Good points about trigger pressure and alignment—definitely took me a few tries to get comfortable with it too. A couple things I've noticed from my own projects:
- Nail guns tend to give me more consistent nail depth once dialed in, especially on repetitive tasks like framing or flooring. Less guesswork overall.
- But for delicate trim or detailed finishing work, I still prefer the hammer. I feel like I have better control over placement and can avoid splitting thin or fragile pieces.
- One thing that surprised me was how much faster the nail gun made larger projects go. I redid my deck last spring, and honestly, I can't imagine hammering all those nails manually again... my wrist aches just thinking about it.
Maybe it's worth experimenting a bit more with your nail gun settings—pressure adjustments and nail length/type can make a huge difference. Took me a while to find the sweet spot, but once I did, it was pretty satisfying.
Interesting points, but honestly, I've found the opposite true for delicate trim work. With a good brad nailer and the right settings, I actually get cleaner results than with a hammer—less splitting and fewer dents from missed swings. Maybe it's just me, but after switching to a quality finish nailer, my trim projects look way more polished... and my thumbs thank me too. Still, I get the appeal of the hammer for smaller tasks or quick fixes.
I see your point, but in my experience, a hammer still has its place, especially when dealing with restoration projects. Recently, I worked on an older home with original molding—really delicate stuff—and found that carefully hand-driving nails gave me more tactile feedback and control. Nail guns are efficient, no doubt, but sometimes the subtlety of manual control is invaluable. That said, after one too many bruised fingers, I'm definitely considering giving the finish nailer another shot...
Totally get that point about tactile feedback—it's hard to beat the precision of hand-driving nails for delicate work. I've found that too, especially when working with reclaimed wood or older trim that's prone to splitting. But have you ever tried dialing down the pressure on your finish nailer and using a slightly thinner gauge nail? I've had decent luck getting pretty close to the same control without sacrificing too much speed. Curious if anyone else has experimented with this...
I've messed around with thinner gauge nails and lower pressure settings too, and yeah, it does help reduce splitting quite a bit. But honestly, I still find myself reaching for the hammer when I'm dealing with really delicate or brittle materials—especially older trims or moldings. There's just something reassuring about physically feeling the resistance as you drive the nail in; it gives you that extra bit of control that's hard to replicate with pneumatic tools. Maybe I'm just old-school though...
