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Author Topic: battery powered brad nailer  (Read 7935 times)

Offline Seeb

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battery powered brad nailer
« on: January 21, 2020, 05:14:06 pm »
I want to buy a battery powered brad nailer for frame assembly, but I need some input.
Do I want a straight or angled nailer?
Are 16 ga and finish nails too much for frame assembly, or should I go with 18 ga and brads?
What length brads/nails should I use for the top and bottom bars?
Anything else I need to consider?

Offline Acebird

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2020, 05:28:55 pm »
A crown stapler is much stronger but you probably have to go pneumatic.
Brian Cardinal
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Offline CoolBees

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2020, 05:34:16 pm »
I use an air powered Brad nailer for frames. 18 ga. 1" (I think) for frame assy (2 from the top, 4 from the sides, & 2 from the bottom), and 1/2" brads (3x) for the flipped wedge bar - I'm foundationless.

100 frames takes me around 2 hrs. I assemble 10 or 12 fames upside down, lay my arm across them to hold, and go down the line nailing the bottom 2 nail. Then flip them onto the side for 4 more, then upright for the last 2 nails. When all are done, I pull up a chair and start flipping and nailing the wedge bars. It goes quick.

This has worked for me for the last 3 yrs. I don't glue them anymore - the bees do that. Haven't had any problems. Extracts fine if the comb is connected on all 4 sides.
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Offline CoolBees

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2020, 05:36:05 pm »
A crown stapler is much stronger but you probably have to go pneumatic.

Good idea. I bought one of those (finally) a few months ago, but haven't tried it on frames yet. Will have to try it this yr.
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Offline Seeb

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2020, 08:12:19 pm »
I don?t have a shop, so assemble in my kitchen.  That?s why I want a battery operated one, that and I don?t have the space for storage. The barn at my house was used as a smoke house, and everything metal stored in there rusts quickly.

Offline CoolBees

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2020, 08:47:49 pm »
Nothing wrong with an electric nailer or stapler, seeb. I was just saying how I do it. An electric one sure would be quieter. I do like Ace's suggestion on the stapler.
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Offline Seeb

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2020, 08:40:33 am »
Nothing wrong with an electric nailer or stapler, seeb. I was just saying how I do it. An electric one sure would be quieter. I do like Ace's suggestion on the stapler.

I love to hear ALL thoughts Cool, so not a problem to me. I thank you for your input

Offline Acebird

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2020, 09:41:46 am »
I don't glue them anymore - the bees do that.
They do but it is not the bees that wreck frames it is the beekeeper.  I stopped gluing frames too and this is where the crown staple helps.
Brian Cardinal
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Offline Acebird

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2020, 10:03:32 am »
https://youtu.be/pXGETkl546g
Cool this is pretty quick and how you should staple with a 1/4 crown stapler.
Brian Cardinal
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Offline Seeb

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2020, 10:51:03 am »
Ace

I am leaning toward a battery operated crown stapler by DeWalt and since I have all Dewalt 20-volt tools already, I can just buy the stapler and use the batteries I have.
It drives 18-Gauge narrow crown staples from 1/2 to 1-1/2 in. 
Is yours a narrow crown?  Great video - thanks

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2020, 11:32:13 am »
That stapler will do just fine for frames. I use a pneumatic stapler with 1/4? wide staples and it does a great job. If possible, get one that can also use straight finish nails.
Jim Altmiller
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Offline paus

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2020, 05:55:56 pm »
Make a jig for 10 frames at a time, at least 10,  You will be even on time spent after 20 or 30 frames.  They are quick and easy to make.  I have been using titebond III, but I am going to go back to Gorilla glue for a trial.  I have seen jigs that held a box of 100 frames but they must have a dedicated table and are  heavy and hard to move.  I have considered  a 20 or 30 jig, and I wish I had gone that way at first.

Offline Seeb

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #12 on: January 22, 2020, 08:35:55 pm »

Jimsawdust - I would rather have a 16 ga finish nailer - only because It will be more versatile for me. Do you think a finish nailer would be too much  for assembling delicate frames 

Paus - someone  is making me a jig for 10 frames at a time, and for the amount of hives I will have, that is good enough, and I?ve got my titebond III all ready to go! thanks for your thoughts

Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #13 on: January 22, 2020, 11:55:54 pm »
Boy. You guys are big time beeks. I assemble my frames with the included nails from the supplier, using an upholstery hammer... Laid out on a large kitchen cutting board perched on my knees, while watching TV in my den. Pitiful.

Offline cao

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2020, 12:16:17 am »
Bob,
  I have done my share of frames like you.  I used a old coffee table sitting next to me instead of the cutting board.   Once you start buying frames 500 at a time that coffee table isn't big enough.  I made a jig out of scrap plywood that will hold 18 at a time.  I used to still nail them by hand.  I bought an air stapler cheap at an auction and have been using that for the last batch of frames last spring.  It does save time.

Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #15 on: January 23, 2020, 08:29:04 am »
How many hives do each of you have?
Me...1

Offline Acebird

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #16 on: January 23, 2020, 08:37:32 am »
It drives 18-Gauge narrow crown staples from 1/2 to 1-1/2 in. 
Is yours a narrow crown?  Great video - thanks
Yes, that is why I am putting two staples in top and bottom.  If you went commercial to 3/8 or 1/2 wide staple you only use one staple top and bottom.  The crown staple will not pull through the top and bottom bar but a brad nail will.  So if you are using brads then I would advise using glue.
Brian Cardinal
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Offline Seeb

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #17 on: January 23, 2020, 08:42:56 am »
Boy. You guys are big time beeks. I assemble my frames with the included nails from the supplier, using an upholstery hammer... Laid out on a large kitchen cutting board perched on my knees, while watching TV in my den. Pitiful.

That's a cool way to do it too

Offline Seeb

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #18 on: January 23, 2020, 08:53:28 am »
It drives 18-Gauge narrow crown staples from 1/2 to 1-1/2 in. 
Is yours a narrow crown?  Great video - thanks
Yes, that is why I am putting two staples in top and bottom.  If you went commercial to 3/8 or 1/2 wide staple you only use one staple top and bottom.  The crown staple will not pull through the top and bottom bar but a brad nail will.  So if you are using brads then I would advise using glue.

Thanks Ace

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: battery powered brad nailer
« Reply #19 on: January 23, 2020, 09:12:22 am »
The cheapest frame jig that I have used and made 1000s of frames with is just use a hive box, add 2-1/4? wide strips of wood stapled to the 2 frame end sides and put a piece of 1/2? plywood under the frames.
The added 1/4? x 1/2? by the with of the hive makes the frames stay straight and square. Put one near the top and one near the bottom.  The plywood under the frames holds the frames up a little for stapling. I glue all of the frames first by stacking all of the 10 top boards together and brush the glue on the side slots only. Then I do the sides of the bottom boards and the inside of the side boards. And install all of the frames in the jig. I staple all of the top boards then turn the jig upside down and staple all of the bottom boards. Sometimes I let it sit for 30 minutes while I am using a second jig. This lets the glue set. If I am doing a lot of frames I just carefully remove the frames and put them in the supers to dry.
When you are done with the jig and need another super, you can pull the 1/4? wood strips out and put your frames in it.
I took an old deep box that had bad rot damage and used my table saw to cut it down short enough that I now do not have to put a piece of plywood in the bottom.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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