Honestly, I’m skeptical about “you get what you pay for” sometimes, but with nailers? Yeah, seems true.
Not sure I’m fully sold on that. I’ve used a Harbor Freight nailer for a couple months now—yeah, it’s not fancy, but it actually hasn’t jammed on me yet. Maybe I just got lucky, or maybe my roof’s not as steep as yours. Still, I get the appeal of a pro brand, especially if you’re up there all day. But sometimes the “cheap” ones surprise you... until they don’t, I guess.
I hear you on the Harbor Freight nailer—mine held up way longer than I thought it would. Used it for a shed roof last summer, and honestly, I was almost rooting for it to fail just so I’d have an excuse to upgrade. It never did... but I was only up there for a weekend, not weeks on end. Maybe those pro brands really shine when you’re doing a whole house or dealing with a steep pitch. Ever notice if the cheaper ones start misfiring more once it gets hot out? Maybe that’s just me sweating buckets and blaming the tool.
- Had the same thought about heat—my cheap nailer got a little finicky last July.
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“Ever notice if the cheaper ones start misfiring more once it gets hot out?”
- Not sure if it’s the tool or just me getting sloppy after a few hours in the sun.
- Did you notice if it was worse with certain brands, or just any budget model?
- I’m in Texas, so everything gets cooked up there. Wonder if humidity plays a part too...
Heat and humidity definitely mess with nailers, especially the cheaper ones. I’ve noticed mine start acting up when it’s both hot and muggy—Texas summers are brutal for that. Sometimes it’s the tool, sometimes it’s just me sweating buckets and losing focus. I’ve had a budget Bostitch jam more than once, but even pricier models get cranky if you leave them baking in the sun. Not sure if humidity or just plain old heat is worse, but either way, nothing likes working on a roof in August… except maybe the wasps.
Heat and humidity are a nightmare combo for nailers, no doubt. I’ve had a Hitachi that I swore by for years, but even that thing started misfiring after a few hours in the sun. It’s like the oil inside just turns to soup and the seals get all gummy. I’m not convinced any brand is totally immune—some just hold up a little longer before they start acting up.
Honestly, I think humidity is worse than heat. The air gets so thick, and it feels like the nails stick together or swell up. Had a day last July where my coil nails kept jamming, and I ended up hand-nailing half a bundle just to finish before the storm rolled in. Not fun.
And yeah, the wasps... they seem to love it up there when it’s miserable for everyone else. If I could only pick one nailer, I’d probably go with something that’s easy to field strip and clean, because you’re gonna be doing it a lot in this weather.
