Why pneumatic nail guns need oil? This isn’t a comprehensive guide to nail gun
repair, but if yours isn’t working properly, read this before throwing it out
the nearest window.
There are various early indicators that a nail gun is on its way to becoming scrap
metal. The most common include air-only shooting, trigger jamming, double or
triple firing, and air leaking.
One of the Most Important Things Most Beginners Miss
The first thing to remember – or know – is that most pneumatic nail guns require
frequent oiling in order to perform effectively.
In terms of the machine, a few drops should be used before or after each nailing
session, however, this may result in excess oil pouring out over the workpiece
or your hands, leaving stains as well as grimy oily fingers – just plain messy.
Thus, for those of you who don’t use nail guns all that frequently, instead of
applying oil religiously after each nail-gunning session, you may apply it on a
per-strip basis – which could convert to once every few sessions.
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Simply apply the oil after removing a nail strip and before inserting the next one.
The number of nails per strip can vary greatly depending on the type of nail
gun you use. But I believe you understand the idea.
Nonetheless, carpenters who use pneumatic nail guns for lengthy periods of time on a regular
basis sometimes have more stringent oiling criteria.
It is common practice to oil them up to twice a day! This is because they are
subjected to far longer and more intense cycles, necessitating additional
lubrication. The bottom line, you should oil it in proportion to its use.
“I’m still not sure why nail guns require oil…”
Proper lubrication, like with any machine with moving parts, is critical to
guaranteeing a long lifespan. Lubrication can greatly postpone the wear of the
various moving parts.
Without it, parts will not only wear prematurely, but they may also cease performing
correctly. This is fundamental for practically any machine.
Pneumatic brad or finishing nail guns, for example, has a piston that, when compressed
air is applied, hammers the top nail, separating it from the rest of the strip,
and ejects it out of the chamber and into the workpiece.
But, without sufficient lubrication, the piston can become stuck and refuse to
retract back to its original position.
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This is an issue since the remaining strip of nails is spring-loaded and will try to
move up and fill the space where the recently fired nail was.
But, the “hammer” attached to the piston has not fully retracted and is
thus in the way of the arriving nails.
As a result of the nail strip’s inability to properly align itself, any following
attempts will fire just air (dry fire).
Why May Aged or Damaged Nail Gun O-Rings Create Issues?
Some possible causes for the piston/plunger not retracting fully include worn
O-rings. O-rings are used as a gasket to seal joints where air would normally
flow.
Compressed air is utilized not only to propel the piston forward to hammer the nail out
but also to return the piston to its previous position, allowing the
spring-loaded nail strip to move up.
The piston, which is powered by compressed air, moves back and forth in a cylinder
and is normally sealed with an O-ring to keep the air pressure constant.
Nevertheless, if the O-ring is damaged and leaking, the compressed air will not have enough
force to return the piston to its original position. This is a pretty common
reason for a nail gun to “dry fire.”
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A lack of lubrication might also result in increased friction between the O-ring
and the cylinder wall, resulting in insufficient piston retraction.
This issue of the piston is unable to fully retract (but still retracting to a
certain extent) explains why a given nail gun may fire shorter nails
consecutively but dry-fires when attempting to fire larger ones.
FQAs Related To Why Pneumatic Nail Guns Need Oil
Do pneumatic nail guns need oil?
Most pneumatic nailers and staplers require 4-5 drops of pneumatic tool oil into the
air fitting every day, adjusting for use, to break down deposits and maintain
smooth starts and stops.
What happens when you don’t oil a nail gun?
The tool’s O-rings will dry out, leading it to malfunction. It will also generate
unnecessary wear and maybe corrosion on its components.
Do you need to oil an electric nail gun?
Cordless nailers should not be used with oil. Applying oil will cause the nailer to
malfunction.
What oil is used for pneumatic tools?
Mineral Oil
How important is gun oil?
It prevents rust and corrosion
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Why does my pneumatic nail gun keep jamming?
If your tool frequently jams, make sure you’re using the proper fastener and
collation type for your tool.
Clear the jam and swap to the proper nails if you’ve been using the wrong fasteners.
If your tool is driving nails but they aren’t sinking completely, the tool is
probably not getting enough air.
What causes a nail gun to not fire?
The main causes of nail guns not firing nails
How do you maintain a pneumatic nail gun?
To maintain a pneumatic nail gun, use lubrication that is specified for Pneumatic
tool use.
What oil is best for nailers?
Porter-Cable accessory
What does nail oil do?
It stimulates nail development by increasing circulation around your nails.
Do electric tools need oil?
Most contemporary power tools have sealed bearings that do not require oil. Other
less expensive tools, on the other hand, feature an oil hole that opens into a
sponge, which feeds oil to a brass or bronze bushing. In that situation, simply
a few drops of light oil should be used.
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