Nail Guns 101
As the name implies, nail guns are powerful devices that fire nails at high speed into wood or other materials. They are amazing labor-saving devices and have all but replaced the traditional hammer-and-nail approach in the construction industry and for some DIY enthusiasts.
They are capable of driving a nail into even the toughest of surfaces and are immeasurably faster than knocking hundreds or even thousands of nails in manually.
However, they are also highly dangerous, so a word of caution is necessary! Every year in the US, over 35,000 people end up in the emergency room with nail gun injuries, at an estimated cost of more than $300 million – something to bear in mind both when buying and using a nail gun. As well as the obvious hazards of driving a nail into your hand or foot, there is the risk of powerful recoil, and guns for larger nails can be quite heavy and awkward.
Power and safety
Nail guns are powered in a variety of ways. Some use compressed air or flammable gases like butane, along with a piston; others employ electromagnetism or even small explosive charges. Nails generally come in ‘magazines’ or cartridges, and so do not need to be loaded individually. They are often coated with adhesive which melts with the heat of impact, producing a superior grip.
In terms of safety, look carefully at the trigger system. Nail guns typically have two trips: the trigger itself, and a muzzle trip that must be depressed before it will work. Sequential-trip triggers require that the muzzle trip be depressed first, raising the chances that the nail gun is in the right place before you press the manual trigger. Dual-action contact-trip nail guns only require that both are depressed, which tends to lead to a higher rate of accidents.
Pic credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pdz_house/
