Yeah, totally get that—nail guns can be tricky with delicate trim. I've found that dialing back the pressure slightly and angling the nails a bit away from the edge usually helps. Also, using thinner gauge nails makes a noticeable difference...less splitting overall.
Totally agree on dialing back the pressure and thinner gauge nails—makes a big difference. I'd also add that from a sustainability perspective, nail guns can actually be preferable to hammers. They tend to waste fewer nails overall, since there's less bending or misalignment. Plus, less hammering means fewer vibrations and impact stress on older or reclaimed wood, which is a nice bonus if you're working with salvaged materials. Just something else to consider...
Good points on reclaimed wood—I hadn't thought about the vibration factor much. I've also noticed nail guns speed things up enough that you can spend more time on details and finishing touches. But do you think the upfront cost and maintenance hassle balance out long-term? Curious what others have experienced...
"But do you think the upfront cost and maintenance hassle balance out long-term?"
Good question—I've wondered about that too. Has anyone tracked how often their nail gun actually needs servicing or replacement parts over, say, five years of regular use? Curious if the convenience really holds up...
"Has anyone tracked how often their nail gun actually needs servicing or replacement parts over, say, five years of regular use?"
Good point to consider. From personal experience, if you're diligent about basic upkeep—like routinely oiling the air inlet and keeping your compressor drained—nail guns rarely need major servicing. Over five years of steady weekend projects, I've only replaced a couple of O-rings and one trigger assembly. Honestly, the convenience factor has definitely outweighed those occasional fixes for me...
