- Totally get it, those cordless ones seem great until you're halfway through and your arm's shaking.
- Haven't tried gas cartridge nailers yet, but heard they're decent in cold weather.
- Hang in there, roofing's tough but you'll feel awesome once it's done!
I went cordless last summer when I redid my shed roof, and yeah, halfway through I was seriously questioning my life choices. Arm fatigue is no joke. I've been curious about gas cartridge nailers too—heard they're lighter and easier on the arms, especially in awkward positions. But are they reliable enough in colder temps? I'm tempted to rent one next time just to see if it's worth the hype...
"I've been curious about gas cartridge nailers too—heard they're lighter and easier on the arms, especially in awkward positions."
Tried a gas cartridge nailer last winter on a quick patch job—honestly, mixed feelings about it:
- Definitely lighter, easier to handle overhead or at weird angles.
- Cold weather was an issue though... had a few misfires and sluggish shots when temps dropped below freezing.
- Gas cartridges aren't exactly cheap either, so factor that in if you're doing a bigger project.
- Cordless battery nailers are heavy, sure, but at least they're consistent. No messing around with gas cartridges or worrying about cold affecting performance.
If you're curious, renting first is probably smart. I borrowed one from a buddy and glad I didn't jump straight into buying. Still undecided myself if it's worth the switch long-term...
I've been eyeing gas cartridge nailers myself, but the cost of those cartridges always makes me pause. I mean, how quickly do you go through them on a typical roofing job? If you're doing a whole roof, seems like you'd burn through quite a few cartridges...could get pricey fast. And the cold weather thing worries me too—nothing worse than tools acting up when you're already freezing your fingers off.
I borrowed a cordless battery nailer once and yeah, it was heavy, but at least it fired consistently every time. Maybe I'm just cheap, but I'd rather deal with a bit more weight than constantly shell out for gas cartridges. Anyone here done the math on how much you'd actually spend on gas cartridges vs batteries over a couple years? Curious if it's really worth the convenience factor or if it's mostly hype...
I've inspected plenty of roofs and seen contractors using both gas and battery nailers, and honestly, the math can swing either way depending on your workload. If you're roofing full-time, those gas cartridges do add up pretty quickly—I've heard guys say they can go through 2-3 cartridges per average-sized roof, sometimes more if it's a bigger job or colder weather (since gas efficiency drops noticeably in the cold). Over a year or two, that's a significant expense.
Battery nailers, on the other hand, have higher upfront costs and yeah, they're heavier, but the long-term savings can be substantial. Batteries nowadays are pretty robust, and if you rotate two or three packs, they'll last you a good couple of years before needing replacement. Plus, no cold-weather issues like gas cartridges have.
From what I've seen, if you're doing roofing consistently, battery-powered nailers might actually save you money in the long run, even factoring in battery replacements. But if you're only doing occasional jobs, the convenience of gas might outweigh the cost. Just my two cents from what I've observed in the field.