I've done a fair bit of roofing over the years, and honestly, I'd think twice before relying solely on a palm nailer. They're great for tight spots or awkward angles—like you mentioned, joist hangers or tricky corners—but for an entire roof? Nah, you'd be there forever. I remember one summer helping my brother-in-law reroof his garage; he insisted on using a palm nailer because it was lighter and easier on his wrists. Halfway through day one, he was begging to borrow my coil nailer. The palm nailer just couldn't keep up with the pace we needed, and the constant repositioning got old fast.
If you're tackling your first roofing project, I'd strongly recommend sticking with a coil nailer. Sure, it's heavier, but you'll appreciate the speed and consistency once you're up there. Keep the palm nailer handy as a backup or for those tricky spots, but don't count on it as your main tool. Trust me, your back (and sanity) will thank you later...
Good points about the coil nailer, especially regarding speed and consistency. I've found palm nailers handy for flashing details or tight valleys, but yeah, they're definitely not built for bulk shingle work. Curious though, has anyone tried a cordless roofing nailer yet? I've seen mixed reviews—some swear by the convenience, others complain about battery life and weight. Wondering if they're worth the investment for smaller jobs or repairs...
I've had a chance to use a cordless roofing nailer on a few smaller repair jobs. Honestly, the convenience factor is pretty impressive—no hoses to wrestle with or compressors humming away—but the battery life can be hit or miss. On colder days especially, it drains quicker than you'd expect. Also, they're noticeably heavier, which gets old fast if you're up there for a while. I'd say they're handy for quick fixes or patch work, but I wouldn't rely on one for a full day's roofing...at least not yet.
I've been eyeing cordless nailers myself, mostly because dragging out the compressor and hoses for a quick patch job is a royal pain. But honestly, your experience lines up with what I've heard from a couple buddies who do roofing more regularly. They say the cordless ones are great for convenience, but the battery life just isn't there yet—especially in colder weather. One friend mentioned he had to keep swapping batteries out and warming them up in his truck cab just to finish a small job last winter. Not exactly ideal.
Personally, as someone who tries to stretch every dollar, I'm hesitant to drop serious cash on something that's not quite ready for prime time. I mean, if you're doing roofing all day, every day, the weight alone would probably drive you nuts after a few hours. I borrowed one once for a shed roof repair, and even after just an hour or two, my wrist was feeling it. Can't imagine lugging that thing around all day on a steep pitch.
For now, I'm sticking with my trusty pneumatic nailer. Yeah, it's noisy and the hoses are annoying, but at least I know it'll run all day without issue. Plus, compressors and hoses are pretty cheap these days if you shop around or hit up Craigslist. Maybe in a few years when battery tech improves and prices come down, I'll reconsider cordless.
But hey, if you're mostly doing quick repairs or patch jobs here and there, cordless might still be worth it for the convenience factor alone. Just keep an extra battery handy and maybe stash it somewhere warm if you're working in cold weather...
"I borrowed one once for a shed roof repair, and even after just an hour or two, my wrist was feeling it."
Yeah, I had a similar experience when I borrowed my neighbor's cordless nailer to fix some siding. It was super handy not dragging hoses around, but man, the weight really sneaks up on you after a while. Makes me wonder—has anyone tried those hybrid nailers that run off gas cartridges? Curious if they're any lighter or more reliable in cold weather...
