Summer is coming - get your wooden patio ready!

Summer is here and it's time to put that wood patio deck project on speed dial. If you haven't already started, the time is right to begin planning.

You'll certainly need the right tools. A nailer for hidden decking fasteners is one that I'd recommend. You won't have to worry about nails pulling up, and it will look very clean and hold better than standard nails.

The best holding power, although not as nice looking, is from screws. Auto-feed screwguns make that a whole lot easier. Of course, lag bolts will need a socket set and joist hangers could use a joist nailer as well, but what's most important is enjoying your patio.

Once you're lounging and feeling that summer sun, you might want to get a patio umbrella. That will make all the hard work of putting it together in the first place so much more rewarding.

Hitachi's new nailer blows!

Quite literally, the new Hitachi NT65MA3 blows. That's not quite how Hitachi wants us to view it though.

From their features list:

Integrated air duster can be used to clear away debris and dust from the work surface in preparation for nailing or gluing.

A very interesting idea to say the least, and something that I could actually see myself using. Of course it has all the bells, whistles and quality that the previous versions of this tool have been known for, along with a sleek new design and a decent price. But the air duster is the one truly new feature that I've not seen on competing guns.

More info can be found on the Hitachi NT65MA3 air nailer product page.

Milwaukee Pneumatics Arriving

That's right, Milwaukee Pneumatic Nailers are going to be arriving next week, most likely on Monday. Quantities are going to be a bit limited at first, but they should ship in a reasonable time if we run out of any particular one. They've done some very nice things with them, as Matt has pointed out here.

Our Milwaukee rep told a guy today that he was buying the best gun on the market... until Monday when the Milwaukee's come out. From what I've seen so far, I'd have to say that he was probably pretty accurate. They did their research, and it should be a great product launch.

Here's to those Old Milwaukee's Best... I mean those New Milwaukee air nailers. Cheers!

Air Tool Maintenance - Oil, Filters and Thread Tape

Air tools are pretty simple, right? Plug in an air hose to a compressor on one end, turn the compressor on and hook your air tool up to the other end of the hose. Or is it that simple? Being more of a cordless and electric power tool guy myself, I had to do some asking around to get the answer to that. So now that I have the answers, I'll share those with you.

Air Tool Oil

Most people know that cars need an oil change every 3,000 miles. I'd also say that most people don't change their oil quite that often. But most of us understand that the pistons generate a lot of friction inside of a car motor, and the rings wear out faster without proper lubrication. So what's that have to do with air tools? A lot.

Inside of an air tool, there are pistons and rings as well. The rings aren't metal like they are in a car motor - instead they're rubber o-rings. But the piston itself still needs some lubrication. It is essential that the metal to metal surfaces get something slippery between them so that they don't generate excessive heat and friction, which would cause premature wear.

Oiling an air tool is pretty simple. Before you use it, just add a couple of drops of air tool oil to the tool through the air fitting. For tools that get used once every now and then, just once before using it for the day is good enough. If it is a tool getting heavy use, it would be a good idea to add a few drops a few times through the day.

Filtered Air Fitting

Most air tools don't require a filter, and most don't include one, but it is such a good idea that Coilhose Pneumatics came out with that we're recommending them for everyone. A few manufacturers, such as Milwaukee nailers and Max Tools, are including filters on the tools themselves. For everyone else, adding a filtered air fitting can keep dust and debris out of the piston chamber.

Again, automobiles use air filters to keep dirt and rocks out of the combustion chamber and away from the moving pistons. Air tools have a similar piston setup, so keeping dirt and debris out of the chamber of an air tool is just as important. Air compressors include filters for the incoming air, but some dirt will still make its way through and into the hose. For under $10, these filters are an inexpensive insurance policy for a long too life.

Once you install one, you just need to remove the hose every so often to let the pressure inside the tool release and blow out the filter. They don't need to be replaced every 10,000 nails or so many miles of shingles. The fitting will keep working just fine if you allow it to get blown out every few uses. Of course, most air tools get disconnected fairly often anyway so it shouldn't ever be something you'll need to think about.

Teflon Thread Sealing Tape

Not really maintenance, but still a necessary item is teflon tape. Taping your air fittings seals the threads, which prevents leaks and makes your compressor run less frequently. Less frequent running will lead to longer life, but it also means there is less of a chance that it'll pull more dirt in to blow into your air tool.

The tape seems simple enough, but applying it properly is really an art form. We got a good chuckle at our Milwaukee rep when he first brought in their pneumatics. He hadn't ever applied tape before, so it sure didn't come out looking pretty like the picture to the right. I'm sure he'll figure it out soon enough, but until then Matt has some photo evidence of his first attempt. To his credit, he did come to us to learn about air tools instead of trying to figure them out himself.

