6 Nail Gun Mistakes You Should Avoid | Brad Nailer Tips

6 Nail Gun Mistakes you should avoid as a beginner woodworker new to air nailers
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If you’re learning to use an air nailer, brad nailer or nail gun you don’t want to make these mistakes! Know the right gauge nailer to use as well as the correct nail length. And are cordless nailers as good as air nailers? Find out the answers and more in this nail gun beginners guide and mistakes to avoid.
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[@Fixthisbuildthat]

What other tips and tricks videos would you like to see? It was fun deep diving into one tool/technique.

[@JoeRG84]

I think we would also benefit from a miter saw calibration video with your unique blend of “attention to detail.”

[@jlr1487]

Any one ! Make it a series ! All tools have their little secrets, don't they?

[@chrispatterson7640]

How about a bonus track on fixing blowout when you're not able to pull the work apart? Usually I end up prying the blown out end up some, cutting flush with the surface then using a nailset or a punch to hammer it below the face of the material and filling/sanding. But, I feel like that's almost a butcher-level move, and I'm never fully happy with the result - there's gotta be a better way out there somehow.

[@shinji391]

You can use a nail set to LAUNCH hinge pins out of doors.

[@joeygonzales8086]

Maybe a sanding video... Different type of sanders.. What grit to use... Different techniques. sanding block types.. Just a thought

[@AdamKirbyMusic]

oh my god, the blue tape trick is so obvious and genius yet it's never occurred to me.

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

Yeah, one of those "duh" moments when I found it too

[@rodgerwentland2530]

mixing stain with glue and sawdust also

[@joe-gh9qg]

exacly, when i saw that, I thought holy cow that would have saved me about a months worth of sanding and probably 10 gallons of wood putty.

[@IJustGotHere]

The tape could also act as a guide or nail line.

[@defgloui]

Love this tip!!

[@rjoyce06]

I've never heard of the "shoot the nail perpendicular to the board"....that was really awesome and will go in to my mental bank for sure.

[@KenHill]

@@samuelsmith5773 An 18 gauge nailer that shoots two and a half inch long braids is highly unusual and I've never seen one.

[@bradmathews]

I do a lot of glazing of stained glass panels - often re-installing them after a repair into very old and hard wood sash. Blowing out the face of an already finished door is a nightmare that happens a few times a year. I have actually had nails do a full 180 and come back out! Every new guy has had his finger skewered despite my insistence on keeping them clear. I can't always fit my gun at a right angle and not hit the glass. but I will definitely keep the perpendicular trick in mind to see if that lessens the incidence.

[@kiddiescripterkiller]

His premise is partially wrong... The reason why it doesn't blow out when the gun is perpendicular is... the tip of the nail. Tips are cut at an angle, that will cause it to follow the path of least resistance and curve one way or another. It will make the nail curve left or right inside of the board, instead of blowing out the side. So look at the nail tip design and nail 90 degrees from the edge of the board. If you can't because you can't get the gun at 90 degrees, grind the tips flat on a stick of nails. And there will be less chance of it blowing out the side. But you might have to adjust the driving power so it sinks them at the same depth.

[@TheNextThing]

@@kiddiescripterkiller Another way to explain this is that when the nail gun is parallel to the board, the sharp edges of the nail is as well. This makes the tip drive between the grain and more likely to “steer” itself through the grain. When the gun is perpendicular to the board, the edge of the nail tip is also perpendicular to the grain causing it to cut through the grain letting it stay straight as it’s going through. Imagine pushing a knife through a bundle of straws parallel to the straws. It will not cut the straws and the blade will slide between the straws. If the straws were organized in a way that they guided the knife to the left or right, you would get the blowout situation. Now if you cut perpendicular to the straws, the blade will just slice through the grain and will tend to go straight through.

[@davidhohlen310]

This guy is just great! He's practical, uses a lot of common sense and owns up to his mistakes. In fact his mistakes are some of the best teaching tools he uses, where he shows his mistakes and how we can avoid them. That tape trick is so so smart, glue is one of the biggest headaches. Nailing on edge it is also easy to blowing a nail out the side, turning your nail gun perpendicular to your piece lessens the chance you will blow a nail out the side, especially if you not straight up and down and shooting at an angle! This 15 minute video will save me money and time, not having to replace something I screwed up. My granddaughter, ready to go to college, needs a desk and I've been tasks to build her one, that I want it to last her, well at least until she reaches my age, but even longer! Thanks man, the desk I'm making for her is a desk I downloaded from you, except if will be made of all hardwood and a couple other modifications! She want's to help build it and I'm hoping I might interest her into woodworking, because as I've told her, all my equipment, which is plenty, it's all going to be hers when I'm gone! Hey, thanks man!

