That’s a good point about the eco-friendly shingles—some nailers just don’t play nice with them. I ran into that last year on a job where the homeowner insisted on recycled rubber shingles. My old standby nailer kept jamming, and I ended up borrowing a buddy’s Hitachi that handled the thicker material way better. Funny how you don’t think about those little differences until you’re halfway through a roof and cursing under your breath.
Renting can be hit or miss, but if your local shop keeps their tools in shape, that’s honestly a huge win. I’ve seen some rental nailers that looked like they’d been through a war zone... not worth the hassle if you’re trying to get things done in a weekend. Buying made sense for me since I’m always getting roped into “just one more” roof for friends or family, but if you’re only doing your own, renting is probably the way to go.
Either way, sounds like you’ve got your bases covered. Just keep an eye out for those specialty materials—sometimes it’s worth asking around before you commit to a tool or shingle type.
I get the appeal of renting, but honestly, I ended up buying a used nailer off Marketplace for less than two weekend rentals would’ve cost me. It’s not fancy, but it handled my whole roof (asphalt, nothing special) without a hiccup. Sometimes owning just makes more sense, even for a one-off job.
Marketplace finds are hit or miss, but you definitely lucked out there. Makes me wonder—did you check what kind of nails it could take? I had a secondhand nailer once that only fit the short coils, which was a pain mid-job. For asphalt, though, I get it… not much can go wrong as long as it fires straight.
But what about if you ever need to do repairs or patchwork later? I always think about future projects (maybe because my roof seems to spring a new leak every storm). I ended up buying instead of renting too, just because I know myself—once you own the tool, suddenly everyone in your family needs “a quick favor.” At least with an older nailer, you don’t feel bad lending it out.
Curious—did you notice any difference in speed or consistency compared to a newer rental? Sometimes the used ones jam up, but maybe that’s just my luck.
I get the appeal of buying used, especially with how pricey new nailers are, but honestly, I’d rather rent for big jobs and just pick up a cheap hammer for patchwork. My last “deal” off Marketplace ended up costing more in lost time—thing jammed every third row, and I spent half the afternoon clearing it out. Even if you’re just doing asphalt, consistency matters, especially if you’re working solo. Plus, with rentals, you know it’s been serviced. Maybe I’m just too cautious, but I’d rather pay a bit more upfront than risk a mid-job meltdown.
My last “deal” off Marketplace ended up costing more in lost time—thing jammed every third row, and I spent half the afternoon clearing it out.
Man, that brings back memories. Tried to save a buck grabbing a used nailer for my first solo green roof job—figured, how bad could it be? Well, after fighting with jams and misfires all day, I was ready to chuck it off the roof. Ended up renting one anyway just to finish. Totally get wanting consistency, especially when you’re balancing on a slope and racing the weather. Learned my lesson: sometimes peace of mind is worth the extra cash.