Post your woodwork here

[Grebel]

A question about nail guns.... Our new house is in need of some simple cupboards in the kitchen and study. 

 

Kitchen cupboards will include a set of pot drawers, an under counter oven unit, a storage cupboard and a set of drawers if there is space. At this point in time the budget allows me to make up the cupboard carcass from 15mm beech ply for the exposed bits and pine ply for the internal bits. Doors will be CNC routed by a mate to match existing.

 

Study cupboards and work tops will probably be melamine 

 

I have seen guys using nail guns to assemble and it makes a load of sense so I decided to get a nail gun but I need help with what type?

 

Brad nailer or Finish nailer and then do you go with 16Ga or 18Ga nails? For cupboards I am inclined to stick with 2" nails

 

After some Internet research, my head is telling me a Brad nailer with F Type 18Ga 2" nails....

 

Please enlighten me. What do you real wood working gurus use?

[stefmeister]

A question about nail guns.... Our new house is in need of some simple cupboards in the kitchen and study. 

 

Kitchen cupboards will include a set of pot drawers, an under counter oven unit, a storage cupboard and a set of drawers if there is space. At this point in time the budget allows me to make up the cupboard carcass from 15mm beech ply for the exposed bits and pine ply for the internal bits. Doors will be CNC routed by a mate to match existing.

 

Study cupboards and work tops will probably be melamine 

 

I have seen guys using nail guns to assemble and it makes a load of sense so I decided to get a nail gun but I need help with what type?

 

Brad nailer or Finish nailer and then do you go with 16Ga or 18Ga nails? For cupboards I am inclined to stick with 2" nails

 

After some Internet research, my head is telling me a Brad nailer with F Type 18Ga 2" nails....

 

Please enlighten me. What do you real wood working gurus use?

I don't specifically have any experience with nail guns, but it's somewhere on my shopping list for tools. 

Although it's convenient, I don't think it's the correct tool to install cupboards. Perhaps on the carcass and unseen bits. Joining exterior panels with dowels, or dominoes (Festool) if you're lucky enough, is still the "more" correct way.

[Berg Man]

A question about nail guns.... Our new house is in need of some simple cupboards in the kitchen and study. 

 

Kitchen cupboards will include a set of pot drawers, an under counter oven unit, a storage cupboard and a set of drawers if there is space. At this point in time the budget allows me to make up the cupboard carcass from 15mm beech ply for the exposed bits and pine ply for the internal bits. Doors will be CNC routed by a mate to match existing.

 

Study cupboards and work tops will probably be melamine 

 

I have seen guys using nail guns to assemble and it makes a load of sense so I decided to get a nail gun but I need help with what type?

 

Brad nailer or Finish nailer and then do you go with 16Ga or 18Ga nails? For cupboards I am inclined to stick with 2" nails

 

After some Internet research, my head is telling me a Brad nailer with F Type 18Ga 2" nails....

 

Please enlighten me. What do you real wood working gurus use?

Nailers are useful for light work, such as trims, "skirtings" on bedside pedestal etc. I have seen plenty guys use them for carcasses for kitchens and BIC. I am personally not a fan of that, but it makes sense in that the strength of those units actually come, by and large, from being attached to each other and the wall. The downside of that is the nails hiding shelves in place are a weak point and once those start moving, then it is a problem.

 

Reading through your post again, I'd offer this advise. If you go the nails route, ensure you use good quality runners on the drawers. This helps prevent the load on the joints being too high.

 

Also, don't forget to allow for the nail to be seated slightly below the surface of the material. Don't use a 32mm nail on facings like melamine as it will punch through the other side

 

We use screws to assemble all our carcasses. It takes longer, but is far stronger that way. The downside is if staff don't measure or aim straight, then screws can cause splitting if they put them in too close to the edges of the board.

 

For light work around the factory, we use Brad nails, F15 and F32.

 

Hope this helps

Edited March 23, 2018 by Berg Man

[Grebel]

I don't specifically have any experience with nail guns, but it's somewhere on my shopping list for tools. 

Although it's convenient, I don't think it's the correct tool to install cupboards. Perhaps on the carcass and unseen bits. Joining exterior panels with dowels, or dominoes (Festool) if you're lucky enough, is still the "more" correct way.

 

Just for the assembly of the carcasses. As mentioned, This isn't going to be cabinetry level stuff. Basically 4 boxes. One with two pot drawers on those steel ball bearing sliders, an oven unit, a storage cupboard and a set of drawers. My experience with dowels etc is very limited...