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

Appreciate the feedback. Thank you! 💪 💪

[@bryanpeart]

DUDE! WHAT?! The last minute is gold, man. It never occurred to me to turn the gun! Seriously, though, this is a great video. Incredibly informative. Thanks a bunch!!!

[@Lee-xw9fr]

I recently got into construction/carpentry after I lost my business during covid. I loved it and was eager to learn. Unfortunately one of the boss guys was the biggest tool you could ever meet and I had to get out! I was watching your video and I could imagine you on the job with an apprentice. Your ability to teach is impressive man! What I would have given to learn from someone with your passion to pass it on! Great video!

[@chriswindberg5010]

This video makes me want to go downstairs right now and just start nailing the daylights out of all my scraps. Only because after watching this I realize how many mistakes I've been making over the years! Another great video, thanks Brad!

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

nail everything!!!

[@georgedavall9449]

Easy there, Chris ! Made me chuckle though 😁😂👍✌🏻

[@The_Linux_User]

If you can't nail it, then screw it!

[@georgedavall9449]

@@The_Linux_User Ha Ha ain’t you the clever one! Made me chuckle 👍😁😂

[@duncanvlaar8017]

Nailed it👌😉

[@ecaff9515]

excellent tip for reducing blow outs..Thank you for sharing

[@terryt2910]

The blue tape thingy was the #1 take away. Nailing at a perpendicular was a close #2. Thank you. Awesome, helpful video.

[@jeffshelton447]

I've been using a brad nailer for years and never thought of either the tape or the perpendicular shot. Thanks!

[@pteddie6965]

I love the 'nail into blue tape' tip and the tip to orient the gun perpendicular to the board. Both were excellent tips and you did an excellent job explaining them. Also, thanks for mentioning the differences in prices between the different battery operated nailers.

[@JohnSemenekVapingEnthusiast]

One of your best videos ever. Now I know what I've been doing wrong. And I love the blue tape trick.

[@paul-ld9vh]

I agree!! Excellent ideas!

[@rayiyo4507]

Thanks for the tips. I had the same problem (blowout thru the side) on my last project.

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

thanks, John!

[@Andi-mv2nz]

Thank you! I never understood the finer points about blowouts, and how nails/brads want to follow wood grain. That helped a LOT.

[@seanmcaleavy2369]

Woodgrain definitely is a factor, but it's the chisel on the tip that mainly steers the nail. Brad nails are chiseled on the sides and finish nails are chiseled on the front and back. Shooting perpendicular only works with brads. You would do the opposite if using a finish nailer.

[@HangarQueen]

A 2+ year old video that I just happened across -- and wanted to say a belated "thanks" for the last tip about nailing "sideways" to the board to avoid blowout. It makes perfect sense, but I never thought about it. So thanks for that.

[@vaq130]

So I Done this for a very long time working on my house and many projects. this is a really good video. A+++ for telling and showing at the same time. The tips are good. Well done

[@TheChillBison]

Very timely as I was just about to do a project with my air nailer! I never thought about the perpendicular method before (nor blue tape). Thanks!

[@Myopicvisions]

Great video! The way driving orientation and blow out was described to me was by showing me the bevel cut on the nail, and explaining that the bevel will cause it to go to one side or the other. If you drive it with the bevel running perpendicular to the edge, deflection to the left or the right will stay in the board. If the bevel is in line with the board, left or right deflection will cause blow out.

[@kylieb4836]

You’ve just saved me for the remaining 14 winter theme lanterns I’m making for the nursing home I work at. The first 16 have driven me insane with blowout - I’ve now turned the gun perpendicular and voila - no blowout ! (Then again, everything is a learning curve and I’m now a pro at covering my blowout mistakes…lol) Thanks so much !

[@aprilhoover3481]

The perpendicular to the board tip is a game changer. I never understood why some projects were a breeze with no blowouts but others had every other nail blow out. So frustrating! I thought the problem was inferior wood. I never realized I was nailing in different orientations. Maybe now I'll give my brad nailer another chance. Thank you!

[@tmackie1694]

Thanks for this. I just bought my first. Went for a Paslode framing nailer (building some big projects - shop lock up, new chicken coop, roof repairs, etc). Hope I love it 🤞

[@sherriatsavinh4995]

Thank you so much. Just learning my brad nailer, and masking tape tip and Driving perpendicular to board is s life saver! I've had a couple blow outs and now I know why. Thank you for teaching and old dog new tricks.

