Tree Marking Guns - Manual Operating

jayfed · March 29, 2006, 09:42:44 PM

I wish to hear your opinions on the various tree marking guns which are available. The basic non-powered trigger pull type. It seems that there are only three such guns on the market: The Nelson, the Trecoder, and the Idico. Are there any other basic paint guns to be found? Wrongly or not, I have always thought a Nelson gun was best on the first day and after that it proved to be wear-prone, the leather gasket left a bit to be desired and too many parts that might be part of a seemingly simple problem. I went to the Trecoder and have been satisfy overall with the 'O'-rings being the main wear point. I have not used the much less expensive Idico gun. Since I am stuck in a rut with the Trecoder, I thought some other users might lead me elsewhere or to stay with the orange tried and true Trecoder.

Tillaway · March 29, 2006, 11:00:01 PM

Stick with the Trecoder... Idico's are not worth the $40.

Sawyerfortyish · March 30, 2006, 06:14:07 AM

I've used the trecoder about 10 years. The same gun and only rebuilt it once. Always took it apart after each use and cleaned it and lightly oiled the plunger.

Ron Scott · March 30, 2006, 04:30:38 PM

I use the Nelson Guns as does my Forest Technician. I usually get 2-3 years on a gun before it needs a rebuild. I have one to take in to Nelson's now for a rebuild on my next trip to the UP. I keep the leathers oiled regularly, but I'm "hard" on them.

Nelson's keep telling me that I need to clean my guns better, but I tell them that a paint gun is suppose to have paint on it. ;)

I tend to stay with them since I've known them since Mr. Nelson started making tree marking paint and they are a Michigan UP product. I've seen many of their sales people and employees come and go over the years.

jayfed · April 04, 2006, 10:55:48 PM

I think I will stick with the Trecoder. Replacing the O-rings/ check springs/springs once about every 18 months is a small thing to deal with for me. And the guns have over the years have had only nozzle jammed about 6 times. And keep those guns upright in the truck and switch hands when using the gun... it's actually faster marking and easier on the wrists. (Wal-marts paintbrush cleaner in the plastic container has worked the best for cleaning and keeping the O-rings lasting longer.)

Jay F.

Sunfield Hardwood · April 05, 2006, 07:22:40 PM

I am wondering if anyone has used a paintball gun to mark trees, I checked and found out the paint is water soluble so it may not last long, but I use spray marking paint now,you can probably mark about 100 trees per can. maybe I just want an excuse to buy and shoot a paintball gun.

Reddog · April 05, 2006, 07:30:32 PM

Sunfield, The color does not last long and it never really dries. After a week or two it all changes to a gray or white color. The main things in it is veg oil and deterigent. Shot a lot of trees but never for marking. ;D

Ron Scott · April 06, 2006, 06:49:20 PM

Nelon's use to have such a "pistol" gun for tree marking with tree marking paint balls. It was intended for longer distances such as tree marking across creeks, two tracks, hill sides etc. I don't know if they still market it since they are now heavy into the "sport" paint ball guns.

jrdwyer · April 12, 2006, 04:22:11 PM

I use the Trecoder gun with Niles paint and Nelson quart cans.

Ron Scott · April 12, 2006, 07:35:11 PM

You seem to have them all "covered". :D I kinda like the treecoder paint plastic quart containers and have been using them lately with the Nelson paint gun.

jrdwyer · April 12, 2006, 11:13:42 PM

I think the Niles quart paint cans are made of wimpy metal. The Nelson quart cans are strong and take abuse well. I haven't tried the plastic cans. Do they bounce when dropped?

I find that with storage in my attached garage, the Niles paint has a very long shelf life. When I worked for the state of Kentucky, they stored Nelson gallons in an unheated storage shed. Due to temperature extremes, the paint would always gunk up. We used a lot of mineral spirits to deal with that. I use very little mineral spirits now with the Trecoder gun and Niles paint, just ocasionally for cleaning the screen and intake and nozzle.

jayfed · April 13, 2006, 02:20:09 PM

Since where I live here in the UP of Michigan is the homebase for Nelsen paint, I have not heard of Niles paint. Nelsens paint took the lead out of their paint a while ago which made life so much easier. Then about 3-4 years back the newer, more brillant marking paints came out. However, they faded quickly within 1-2 years. Just last year the company said it took reduced or took out the brown pigment which was part of the formulation. True or not, the 'improved' paints look better. The paints are also thinner then any previous type. Now it is a wait and see for the duration test. Nelsen has gone to a thinner steel can. It takes very little to dent them. Clean-up is easy with the paint brush cleaner I use from Wal-mart. Hasn't turn to slush in winter like the last type I used . I think the slushy type was a 'bio-safe' solution. I remember when the USFS came out with their 'new' light green paint about 5-6 years ago which was from Nelsens, I had to clean the feed tube screen twice a day. There was talk about reformulating it.

jrdwyer · April 14, 2006, 08:50:10 PM

Niles Chemical Paint Company, Niles, Michigan. There seem to be a lot of forestry related companies based in Michigan, quite a progressive forestry state!

I use both their blue and orange lead free tree marking paints. I need several colors available because I sometimes mark stands that have already been marked by timber buyers where the landowner rejected the offer and then hired me.

I like the orange better than the blue for visibiltiy in the hardwood forest, but the blue is cheaper. As far as longevity, I find that Niles paint lasts 2-3 years in flooded bottomlands and 3-5 years in the upland forest. That covers most timber sale contracts that I have.

I do ocasionally have to clean the gunk off the screen when marking with Niles paint. This could be because I buy a large quantiy of paint at one time and don't use it as fast as I should. It could also be that Niles paint is thicker than it should be for the Trecoder gun. I might try Nelson's newer paint with my next purchase. It seems that for the Trecoder gun, thinner paints are better (as long as they last more than one year).

Ron Scott · April 18, 2006, 08:46:33 PM

I like the Treecoder and Niles paints also, but use Nelson's mostly since its an "old Michigan product". The company founder, Mr. Nelson was good to us foresters when he was the only tree making paint source "in town".

Yes, the Treecoder plastic cans do bounce and I'm seeing how long they last compared to Nelson's Metal cans. So far so good and they seem to "clean up" better.

Nelson's has been suppose to come out with a "pouring spout" for their gallon paint cans for ease of pouring into the quart cans without spilling. They have been working on it for 5 plus years and still haven't produced it for service yet.

Us foresters need to keep telling them that we are "tired" of spilling tree marking paint on ourselves and EPA frowns on any ground spills. ;)

nyforester · April 18, 2006, 08:50:08 PM

I have tried them all...I threw them all away except for the Nelson. It is very easy to clean and work on. Have you ever tried to work on a trecoder ?? Mine went into the dumpster.

jrdwyer · April 19, 2006, 01:23:03 PM

Nelson still has the opening on the gallon cans in the center? I remember always spilling when trying to pour Nelson paint into quart cans. Niles has the opening on the side and I almost never spill. I guess some kind of funnel or spout would take care of this issue.

jayfed · April 19, 2006, 04:34:27 PM

Transferring Paint from Gallons to Quarts:

Open the Nelson gallon can after shaking. Use a can opener at the opposing corner. Pour from the can opener end. Do not top off the cans. Have a fifth can ready to handle the extra paint.

You should never have a mess. Just be watchful of the level in the quart can.

Yooper-at-Large, Jay F.