Battery nailers are convenient, sure, but honestly I've had a few die on me mid-job—usually at the worst possible moment. Compressors might be annoying, but they're reliable. I'd rather deal with hoses than downtime... especially on a tight schedule.
"Battery nailers are convenient, sure, but honestly I've had a few die on me mid-job—usually at the worst possible moment."
I get where you're coming from, but honestly, my experience has been pretty different. I tackled a shed roof last summer with a cordless nailer borrowed from a neighbor. Was skeptical at first, but it handled the whole job without a hiccup. Maybe it's down to brand or battery quality? Compressors are reliable, yeah, but dragging hoses up ladders isn't exactly fun either... guess there's no perfect solution!
Interesting to hear your cordless experience went smoothly. I tried one on a roof repair after a storm last spring, and it was pretty mixed. Started out great—no hoses, easy maneuvering—but halfway through the battery started lagging, and I had to scramble for a backup. Could've been my fault for not fully charging it, or maybe colder temps draining it quicker? Not sure.
Still, I lean toward compressors despite the hassle. At least with air-powered nailers, if something goes wrong, it's usually fixable on the spot—like swapping out a hose or adjusting pressure. Battery issues seem trickier to diagnose mid-job, especially when you're racing against daylight or weather. But yeah, no perfect option out there... guess it depends on how much you trust your gear and how prepared you are for surprises.
Had a similar experience last fall—inspecting a roof after some heavy winds. The homeowner lent me his cordless nailer for a quick fix, and it was great at first, but halfway through the battery just tanked. Maybe it's a cold-weather thing? Still prefer air-powered myself...
I've never really had battery issues with cordless nailers, even in colder weather. Last winter, we had a similar emergency roof repair after a storm, and my cordless one held up fine. But I do get your point about reliability—air-powered tools definitely have that consistent punch. Still, dragging around an air compressor and hose can be a bit of a hassle, especially on steep roofs or tight spaces. I guess for me, it comes down to convenience versus raw power and reliability. Cordless just feels easier when you're moving around a lot, but if it's a bigger job or something really critical, I'd probably go back to pneumatic every time. Maybe the battery brand or age matters more than the temperature? I dunno... just my two cents from past projects.
