"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."
That's pretty much my experience too. Last fall, I was inspecting a roof after some storm damage, and the homeowner had started repairs himself using a cordless nailer. It was doing fine at first, but as the job dragged on and temperatures dropped later in the day, he started having issues with inconsistent nail depth. We ended up switching over to my pneumatic setup to finish things off properly.
I agree that battery age and brand can make a big difference—I've seen newer lithium-ion packs handle cold weather surprisingly well. But for critical jobs or extended use, pneumatic still seems like the safer bet. Convenience is great until you have to redo work because of inconsistent results... learned that one the hard way myself.
That's been my experience too, especially when it comes to temperature swings. Last winter, I was helping a buddy reroof his garage. He was dead set on using his cordless nailer because he didn't want to drag hoses around. It started off great—easy to move around, no tripping hazards, and honestly, I was pretty impressed at first. But after a couple hours, the battery started getting sluggish in the cold. Nails weren't driving consistently, and we ended up having to go back and hammer down a bunch of them by hand.
I get the appeal of cordless, especially on smaller jobs or quick repairs. But when you're dealing with something bigger or more critical, pneumatic just seems more reliable. I've had my compressor setup for years, and even though it's a pain hauling it around sometimes, I've never had issues with nail depth or consistency. Plus, if something does go wrong, it's usually easier to troubleshoot and fix on the spot.
One thing I've wondered about though—do you guys think cordless tech is improving fast enough that it'll eventually replace pneumatic entirely? I mean, battery tools have come a long way in the past decade. Maybe in another few years we'll see cordless nailers that can handle extended use and cold weather without missing a beat. Until then though, I'll probably stick with pneumatic for any serious roofing projects... learned my lesson after that garage job.
"One thing I've wondered about though—do you guys think cordless tech is improving fast enough that it'll eventually replace pneumatic entirely?"
I've wondered the same thing myself. Last fall, I gave a newer cordless nailer a shot on a mid-sized roofing job, hoping it'd speed things up. It was great at first, but halfway through the day, the battery started acting up and nail depth became inconsistent. Pneumatic setups might be bulky, but their reliability is tough to beat. Maybe in a few years cordless will catch up...but I'm not holding my breath just yet.
"halfway through the day, the battery started acting up and nail depth became inconsistent."
Yeah, I've had similar hiccups with cordless stuff. Tried one out a couple weeks ago on a smaller shed roof—figured it'd be perfect for something quick and easy. It started great, but once the battery hit about 30%, nails started going in at weird angles or not fully sinking. Pneumatics might be clunky, but at least they're predictable...maybe cordless just needs another generation or two?
I've had similar experiences, though I gotta admit I'm still rooting for cordless to catch up. Last month, we were working on a green roof project—nothing huge, just a small garden shed with a simple sedum layer on top. I figured it'd be the perfect test run for the cordless nailer I borrowed. Started out pretty promising, honestly. Easy to handle, no hoses to trip over, and it felt good not dragging a compressor around. But halfway through, just like you said:
"once the battery hit about 30%, nails started going in at weird angles or not fully sinking."
That's exactly what happened to me. I ended up having to redo several sections because the nails weren't deep enough, and the membrane wasn't properly secured. It was frustrating, to say the least...ended up costing me more time than if I'd just lugged out the compressor and hoses from the start.
Still, I'm not ready to give up on cordless nailers entirely. The convenience factor is huge, especially on roofs with lots of vegetation or limited space. Maybe it's just a matter of manufacturers refining the battery tech or tweaking the power output consistency? I mean, battery-powered drills and saws have come a long way in the past few years—remember when cordless drills barely lasted half an hour and had no torque? Now they're pretty much standard on any job site.
I think cordless nailers could follow the same path, but they definitely aren't quite there yet. For now, if reliability is critical (and let's face it, roofing usually is), pneumatic still seems like the safer bet. I just hope cordless catches up sooner rather than later, because the idea of hauling a compressor around forever doesn't exactly thrill me...
