Yeah, those seals are definitely the weak link. I've had decent luck with rebuild kits too, but honestly, nothing beats just having a reliable backup nailer handy. Learned that lesson the hard way halfway through a roof job in January... never again, lol.
Haha, halfway through a roof in January sounds like a special kind of misery... I haven't tackled a full roof yet (first-time homeowner here, still working up the courage), but I had a mini-disaster last summer building a shed. Thought I'd save a few bucks and borrowed my buddy's old nailer—big mistake. Thing jammed up every five minutes, seals were shot, and of course, no rebuild kit in sight. Ended up hand-hammering half the thing and learned real quick why people pay good money for reliable tools.
Now I'm looking at getting my own nailer before I even think about touching the house roof. I've been eyeing those cordless battery-powered models—seems handy not having to drag an air compressor around—but I've heard mixed things about battery life and power. Anyone here have experience with those cordless ones on bigger roofing jobs? Are they worth it, or should I just bite the bullet and stick with pneumatic? I'd rather not repeat my shed fiasco on something as important as the roof...
Cordless nailers have their place, but I'd steer clear for roofing. They're handy for quick repairs or smaller projects, but on a full roof, you'll burn through batteries fast and lose power consistency. Pneumatic's the way to go—it's reliable, powerful, and once you're set up, you'll appreciate the steady rhythm it gives you. Have you thought about renting a decent compressor and nailer first to test things out before investing? Might save you some headaches...
"Cordless nailers have their place, but I'd steer clear for roofing."
I see your point, but honestly, cordless tech has improved a lot lately. We recently did a medium-sized roof repair using a newer cordless model, and battery life wasn't as big an issue as expected. Might be worth reconsidering...
"battery life wasn't as big an issue as expected."
Fair enough, but how about weight and balance? I've tried a couple cordless nailers, and while battery life surprised me too, they still felt kinda bulky up there. Maybe it's just me being picky, but after a few hours on a steep pitch, every extra ounce counts... Did you notice any difference in handling compared to pneumatic?
