

I now have a couple of the newer hitachi's

No complaints, hit hard and always sink the nail

Had to borrow a pasload from the local yard. I could not wait to get the hitachi back. I thought the nose of the gun was way to large and got in the way. had problems sinking 3 1/2 ring nails for a pole barn

I thought maybe it was because I was using about 300 feet of air hose to get to where I needed to be but after I got my hitachi back it sank the nails in with no problem


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## NCMCarpentry (Apr 7, 2013)

Ended up picking up a Paslode powerframer tonight... 

Been working 7 day weeks and just finished demo for this third storey addition, ended up getting the thing for $290 down from $400 because I went to home depot instead of the smaller tool store near my place with the lowest prices by far (couldn't make it there when they were open), they price-matched them -10%. I felt like I stole it!

We'll see how it goes, my hopes are high


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## dielectricunion (Feb 27, 2013)

Has anyone used a bosch gun? I dont think theyve been making nailguns for long, but i saw a 34 degree paper tape framer on sale for $100 and ended up buying it.

I dont do a lot of framing so im not a very good guinea pig, but ive used it a fair bit recently with no problems or jams/misfires. Main thing i don't like is the lack of a hook or clip to hang and carry it. Theres a spot where i could bolt something on... Gotta do that


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## totes (Oct 17, 2013)

NCMCarpentry said:


> Ended up picking up a Paslode powerframer tonight...
> 
> Been working 7 day weeks and just finished demo for this third storey addition, ended up getting the thing for $290 down from $400 because I went to home depot instead of the smaller tool store near my place with the lowest prices by far (couldn't make it there when they were open), they price-matched them -10%. I felt like I stole it!
> 
> We'll see how it goes, my hopes are high


Dang! spendy in CA! My friend is always taking socks of chew up there for coworkers. Didn't think framers were like that too. 

If you have a Costco in your area it would be worth your time to see if they have any pasloads before you fire the gun. $130


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

X4 or 5 for the Paslode.

Never framed with a coallated framing nailer before;

"if it ain't broke, don't fix it."


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## NCMCarpentry (Apr 7, 2013)

totes said:


> Dang! spendy in CA! My friend is always taking socks of chew up there for coworkers. Didn't think framers were like that too.
> 
> If you have a Costco in your area it would be worth your time to see if they have any pasloads before you fire the gun. $130


Everything costs a lot more from what I understand... Costco up here definitely wouldn't carry pro quality nailers. You see a dewalt chopsaw or something every now and then but you don't get much of a discount.


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## NCMCarpentry (Apr 7, 2013)

Well after breaking in the powerframer framing a fancy 3rd storey addition floor with lots of LVL and some walls I have to say I am very happy with it... It is a beast, shoots fast, hits hard and is very well balanced/ergonomic.


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## pappagor (Jan 29, 2008)

wnc viking said:


> I hate paslode cheap gun diy grade tool


that is for sure junk junk:clap:


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## Sunset Designs (Dec 15, 2014)

Hitachi is all I use and all my guys will use. I have a Paslode in my trailer and the guys keep putting it on the back of the shelf.


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