brads/nails vs. screws

[baseballer1100 5,000+ posts]

I love my narrow crown stapler.

 

[bjfish11 5,000+ posts]

exactly why i want a good wood to wood contact...which i will never trust nails/brads to do.

x2

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

x2

so you think i should return my air compressor and nail gun? because i kind of think that way also.

 

[brokeitagain 10+ year member]

Return it and get a good set of drill bits and a countersink, i use corner clamps when i dont have an extra set of hands.Lowes has decent ones for $8 a piece

If you get enough money back get your self a nice cordless drill too

 

[bjfish11 5,000+ posts]

Its personal preference, but I use screws over brads. Brads is a little quicker, but I feel screws give it much better holding power while the glue dries. And you dont have to mess with clamps...

 

[brokeitagain 10+ year member]

These are the tools i use for assembly, i like the 14.4v drill because its a bit lighter, i have an 18v dewalt but it weighs a ton when you are assembling these things

 

[miker 5,000+ posts]

Screws pull and hold, brads hold? Clamps pull and hold?

EDIT: You will want higher than 14.4v....

 

[brokeitagain 10+ year member]

Clamping takes forever if you dont own alot of them. I do use a brad nailer to attach 45* corner braces to hold them while glue dries

 

[miker 5,000+ posts]

Clamping takes forever if you dont own alot of them

Hmm, I take forever anyway I clamp and screw, or nail... I do it in sections... Let the glue dry over night.

 

[ballstothewall 10+ year member]

Clamping is necessary to make something quality out of wood. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif Then you need to wait atleast a couple of hourse before you can take the clamps off and move it.

 

[tsenfw 10+ year member]

I glue, clamp, brad nail, and then move the clamps to the next area to nail. I think the box came out pretty **** tight.

 

[brokeitagain 10+ year member]

EDIT: You will want higher than 14.4v....

Why? is there a reason to need that kind of power for mdf?

A 5/64'' drill bit and drywall screws put up that much of a fight?

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

I use brad nails and clamps...clamp the wood down tight, and then throw some brad nails on it just to make sure it holds if I take the clamps off too soon.

 

[budget76 10+ year member]

I will never use nails, no matter how much faster. I'm sure they work, but I would only use them if i'm keeping the wood clamped overnight. Then there'd be no point to use anything, glue is all the strength.

I used countersunk screws and liquid nails, but i'll use wood glue on all future builds. Much nicer to work with than a cauking gun. The screws are what pulled my wood together nice and tight, not my hands. Especially when I had a couple 1/16'' gaps that needed constant pressure to be pulled together until the glue dried.

to the OP, If you can't return the compressor, which may be more useful than you realize, pick up a cheap air tool set with a drill, sander to make the compressor more useful to you.

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

hell yea. i wouldnt be getting rid of the air compressor. but i would get rid of the nailer.

btw 14.4V is fine.

also i have recently started using these deck mate screws http://www.deckmatescrews.com/ . you can torque the **** out of them without stripping. in fact i can "countersink" these screws using the bit that comes with the box, without needing a countersink bit. just keep torquing them down until they sit flush. hell i have gotten them to sit 1/4" under the surface of the wood without splitting the layer beneath. good shit, and saves time to get the same look at countersinking.