[porqui]

Grebel I do cabinetmaking

 

I do not use nails or brads for construction - only chipboard screws.

Screws grab and pull and that force makes for a fairly sturdy joint.

A nail or brad does not have the pulling force it basically only holds things in place and when you have a racking force on the structure the joint tends to pull apart.

 

I use brads and STAPLES to attach backing and drawer bottoms and a finishing nailer to add trim

[Ed-Zulu]

Grebs, further to what is mentioned above; brads and nails are good for a temporary hold on construction, but a screw is unbeaten in the long run.

 

As you know, we often do temporary jobs that end up having to function for years. rather use screws with a glue drop on the contact surfaces for a longer lasting sturdier construction.

[Grebel]

Nailers are useful for light work, such as trims, "skirtings" on bedside pedestal etc. I have seen plenty guys use them for carcasses for kitchens and BIC. I am personally not a fan of that, but it makes sense in that the strength of those units actually come, by and large, from being attached to each other and the wall. The downside of that is the nails hiding shelves in place are a weak point and once those start moving, then it is a problem.

 

Reading through your post again, I'd offer this advise. If you go the nails route, ensure you use good quality runners on the drawers. This helps prevent the load on the joints being too high.

 

Also, don't forget to allow for the nail to be seated slightly below the surface of the material. Don't use a 32mm nail on facings like melamine as it will punch through the other side

 

We use screws to assemble all our carcasses. It takes longer, but is far stronger that way. The downside is if staff don't measure or aim straight, then screws can cause splitting if they put them in too close to the edges of the board.

 

For light work around the factory, we use Brad nails, F15 and F32.

 

Hope this helps

 

Thanks for the info. Maybe a change in plan is needed. Use the nails to assemble the visible panels with glue and then to use screws for the rest. 

 

On the other hand, I might just use pineply and screws to assemble all the carcasses and then just glue a piece of 6mm beechply to the end piece that is exposed... 

 

If the construction turns out OK I may be inclined to build the drawers from beech ply as well....

[Grebel]

@Ed-Zulu and @porqui after reading those comments I may be inclined to take the money set aside for that nail gun and invest in an 18V cordless instead....

[Berg Man]

Thanks for the info. Maybe a change in plan is needed. Use the nails to assemble the visible panels with glue and then to use screws for the rest. 

 

On the other hand, I might just use pineply and screws to assemble all the carcasses and then just glue a piece of 6mm beechply to the end piece that is exposed... 

 

If the construction turns out OK I may be inclined to build the drawers from beech ply as well....

Good plan. And as Grebel says above, use that cash for a cordless drill. Far more useful in the long run

[kosmonooit]

If you are not aware of the cordless impact drivers, check that out for driving screws,its friggin awesome.  Yes you can use a normal drill in driver mode, but this takes it to the next level, much easier to drive in wood screws,

 

I got an entry level brushed Makita (sans battery) for about R1600

[stefmeister]

If you are not aware of the cordless impact drivers, check that out for driving screws,its friggin awesome.  Yes you can use a normal drill in driver mode, but this takes it to the next level, much easier to drive in wood screws,

 

I got an entry level brushed Makita (sans battery) for about R1600

+1. Impact drivers FTW. 

[Berg Man]

Impact drivers are the bomb, but I seriously hate that noise. GRRRRRRRR GRRRRRRRR 

[kosmonooit]

Impact drivers are the bomb, but I seriously hate that noise. GRRRRRRRR GRRRRRRRR 

 

 

There's a new fluid drive tech that is supposedly quieter, and obvious muchos more moola

[DJR]

Yes, it's a beetle.

As long as it isn't a wood-boring beetle, it is welcome

[carrera4s]

Do anyone have a contact for installing solid wooden floors in Pretoria?  (Waterkloof)  18 squares.

[eccc whippet]

@Ed-Zulu and @porqui after reading those comments I may be inclined to take the money set aside for that nail gun and invest in an 18V cordless instead....

 a nail gun is very handy tool to have...i am busy with my pub build and all the panels around the pub are nailed...i have a hilti GX 120 to nail the studs to the wall and a pneumatic nailer to secure the planks to the studs...the nailer stopped shooting nails...took it in for repairs nobody can fix it...now i now what it like not to have a nailer...certainly going to be investing in a new one.