brad nail size or length for boxes

[slim2fattycake 10+ year member]

This question is for those who use brad nails with their boxes. I got a 18 gauge brad nailer with 1-3/8" nails. I tried it out on some spare pieces of MDF and it didn't tighten the seam or keep the MDF pieces together hard enough. I could bend the pieces from each other. Is 18 gauge too small? Should I have used longer brads? Please let me know. I don't want to go back to using screws after seeing how fast this thing is. lol.

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[akheathen Premium Member]

wood glue........ that is what holds the box together, not the brad nails. the bread nails are just there to "tack" it in place. maybe a little longer would help some

 

[slim2fattycake 10+ year member]

I know. I use titebond II. I am just trying to use brads to hold the box together for the glue to dry. I usually clamp and then screw it. But using brads is faster. Only thing is when I tried it out, I could bend the two pieces of wood and pull one apart from the brads. And they don't make the seam tighter than when I use screws.

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

Don't worry about being able to bend the pieces apart before the glue dries. But you do want things to be tight before you nail, clamps are a good way to do this. Just clamp, then nail, and everything should stay tight. Then you can take off the clamps and move on to the next thing while the adhesive dries.

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

i used 16 gauge 1 3/8 and its worked good. But for anything big, i use screws

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

i used 16 gauge 1 3/8 and its worked good. But for anything big, i use screws

Same here.

 

[slim2fattycake 10+ year member]

Don't worry about being able to bend the pieces apart before the glue dries. But you do want things to be tight before you nail, clamps are a good way to do this. Just clamp, then nail, and everything should stay tight. Then you can take off the clamps and move on to the next thing while the adhesive dries.

I'm building some surround speakers for someone right now so I'll use it on these since they are small. But man, I doubt I would be able to use it on the last box I did which was about 8 cubes. lol.

i used 16 gauge 1 3/8 and its worked good. But for anything big, i use screws

So you remember using screws if its a bigger box? I bought my gun at harbor freight and the next bigger gauge they have is 11 gauge which is a big difference in price. Is that going to be too big on the edges of MDF or could I use it?

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

i bought a 30 dollar one from menards. Performance tool...

 

[slim2fattycake 10+ year member]

Yeah my 18 gauge was 20 bucks with 20% off. So what do you think about the 11 gauge?

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

im sure it would work, but itd be a bit overkill.

 

[slim2fattycake 10+ year member]

I just thought it may be too big of a gauge and actually turn the edge of MDF. I'm going to have to see what I can do with this 18 gauge nailer. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif Didn't turn out like I wanted it to.

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

whats your air pressure at?

 

[slim2fattycake 10+ year member]

4.7 scfm @ 90 psi

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

hm, i would think that even with 18 gauge it would pull it together fairly well

 

[slim2fattycake 10+ year member]

Would changing the depth do anything? Do you have a link to the nailer you got? Maybe 18 gauge is too small?