[@Blowndub]

Oh man, the last tip was golden! I never thought of the shape of the nails having effect on the blow out! I followed your advice and didn’t had a blowout since. Thnx a bunch!

[@pressman54]

Same! I just tried on some scrap 1/2 plywood and not one blowout!

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

pretty amazing, huh! such an easy fix

[@someguynj]

Funny thing with this tip - for brads, yes - 100%, perpendicular is key - however with my 15ga nailer, it's just the opposite, seems the nails want to curve back toward the base of nailer so I always line up with the wood instead of perpendicular. Pin nails seems to act like the 15ga too.

[@supergoober1021]

I’ve used blue tape for caulking and glueing, too. It makes it easy to keep a caulk line tight and keep glue squeeze out easy to clean up.

[@예쓰만]

That's very useful tip. Thank you!

[@akw1seguy]

Thank you for taking the time to put this video together. I never thought about how the Brad nails are less likely to bend up/down vs left/right, as mentioned in you last tip. Thanks man! Keep up the great work!

[@notajp]

Learned that little trick quite a while back. I was looking at the nails one time and realized that they were much more likely to bend on the wide flat area due to being weaker in that axis. Started holding my gun differently so the nails would have the width across the wood instead of lengthwise and it made a big difference. Doesn’t really work on pin nails tho…..too thin…..

[@typerexc]

Invaluable advice about wood grain direction and orientation of the nail gun. Never thought about it before, but it makes total sense. Very timely... Fairly new to the nail gun and been working on a project, and it really helps to know * why * it blows out sometimes and not others. cheers!

[@matonmacs]

Blue tape tip is freakin’ awesome!

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

yeah, it's a simple but clever one!

[@adamcarpenter8549]

Mind blown

[@JohnBorgen]

As a homeowner/handyman, Ryobi has been really good to me. I've replaced all the windows in my house (13 windows and one sliding door) and all the trim was put up with the airless nailer. After the windpows we remodeled the entire upstairs. All of the trim was replaced and again...the airless nailer really came in handy. Since I'm not worried about production numbers, it's a great choice.

[@writecolour]

Hi Brad, Your channel was a "relatively" new find for me. This particular vid was short, to the point and excellent. It prompted me to backtrack and mark many of your 'earlier' vids for a watch as soon as I get time. Rapidly becoming one of my fave channels! Appreciate your efforts! Thank you. Paul, Cambridge, UK

[@mikey111482]

Another reason why the perpendicular trick works is the orientation of the bevel on the tip of the nail. If the point catches wood grain (or harder particles in particle board), it will deflect in the direction of the bevel. Great tips, man. Your presentation was clear, concise, and thorough. I’ll be checking out more of your content for sure. 👍

[@hueybui]

Great tips! The blue tape and shooting perpendicular to the board tips…brilliant! Thank you!

[@saigyl9149]

13:20 I've had nails do a complete 180 when I was putting trim on a door frame, keep your fingers VERY clear

[@commandoconstruction2720]

Thanks! I really liked the painter’s tape before nailing tip, to reduce cleanup/finish issues. Then the turning of the gun perpendicular is legit, too. Sometimes you have no choice, if there’s an obstacle, but use the other anti-blowout tips in there. In terms of whether to use an oil-lubricated nailer, consider whether the splash of oil around the nail-hole will affect whatever stain/finish you chose. The oil-free guns use plastic parts inside that might not last as long.

[@ratchetz]

I’ve been building for a while now - that blue tape trick’s a new one to me, and is absolutely genius!

[@susanfrombflo8368]

Great tips! Esp the blue tape one. Ty!

[@mikes1345]

As far as your bonus trick, if a person doesn't remember just one time sticking a brad nail into a finger tip will make it unforgetable!!! I have been turning my brad nailer perpendicular and now you explained the why. Thanks

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

yeah, it's a mistake you only make once

[@perryclark8750]

Nicely done. The best tip I took away was the last one-shooting with the nail gun perpendicular to the “receiving” board. (By this I mean the one that receives the fastener as it comes through the material being fastened, thus it’s the board wherein the tip of the nail will reside.) I’ll definitely try to keep this in mind the next time I’m using my nail gun(s).

[@sddiymakeitworthit7512]

Best explanation I’m happy that I’m watching your videos super super super

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

thank you!

[@C-Infidel-Archer-78]

This video right here solved my Brad problems.. Almost got rid of it. Appreciate what ya do!