Basically, all you really need to do is get 2 - 3 full clockwise wraps around the threads. Clockwise makes it so that as you screw the fitting in it doesn't come off, the 2 - 3 wraps gets just enough thickness so it'll properly seal without being so thick that it won't fully screw in.

But wait - There's more!

There is a bit more to maintaining an air tool, such as o-rings, cleaning, driver blades and jam clearing. But the basics above are the only ones that really apply equally to every air tool. If you've got questions on a specific tool, leave a comment or send an email and I'll either reply directly or do an entirely new post (giving a link, of course).

Filtered Air Fitting

In our new product feed (you have that RSS feed set up, right?) I noticed something cool today. Ok, so Matt noticed it first, but I'm writing about it before he gets a chance. It's just an air fitting, but it has the unique aspect of having a filter which gets installed at the tool.

FilterPlug with Blow Back Filter

The FilterPlug incorporates the features typically found in an in-line filter directly into the pneumatic plug. The design gives true at-the-tool filtration and reduces the possibility of contamination. That has the effect of reducing wear and extending tool life, which I can certainly say is a good thing. Best of all, this compact unit protects your tools while adding almost no weight or bulk.

Not Always Necessary

This filtered fitting won't always be necessary. For example, most of the Max nailers have internal filtration. Many of the new Milwaukee pneumatics have them built in as well. Then there are disposable air tools from the big box stores, which tend to just get abused anyway. But the air tools I have could certainly use this little addition.

It may not always be necessary, but for under $10 it seems like cheap insurance to make sure the internals of my pneumatic tools don't get damaged.

Hitachi's unusual look - distinction by design

Hitachi makes some great power tools. They're probably best known for their pneumatic products. Their plasti-tacker is almost an industry standard for roofing. In an effort to stand out from the pack, they've recently changed the styling of their products. The latest product to get a facelift is their EC79 pancake air compressor.

More safety styled into the design
Hitachi isn't just following the pack and doing what's worked for everyone else. They decided to take innovation in power tools into the fashion realm and use the styling of tennis shoes on their tools. But they also saw a way to use this style to do something else unique. They are able style in safety and durability.

Instead of having the motor and pump sitting on top and exposed, the stylized additions actually cover these essential pieces and protect both the compressor and the user. Sure, the style is something that'll make you look twice, but it won't be to make sure you're not touching a hot surface. You'll be looking to either admire the look or question the sanity of the designer.

Bold look AND serious performance
Hitachi has some of the best air tools on the market today. Their NR90AD clipped head nailer has a great reputation on the job site. With the racing flames on the newest models, they're sure to turn heads as well. I don't normally care what a tool looks like, but when it's a high quality product with a cool look that's a huge bonus. Air tools don't have to be boring, and Hitachi certainly took that to an extreme level.

They also make a mean siding nailer as well as a nice fencing nailer, but those are still waiting to meet with their make-up artists. I'm sure that the rest of the line will be seeing the plastic surgeon soon enough. It's all about branding and consistency in look. Nobody else makes a tool looks anything like this, so the Hitachi brand will get more recognition just because it's recognizable.

Interesting marketing strategy
It'll be interesting to see how long it takes for other manufacturers to take a bold look and how the public receives these striking new tools. The nailers have been doing well, but the compressors look much less like a conventional compressor.

Will the look become as important as the product's function? I certainly hope that the American public is smarter than that. However, I do agree with Hitachi that power tools could use a makeover. There are way too many of the flat surfaced chrome tools and not nearly enough manufacturers that are willing to invest some money in designing the outside along with the inside. This style will be much easier to spot as the one that other guy was using when you get to the tool store, so it may be an absolutely brilliant move. Only time will tell, but it's certainly going to be interesting to watch.

Inexpensive Brad Nailer

This week, we're featuring the Unicatch UB1832 on our site for just $14.99. It's a simple brad nailer at a great price, but what can you do with an inexpensive brad nailer?

Trim nailing
Trim is one of the most obvious things that a brad nailer can do. Trim around windows or doors can easily be handled by the 1-1/4" brads that this model can handle, but baseboards can't. The reason for that is that doors and windows get 1/2" or 5/8" trim nailed directly to the wood frame while a baseboard gets nailed to studs through the drywall. Add 5/8" drywall and 1/2" baseboard and there isn't much left to hold on to the stud behind the wall.

Picture frame assembly
For creating some simple picture frames, this tool is quick and easy. My wife enjoys making her own frames for and stretching her own canvas, and this tool is perfect for making the frames she uses.

