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The smallest, brad nailers which shoot brads up to 1-1/4 in. long, often sell for portercable18–gauge1inbradnailerkitmodelbn125a well under $100. You might be better off buying one.Roofing nailerCOST: $50 per day with compressorBENEFITS: Easy as pulling a trigger and faster than a platoon of hammer-swingers.Driving thousands of roofing portercable18–gauge1inbradnailerkitmodelbn125a nails with a hammer portercable18–gauge1inbradnailerkitmodelbn125a is like scrubbing the floor at Grand Central Station with a toothbrush. Don''t put asphalt shingles on anything bigger than a doghouse without a roofing nailer. For wood shingles, speed up the job with a roofing stapler. TIPUse the jackhammer to crack the concrete, not to punch holes. If the chisel bores into the concrete without cracking it, stop and try another spot. Getting a stuck chisel out of solid concrete is a cursing waste of time.Rent the jackhammer''s smaller cousin, a "chipping hammer" ($30 to $40 per day), for lighter tasks: breaking up a few square feet portercable18–gauge1inbradnailerkitmodelbn125a of basement portercable18–gauge1inbradnailerkitmodelbn125a floor portercable18–gauge1inbradnailerkitmodelbn125a for plumbing work or chipping ceramic tile off a concrete portercable18–gauge1inbradnailerkitmodelbn125a floor.Brad nailerCOST: $50 per day with compressorBENEFITS: Better results with less time and effort. Brad portercable18–gauge1inbradnailerkitmodelbn125a nailers shoot skinny nails called brads. Ranging from 3/8 in. to 2 portercable18–gauge1inbradnailerkitmodelbn125a in. long, brads are perfect for most door and window trim, baseboards and other moldings. Aside from speed, you get better-looking results with a brad nailer: no hammer dents in the wood, less splitting, smaller nail holes to portercable18–gauge1inbradnailerkitmodelbn125a fill, and moldings don''t get knocked out of position as you drive nails. For heavier trim (3/4-in. thick moldings, for example), rent a finish nailer, which shoots thicker nails up to 2-1/2 in. long.TIP
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