[@woodlandburl6648]

Thanks for answering why my nails go where they do. I did learn from this video.

[@glenpaul3606]

Managed to shoot a 2 inch brand nail through my thumb when it came out the side of the piece I was holding. Lesson learned the hard way !

[@moustafaajam4670]

thank you very much for this video I was looking for an air compressor for a long time and I didn't know what to buy on this video you help me a lot and I was not sure what capacity of air compressor I should choose but now i do by the way I'm not a professional but I like to do some woodworking ... thanks again

[@scottroy6195]

I just got that same 18g nailer. Thanks for the tips.

[@_retrogamer999]

a lot of insight in this video. I am looking into nailers as well. thanks for this!

[@GTAHomeGuy]

Great job with the perpendicular tip. I never thought about that and grain issues!

[@WackyKayaky]

Love the blue tape trick! It might be a hassle and might not use it everywhere but for those surfaces that will be seen the most or for those higher quality builds, it will be a new standard practice!

[@codysnell]

I’ve driven countless nails and that last tip was 👌

[@lambdaguy77]

Thank you so much! I have had such a problem with blowout. It's makes me crazy and I all but stopped using my nailer even tho I wanted to like it. These tips make so much sense and I am going to go try my nailer again and adjust how I use it!

[@russellcarter6451]

I wish i had this video when i first started. I actually used a 2" 18g nail to do a small picture frame lol

[@cdinusha1]

This is great advice, thanks for sharing your knowledge Brad! As a DIY'er, I have just bought an 18G brad nailer so these tips will definitely save me some hassle.

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

you're welcome!

[@Ham68229]

I have a finish nailer, brad nailer, stapler, and a pin nailer. Love them all. They each have their uses and needs. You're absolutely correctly about nail size, many don't fully understand that. I even have both air and battery operated nailers. For air, turn the air pressure down, you don't need that much PSI. Now, if you actually read the manual on the tool, it gives you the proper settings. Even the cordless nailers have settings you adjust. Speaking of oil for your tools, don't over oil them. Excess oil will get shot out of the exhaust port of the air tool. I was taught, to always under drive just slightly and always finish with a nail set. It's old school and I'm old school taught. It's extra work but, you know that that nail or pin is set correctly. As for the putty, there are types that can be stained but, yes, the tape trick always works the best. Yup, I've seen many people shoot their own fingers because they kept them in the wrong spot. Great video, cheers :)

[@navret1707]

That’s a slick trick using blue tape. 👏

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

so simple, so effective

[@richarddodd9770]

Great tip with using the painters tape, I will definitely try this on my next DIY project.

[@kschoolc]

Great video and explanation of the finer points of using an air nailer. I never thought about the orientation of the nail to the grain of the wood.

[@mlob535]

A brad nailer is on our wish list. Thank you for all the tips you shared!

[@irvinside]

Last tip is just fantastic. Thanks for sharing !

[@vh9network]

I bought my first Brad Nailer this week. Arrow brand, nice sized red color nail gun. I bought a little mini 1gal air compressor for it too. I love it.

[@fredscott413]

you nailed it,thanks.

[@johnduffy6546]

That was a very worthwhile video. You are a very good teacher. I like the way you present the material without any hem-hawing. It shows that you do know your stuff! I learned a great deal in 15 minutes and I thank you

[@mikeygee2465]

Great tip about blowout! I’ve heard this before but your demonstration was the best I’ve seen explaining it. Now I understand what to do. Thank you.

[@brandonstinnett6622]

Perpendicular to the board you’re attaching to! That is a brilliant tip! Thanks for making my projects better for the rest of my life!!

[@beardjuice9959]

Right? I do plenty of stuff around the house (even using nail guns) but I never thought of this... So simple, but so useful!

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Fantastic work, Brad! Loving the content man!

[@OG_Jack]

Great tips! Thank you.

[@AndieCv]

Getting ready to order a nail gun, I feel like I learned so much watching this video, very educational. Ty!

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

Glad it helped!

[@billsedutto8824]

That last tip (shoot) perpendicular is going to help me a lot. One of those little things that pros do without thinking about and amateurs like me never realize it actually makes a big difference.

[@comsigninc]

Very instructive. Thanks Brad.

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

you're welcome!

