House building project under way

[J_T]

DanG you going to build your tee's,corners, crippels and headers a head ??? All my tools are like me getting old :'( We built ours and then put them under cover.We hand picked the best for these also the studs for the kitcken where the cabnets were going .Also we were pickey with the insolation I hated it but always did it right the first time.Once we over stuffed around some windows and got them so tight they wouldn't work right. Hop I an't over loading your wagon all at once. Ck the roof is yours I'm lost thare that is above me .Last one I was on I looked in the kitchen window as I went by ,I knew it was going to hurt :(

[SwampDonkey]

J_T:

Skil's a circular saw as Ski-doo is a snow mobile. ;) ;D

[Norm]

Did somebody say TOOLS!, seems I may have a couple of those around here. ;D Don't buy the campbell hausfield power nailers, they're poor quality and my mother in law can drive nails better. My personal favorite for air nailers is Hitachi but DeWalt and Bostich are good too. DeWalt has a newer model worm drive circular out that's real nice and their 12" sliding compound miter is about the handiest tool I own. Get the base with wings for it.

Every time I get the latest copy of Tool Crib I have fantasies of winning the lottery and spending it all there. I drool so bad Patty has to put a bib on me. :D

[DanG]

 :D :D :D  Norm, I got a built-in bib to catch the tool drool. ;D




What makes the Hitachi your favorite nail gun?

I plan to pre-build as much stuff as I can. I figger to do this stuff alone, then put it in place when the hired guns are here. Should save a lot in labor costs that way. I haven't seen the details of the framing yet, so I don't know what parts can be done this way. I'm thinking of prebuilding the wall sections, complete with headers for doors and windows, etc and placing them with the Hootiemobile. That should really shorten the dry-in time and cut down on weather exposure of new wood. That might be important with the new restrictions on pressure treated wood. Sodium Borate don't take to kindly to being rained on.

[Norm]

In the fall when the weather turns cooler I let my beard grow until the end of deer season. I helps keep your face and neck warm during cold weather, not to mention catching all those crumbs that would otherwise be wasted on the floor. ;)

The Hitachi stick nailer I have is the NR83A, it will shoot 3 1/4" framing nails like greased lightning. Works well with the smaller ones for sheeting and flooring as well. Easy to unjam and pretty reliable.

The framing crew that did our present house brought out two of the 12" dewalt miters, makes nice square cuts. Only things they cut with the worm drives were the sheeting. Something else they did that I'd never seen before was use construction adhesive under the bottom sills of the exterior and interior walls. Really made them stay put especially when they butted another wall up against it.

[Bruce_A]

For the price you can't beat the armstrong Vaughn in the 20 oz. long frame model.  Fewer moving parts and lower initial cost.

[Larry]

Bruce that's the best armstrong model ever made.  Them west coast framers all use em.  Its also the one that convinced me to buy my first nail gun some 11 years ago after my elbow went out.  It still gets a lot of use but the Bostich gets used if it is one nail after another.  Tennis elbow ain't no fun.

I guess I'm sort of a tool junkie also.  Maybe 4 years ago I started buying at

http://www.toolking.com/index.asp

when they were first getting a start selling reconditioned tools.  First purchase was a Dewalt biscuit joiner, second was a DW 3/8" corded drill, and third was a DW cordless drill.  All the tools appeared to be brand new with a great price break.  The reconditioned tools carry the same warranty as new.  Both of my drills are still kicking and have had a lot of use and abuse.  Toolking also seems to be a great company with fast and reliable service.

[J_T]

Dan G on most jobs we had three men.If it were me I would want two experenced guys or gals.All you need to build what I ask about is a level spot and a take off of rough in sizes keep one end and side even.We used solid headers over our doors an windows thus they were in parts as weight and bulk could be a problem. Also we built on the sub floor our walls as they would get hevey and flex ,we put then in sechons three men could set up.we then had our brace lumber in place if they were in two or three parts we broke the top plate where we could join them for best results.Five of us put a house in the dry in one weak it was a one level house with two car port. We were all pros like to of killed me but fridey night the roofers nailed the last shingels on. Am typing this as it comes to me been a while since I did a lot of it

[TN_man]

DanG,
I was kind of wondering if you had to have a permit to carry a nail gun in FL? :D :D

[DanG]

Nah, Tman. You can carry as long as it ain't concealed. :D :D

[CHARLIE]

DanG! I've read a lot of good advice here. I don't know much of anything about house construction but I'm gonna put in my 2 cents worth of advice anyway.

First!  Don't work outside mid day during July and August!

Second! Don't hire Tom to cater your lunches.

Third! Order a set of building codes from Boca Raton, Florida. When things get tough and discouraging and you are getting frustrated with all the local building codes, sit down and read the ones from Boca Raton. It will brighten up your day 'cause you'll realize how good you got it. ;D

[Larry]

I just learned of another consideration for choosing a nail gun.  The replacement for CCA treated lumber is ACQ.  ACQ requires "hot dipped galvanized" or stainless steel nails.  When I stopped by the local yard last week to pick up a box of Bostich nails they were out.  The manager told me the supply has been short all year for Bostich guns and just as bad or worse for some of the other brands of guns.  Next stop was Lowes and I was lucky to get the last two box's they had.

A little info for fastener use with ACQ lumber can be found here.

http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/articles/showarticle.asp?articleID=2115&position=1&type=article&partID=1

Also be prepared for sticker shock when you buy that first box of hot dip galvanized nails.

[DanG]

Thanks a million for the link, Larry! 8)  That's a good one! I've already learned a few things, and would have already made mistakes if I was a little farther down the road. I read the Tool Test for nailers, and will probably go with the Hitachi. There are great explanations given there as to why certain products excelled in certain areas. Fer instance, I was going with the DeWalt because it is lighter. Nyet, nyet, says the Tool Test. The heavier tool was less tiring to operate because it stays where you put it instead of bouncing on every shot. Whooda thunk? ???

Anybody know how to put this site in the ForestryForum Links?

[Buzz-sawyer]

Dang, what do you think about the cordless/airless nailers?

[DanG]

I think they're great if you don't have compressed air available. Otherwise, more expensive to buy and operate. I have a generator and air compressor, so I don't need one.

[ScottAR]

If I was a pro, I'd have one...  Very handy for tacking things together on the roof deck or underneath the floor.  They carry more maintence than the air guns as one has to take em apart every 2-3 days and clean out the fire chamber.  Buy an extra battery too cuz they don't last all day.  

For the amatuer like myself,  Just too expensive to operate regularly.  Those fuel cells are expensive.  

My pnuematic gun gets a few drops of oil in the inlet and it's good to go til sundown or at least lunch time.  

[sprucebunny]

I have a Paslode airless nailer. Works great.Has survived quite alot of punishment and haven't had to clean it much..

[OneWithWood]

I'll second the Paslode.  It is great when I am working out in the woods where juice just isn't available.  But where you got juice a good air operated stick nailer is worth its weight in oil.

[Gilman]

I started getting as many tools as possible from the Porter Cable/ Delta factory outlet store over in Portland, OR. You pay about 60% of new and they all factory reconditioned.  That 19.2V cordless set that retailed for $499.00 sold there for about $280.00.  My charger went out so I took it over to get repaired, "$60.00".  $75.00 for a new one, or a reconditioned 19.2V hammer drill, charger and two batteries for $125.00.  Got an extra drill and two extra batteries now.

Here's there service center finder:  Look for a "factory service center" if you are interested.
http://www.porter-cable.com/index.asp?e=257