Interesting perspective, I've been tempted by cordless myself but keep hesitating because of battery life concerns. Good to hear it held up with pressure-treated lumber. Curious though, did you notice any difference in nail depth consistency as the battery drained? I'm always worried I'll get halfway through a roof and suddenly have nails sitting proud...then it's back to hammering like it's 1995 again.
"Curious though, did you notice any difference in nail depth consistency as the battery drained?"
Honestly, I've used cordless nailers on a few smaller roofing repairs and haven't noticed much depth inconsistency as the battery drains. But for bigger jobs like a full roof, I still prefer pneumatic. Yeah, dragging hoses around is annoying, but at least I know I'm not gonna be stuck halfway through with nails sticking out awkwardly...been there once, never again. Maybe cordless tech has improved lately though?
I've gotta say, my experience has been a bit different. I've done a couple of decent-sized roofing projects with cordless nailers, and honestly, I haven't noticed any real drop-off in nail depth consistency as the battery drains. Maybe it's because I tend to swap batteries out before they're completely dead—just a habit I picked up after getting burned once or twice on other cordless tools.
But I get your point about pneumatic nailers being reliable. They're definitely tried-and-true, and you know exactly what you're getting every time you pull the trigger. Still, dragging hoses around and dealing with compressors can be a real pain, especially if you're working solo or on a steep pitch. I've had my share of close calls tripping over hoses or wrestling with tangled lines halfway up a ladder...not fun.
I think cordless tech has come a long way in the past few years. The newer brushless motors and lithium-ion batteries seem to hold their power pretty consistently until they're almost completely drained. Plus, having a spare battery or two charged up and ready to go pretty much eliminates downtime. Sure, it's an extra expense upfront, but for me, the convenience factor outweighs the cost.
That said, if I were doing roofing professionally day-in-day-out, I'd probably stick with pneumatic just for sheer reliability and lower long-term costs. But for DIY projects or occasional roofing repairs around the house, cordless has been more than enough for me. Maybe it depends on how often you're planning to use it and how comfortable you are managing battery swaps mid-job?
Yeah, cordless nailers have really stepped up their game lately. I tackled a shed roof last summer with one, and honestly, it was a breeze—no hoses snagging on everything or compressor noise driving me nuts. Sure, swapping batteries mid-job can be a minor hassle, but once you get into the rhythm, it's second nature. Sounds like you've found a good balance that works for you...that's what matters most in DIY anyway.
I've been eyeing cordless nailers myself, but the price tag still makes me hesitate. Did you find battery life decent enough for bigger jobs, or did you need multiple batteries on hand? Trying to weigh convenience against cost here...