[@EricRoy85]

Thanks for this video. I wasn't sure I'd learn anything, but as a loyal follower, I watched of course, and I never even thought about gun orientation or that blue tape trick. Very useful Brad, thank you

[@NWGR]

Brad, you should definitely add a 21 guage nailer to your arsenal. I recently got one after watching an adam savage video and it's been amazing. Smaller hole like a 23 gauge pinner, but more holding power and 2" pins bend far less frequently. The one I have is a senco. Cadex makes one too. For face to edge connections, I like to have 1" of nail going into the edge piece. I set my compressor to 80-85 psi and any further adjustments on the gun.

[@jeffcarroll1990shock]

Thank you for this instructional guide.

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

you're welcome!

[@StevenSoule]

This video was super helpful! The blue-tape & perpendicular-nailing-direction tips will save me tons of time & frustration based on past experiences. Thank you!

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

glad I could help!

[@jimsantaferrara8772]

Excellent information. Very informative! Nice presentation and demo. Thank you.

[@Kotgarmash]

Thanks for thos video. It's really helpful.

[@williamshay6041]

Awesome video my friend. His is one of the most stressful things I fight with. Very helpful information. Thank you

[@ggreenwi]

I have subscribed to you for years. I just wanted to say that I appreciate your work. I respect your craft, and genuinely like you as a host. I only wish for your success. Thank you.

[@Antheras]

Great stuff! My Ryobi cordless nailer does have both depth adjustment as well as power adjustment, so there are those with that too.

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

yes, very true. most of them don't

[@jamesmchugo9422]

Good information. The tape trick, never heard of doing this, until now. It’s so simple can’t believe I haven’t done it. Thanks for the tip.

[@shaun.oo__oo]

Blue tape trick is new to me and will be using this week 👌 Thanks Brad

[@davidmatejka3598]

Decent carpenter but new to nail guns. Thank you. Especially for the tape trick and keeping the gun perpendicular to the board. I had two big OMG moments watching this.

[@johnstup4479]

Thanks so much for these tips!

[@cq608]

Thank you, awesome tips and tricks.

[@jefffree6990]

Thanks - love the tip about orienting the gun according to the way the nails are more likely to bend. And the one about taping the spot to make it cleaner to fill

[@rudyswoodwork7236]

Thank you for sharing.. I used blue tape for so many uses .. good thing to have around..

[@daveking2804]

Brad scripts a video... Finds someone has already covered the topic... Links the found video. Class act Brad! You nailed it.

[@williamlittle2814]

Dizzying how you spew out all that info in such a short time. I had no idea I was taking so much for granted. Now I will have to make fine adjustments and refine my set-up to accommodate individual projects. Thanks for all the great info.

[@martylucas8557]

Great info! I have the Milwaukee Gen 2 18 Gauge Nailer and love it! Nice shop, I’m jealous!

[@RyanStanberry]

I’ve been so bummed after getting what seemed like sporadic blow out in my 1/2” material after I spent a lot of effort putting intricate resin designs on the face. Thank you so much for the tip on holding it perpendicular! Got 28 - 5/8” brad nails in, not one blow out!

[@btsaccent]

Thank you! These were great tips.

[@Scott_G]

Keeping it perpendicular is a great tip! Thanks!

[@MCsCreations]

Fantastic tips, Brad! Thanks a lot! 😃 Yeah, I already have done some of the mistakes... So it's always great to pay attention and keep the fingers away. 😬 Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@DigitalSwagg]

Great video, thank you!

[@jeffforbes3772]

Good tips for all of us wanna be Brad types. Thanks for posting.

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

you're welcome!

[@chrisp7957]

Building a pantry cabinet and I will be using a nailer for the first time other than putting 2x4s together. Thanks for a very helpful video

[@evanw5404]

The perpendicular tip was great, cheers!

[@guitarist2b]

The perpendicular to wood tip is exactly what I needed to find to save my sanity!! Been blowout city over here!! Thank you SO MUCH!!

[@TadashiYasahiro]

That perpendicular trick blew my mind!! Thanks cause the others I knew from shop class

[@mykhelderian]

Excellent. Very informative. Thanks.

[@dragon66leo]

Great explanation on the nail gun, I've been using it for a while n in the beginning I had some blow outs n close to my fingers, you really have explained it clearly on how to use it safe. Keep up the great work. 😎👌🇵🇷

[@jerryjones7293]

Thanks for an excellent comprehensive video.

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

you're welcome!

[@jennynicole6334]

Great timing! I got my first nail gun yesterday...an 18 gauge. I've already built 3 small projects. 🤣 Thanks for the tips!

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

have fun with the new tool! :)

[@mikecampbell1686]

Never thought about the perpendicular aspect that’s great advice. Thanks