We all come across at least 1 situation where we have to drive nails through something however we don’t find the right tool for this work. Hence in this article we will talk about a very simple tool known as an air nail gun which could be very useful in driving nails in wood and other materials. If you are a new user of this tool and need some tips go ahead and read this article to get more information.
Things To Keep In Mind While Using Air Nail Guns
Go Through The User Guide
If you bought air nail guns but do not know how to use them, flip through the instructions in the manual in order to become familiar with the mechanics of the tool. It is not a good idea to put the instructions manual aside, but that’s not a good idea. According to a survey nail gun injuries are responsible for about 37,000 emergency room visits every year. The more familiar you are with your tool, the more confident you will be.
Try To Use Sequential Mode
Many air nail guns, large and small, have two different fire modes:
Sequential Mode: this mode requires the user to perform a sequence of steps before using it. The sequence involves squeezing the safety nose and then pulling the nail gun’s trigger to fire a nail. The 2 step process is the safest way to use this tool.
Bump Mode: Some air nail guns allow the user to save time by switching from sequential mode to bump mode. Users can hold the trigger and then move the tool to a new location, and when the safety tip is squeezed, a nail will break every time. You may have seen professional roofers quickly pulling nails to attach the shingles one after the other with less than a second is done through the bump mode.
Protect Your Eyes And Ears
Some air nail guns, especially larger ones used for framing, can be loud, ranging from around 90-100 decibels, in some cases almost as much as a shot, so wear earplugs while you work. Also, it may happen that while driving the nail through any material any small piece of the material may break off, hence it important to protect your eyes too.
Power Cut The Tool When Loading
While today’s air nail guns are designed to be as secure as possible, however there are chances of the nails getting stuck while loading. If such scenario arises, if your air nail gun is battery-operated, disconnect the air hose from a pneumatic nail gun before loading nails or clearing a jam. Likewise, if you are using a less common type of gun fueled by butane cartridges, remove the cartridge before loading other nails or removing a stuck nail.
Keep Your Second Hand Out Of The Fire Line
One of the most common nail gun accidents occurs when the user holds two pieces of wood together while pulling a nail near their hand. If the nail goes all the way through the material and comes out of the bottom or instead of the nail going straight in, it bends and pops out the side of the board it can severely injure your hand. Use pliers as needed to hold the pieces of wood together to keep your free hand out of the way.
Don’t Lower Your Nail Gun By The Hose
If you’re ready to come down a ladder or scaffolding after completing a job, resist the temptation to lower an air nail gun through the air hose attached to it. When a nail gun is in bump mode and in case it swings and strikes the ladder or something nearby, the safety tip may fall off, resulting in a nail being fired.
Conclusion
We hope that we have helped you understand the safety tips that you should keep in mind while operating air nail guns.