Bird houses
Yes, I said bird houses. Other small craft projects are also perfect candidates for this tool. Doll houses, shadow boxes, shelves and attaching wooden letters to toy boxes can all be handled easily with this one.

Adjustable depth of drive
When you're doing finish work, you'll want to slightly countersink the head of the brad. For most jobs, fairly flush to slightly recessed is what you'll want to dial the depth to. Occasionally, you'll want to drive it pretty deply. A simple thumb adjustment can create whatever finish you'd like. The adjustment is also perfect for adjusting based on the type of material you're using. Oak trim needs much more driving power than pine, for example.

Shorter brads when needed
I purchased a couple of them so I can keep a couple of sizes loaded at all times. This model can handle as short as 3/8" brads up to 1-1/4". For the price, it seemed to make sense just to keep a couple loaded up with the sizes I'll be using.

No-mar tip
On many of the more expensive nailers, the no-mar tip is an optional accessory. For whatever reason, Unicatch decided to include it with this model. That means you don't have to worry about marking up the trim as you're attaching it.

Tool-free jam clearing
Not that it happens too often, but when you do get a jammed brad you don't have to get out any allen wrenches or screwdrivers to clear it. You simply flip a lever and the whole nose assembly will come apart to allow you to clear it.

Adjustable exhaust
When you're working in a corner, you don't want to blow the exhaust up against a wall. It could contain oil, moisture or even grease. By turning the orange cap at the top of the tool, the exhaust can be aimed an any direction - away from what you're working on. After all, who wants to scrub things after you get done assembling them?

A ToolBarn first
As a ToolBarn first, we'll even allow you to purchase this tool with parts on the same order. Normally, we don't allow this due to distinct warehouse locations, but we're making an exception on this one. We're going to work on allowing this more down the road, but this is our first one. Let me know (comments / email) if you like this idea and I'll work on making more and more work this way.

Essential Air Tools

Air tools are a rather broad category. There are many, many types of air tools available, so what are the ones that everyone with an air compressor should buy? Well, I bought a compressor not too long ago and just happen to have my air tool wishlist in front of me. I'll add some suggested uses as well to make the list more informative.


Tire Chuck
One of the most basic air tools is a tire chuck. I know I personally don't like those 12v lighter compressors, so using my electric compressor for this task is much nicer. You can also pick up a needle for basketballs and footballs, or get the whole air tool accessory kit which includes most of the regularly used "simple" items.


Blowgun
Also called a blo-gun (I find it too trendy for a geek to use those "hip" misspellings), a blow-gun is great for cleaning dust and debris from just about anything. We use one here regularly to clean out the inside of our computers. It can create quite a mess if it hasn't been done for a while. I've also used one of these to blow up an inflatable pool for my son. It's sure a lot nicer than using the old fashioned manual method.


Brad Nailer
Brad nailers are great for those small woodworking projects. Simple things like a shelf or trim around the door, window or baseboards are all great uses for a brad nailer. I personally use the Unicatch UB1832 since I don't do it professionally. We've got a few hundred left, so don't delay if you want a great deal on a decent air tool.


Impact Wrench
It doesn't get more manly than impact wrenches, unless you get a jackhammer. But, an impact wrench is a much more portable macho tool. Impacts are great for working on your car or truck. They install bolts with minimal effort and are great for mounting and removing wheels. It's like Nascar in your own garage!


Polisher
Pneumatic polishers are awesome for buffing the car. It can also be used for polishing stone, marble counter tops, etc. It has more to do with the bonnet you choose than the tool itself. Besides being great for areas where you don't want to use electric power, they sound really cool. Whirrrrrrrr!


Ratchet
Got a spot where you want to use a ratchet wrench or open ended wrench but can't turn the handle enough to loosen anything? Get a pneumatic ratchet and just press the button. These are also great for cars. Have you noticed an automotive theme building in this article?


Stapler
Staplers sound simple, right? Well, pneumatic staplers are a little more complicated. They're not for paper (with the exception of tar paper when doing roofing). They can be used in applications such as carpet and upholstery installation, roofing, and siding. Not exactly automotive, but it is a cool air tool category none the less.


Other candidates include:
Pneumatic chippers, coil nailers, cutting tools, punches, grinders , screwdrivers, drills, sanders, spray guns, and framing nailers are all great ones that aren't necessarily for everyone. I'll stick with my cordless drill and leave the pneumatics for people that have more of a need than I for cool pneumatics. I also shouldn't be doing much framing... that's not geeky. Maybe if I were framing a server room for my basement... ;-)

Don't forget the fittings, teflon thread sealing tape, hoses and other accessories. They make your air tool experience complete.