Which nailer to join MDF to MDF?

[jacoscar]

Hello, I’m building some wardrobe doors using 18mm thick MDF strips; I’ll be glueing 2 layers of MDF like in the picture; I want to use nails to keep everything in place while the glue sets

I want to buy the cheapest nailer that would do the job, so it needs to fire at least ~30mm nails
I don’t have a compressor but could buy one

What do I need?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

18 gauge nails. A cheap B&Q or Machine Mart compressor kit would do the job. Avoid guns which fire staples and nails - they often leave big ugly marks on the surfaces - and just go for a pinner only

 

[jacoscar]

Thanks, how much should I be spending?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I originally thought £140 to £150 for a kit, or a made up set. I found the Machine Mart model Clarke Bandit 4 (4cfm/8ltr receiver) at £101 and the somewhat better Clarke Tiger 7 (7cfm/24ltr receiver) on at £114, with the Clarke CNG1 18g nailer around £42 (so I was a tad low). Looking at the net, though, there are Makita AF505 18g guns at around £70, and the difference between that and the Clarke gun is like chalk and cheese (the Makita gun is a far, far better item). The biggest surprise was that B&Q are remaindering the Scheppach HC25o compressor (25ltr receiver) at £59. A bargain. I would budget another £20 to £25 for air hose and fittings, though, and avoid those curly-whirly (spiral) air hoses like the plague.

Take note that a small compressor like these will run various tools like a pinner or a small drill, but it isn't man enough to run a spray gun.

 

[jacoscar]

What about the (cheap) electric ones, like this? 29£
https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb516nal-25mm-second-fix-electric-nail-gun-240v/85214

I just need it to keep 18MDF in place while I glue it

 

[Deleted member 174758]

25mm brads just aren't long enough to hold 18mm thick material in place. You need something like 35mm to do the job.

 

[jacoscar]

25mm brads just aren't long enough to hold 18mm thick material in place. You need something like 35mm to do the job.

the description says 25mm, but reading reviews and Q&A it looks like it can fire also 35mm nails (apparently it's also written on the box)

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Well, it's SFX, so you can take it back. Just don't be surprised if it isn't powerful enough!

 

[Notch7]

be very careful firing 18g brads -if you fire it too close to the edge, the brad could bend as it goes in and come out on the side.

which is no problem unless your finger or thumb happens to be there. Ive seen it happen many a time, mostly fitting hardwood lippings onto mdf -which is more of a problem as the ring porous timbers like oak have varying densities and deflections can happen often.

 

[jacoscar]

Well, it's SFX, so you can take it back. Just don't be surprised if it isn't powerful enough!

It worked very well with 35mm nails!

The only problem I had is that at some point I ran out of nails and didn’t realise as it kept making holes but no nail in it!

I don’t know how a nail gun works so I don’t understand how this can happen

 

[Deleted member 174758]

It's a low cost gun and lacks what is called "dry fire lock-out". Its the norm on most pro equipment, but IMHO you can hardly expect a low cost unit to have many bells and whistles

 

[foxhole]

You could always try counting.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

You could always try counting.

The fact is most lower cost nailers at least have a viewing window which h allows the user to check if the nails are running out visually