Nail Gun for Roofing
Here's a roofing nail gun. This dandy cordless roofing nailer
"My roofing nail gun had a small lithium-ion rechargeable battery and a tiny canister of propane gas that powered the tool. Inside the nail gun was a small internal combustion engine that produced the instant burst of power to drive each roofing nail."
Roofing Nail Gun Checklist
- Hose or no-hose?
- Lightweight
- Durable
- Works any weather
DEAR TIM: I've decided to re-roof my house because I simply can't afford to pay a roofer. I'll be stripping off all the shingles down to the bare wood.
Do you feel it's worth it to purchase a nail gun to install the roofing nails? What can you tell me about these tools? I'm seriously thinking of starting my own small roofing business so I feel I might get lots of use from the tool.
Have you ever used these guns? Do they really work well? - Sam P., Lexington, KY
Related Links
The BEST Roofing Nails - Don't be Fooled!
Framing Nail Guns - Use it to Build the Roof!
DEAR SAM: Your next job brought a smile to my face.
I clearly remember the first house I bought. I was 23 years old, and it was a vacant home that needed work. It had a hole in the roof big enough to put a basketball through. Needless to say, I was up on that roof stripping off the shingles, repairing the bad wood and then installing shingles to make the house weathertight.
When Was the First Roofing Nail Gun Invented?
The first roofing nail gun was invented, as best as I can determine, in the 1990s.
When I did that roof back in the mid-1970's, roofing nail guns were just a glimmer in the eye of modern tool company engineers. Twenty years earlier, the first powered nail gun was invented, but it drove nails meant to secure subflooring to floor joists. I had to install those shingles on my house nailing each nail by hand - thousands and thousands of nails.
When Were Roofing Staple Guns Invented?
Roofing staple guns were invented in the early 1980s.
In the 1980's, I started to use pneumatic staple guns that were made to install wide staples into roof shingles. It was an approved method at the time, but there were issues with staples that were driven too deeply that tore into the shingles.
If this happens, the holding power of the staple is not transferred completely to the body of the roofing shingle.
Were the First Roofing Nail Guns Perfect?
No, the early models were not perfect by any means, but they did drive roofing nails far faster than an average roofer could do it by hand.
The tool never tires, but humans do. Don't forget that.
How Reliable is a Modern Roofing Nail Gun?
Modern roofing nail guns are very reliable.
As you might expect, there have been vast improvements in roofing nail guns. This past summer, I had the pleasure of working with a Paslode impulse roofing nailer
Here's the exact nailer I used on my roof. It was a pleasure to use and never misfired. CLICK THE IMAGE NOW TO ORDER ONE.
Do All Roofing Nail Guns Require Air Hoses?
No, some roofing nail guns do not run on compressed air. They don't need an air hose.
The particular gun I used did not require an air hose or a noisy air compressor on the ground. My roofing nail gun had a small lithium-ion rechargeable battery and a tiny canister of propane gas that powered the tool. Inside the nail gun was a small internal combustion engine that produced the instant burst of power to drive each roofing nail.
How Fast Do the Nail Guns Shoot a Nail?
As fast as you could move the tool, safely position it, and pull the trigger, another nail shoots into the roof. The tool allowed me to install shingles far faster than I could ever imagine doing it by driving nails with a traditional hammer. What's more, I was less fatigued. That's important, as fatigue leads to accidents while up on roofs.
Does it Make Financial Sense to Buy a Nail Gun?
Depending on how much you value your time and the urgency with which you need to finish the roof so water doesn't get into your home, I would wager that it can make financial sense to invest in one of these tools for just one roofing job.
Can I Sell the Nail Gun After Using It on One Job?
If you care for the tool, you can sell it online at one of the free classified websites in just a matter of days. Contractors are always looking for great deals on tools like this, especially tools that have all the original paperwork in the tool case.
If you do decide to start your own small business, you'll have a great competitive edge with this tool. You'll be far more productive which leads to higher profits.
Should I Read the Owners Manual?
My biggest suggestion is to read the owner's manual that comes with the tool. Read it cover to cover. The safety warnings are the most important, and then you need to know how to care and clean the tool.
Do You Have to Clean the Nail Gun?
The roofing nailers require more frequent cleaning and care than a regular nail gun that just fires nails into wood, oriented strand board and plywood. The asphalt shingles, dirt, shingle granular material, etc. are all hard on the roofing nail guns. It's really important to clean the tool regularly.
| Don't underestimate the danger of these tools. You can get seriously injured with any nail gun. They shoot out the fasteners at extremely fast speeds. Don't point the guns at people or yourself. Don't allow the tip of the gun to ever point at your body or come into contact with a body part.
NEVER carry the tool around with your finger on the trigger. A common accident is a worker coming down a ladder with the tool in his hand and finger on the trigger. The tool can come into contact with a person's head standing next to the ladder. As you might suspect, the gun fires the instant the tip of the gun touches the person's skull. Ouch! |
You can watch a video about replacing a roof shingle. Simply click here - "replace roof shingle video".
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