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A series of accidents involving air-powered nail air guns last summer brought home the fact that the productive and powerful tools are also highly dangerous tool and need to be handled with respect. In the most tragic case, a framing nail punctured the heart of carpenter Camillo Juandelos on a home construction site in Ocean View, Md., in July, ending the man''s life at the age of 25. Police said Camillo''s brother Jesus was holding the gun that fired the deadly nail.According nailers to air and tool and nailers reports in the Delaware News-Journal, the accident took place as the two men were framing new homes in a development in Ocean View. Jesus had been bending over a stud wall using the air nailer, and then straightened air and tool up and turned to call his brother. But Camillo was nailers not on the other side of the room as Jesus thought; he was already standing right behind his brother. Camillo made contact with the nose of the nail gun, triggering the air and tool bump-nail mechanism nailers and air and taking the nail in his chest. TIPIt takes a crew of three tool to get nailers the most speed out of a roofing nailer: one person driving nails, the others Laying air shingles in place.Air compressorIf you tool have your own compressor, you''ll save about $25 per day when you rent an air nailer. So if you plan to use a nailer for eight days or more, buy a compressor. If nailers you''re framing up a wall or two, renting a framing nailer probably isn''t worth the trouble. But it will save hours on a big job like a garage or an addition. You''ll nail studs, air joists and rafters quickly, but more important, you''ll nail sheathing to walls and roofs 10 times faster than you could with a hammer. I see it all the time: do-it-yourselfers suffering through projects using medieval tools, or hiring contractors to do jobs they could handle themselves if they only had the right tools.Truth is, you can get just about any tool and nailers tool you''ll ever need at a rental center. Here are a few time-and-sweat-saving tools that do-it-yourselfers often overlook ....JackhammerCOST: $75 to $120 per day BENEFITS: Ten times faster than a sledgehammer with fewer blisters and muscle aches.If you have a big stretch of concrete (like a large driveway) to break up, rent a 60- or 90-lb. jackhammer powered by a trailer-mounted air compressor ($120 per day). But for a smaller job--like steps or a sidewalk--a 60-lb. electric jackhammer is less hassle ($75 per day).
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