I get what you’re saying about humidity being worse—my tools always seem to gum up faster when it’s muggy. But do you think oiling more often actually helps, or does it just attract more grit? I’ve tried both ways and can’t tell if it makes a difference.
I’ve had the same debate with myself, especially in the summer when the humidity here is brutal. I used to oil my nailer every time I refilled the magazine, thinking more was better. But honestly, it did seem like it just collected more dust and grit, especially when working on an older shingle tear-off. What’s worked for me is a light oiling at the start of the day, then only again if I notice it starting to stick or misfire. Too much oil just made things messier and sometimes even gummed up the trigger faster. Maybe it depends on how dusty your jobsite is, but for me less has definitely been more.
- Had the same issue last summer—brutal humidity, shingles sticking to everything, and my nailer kept getting gummed up.
- I used to go heavy on the oil too, thinking it’d keep things smooth. Ended up with more sawdust and grit stuck inside than I’d like to admit.
- Switched to just a couple drops in the morning and only added more if it started acting up. Way less mess, and my trigger stopped jamming as much.
- My roof’s old (asphalt, 25+ years), so there’s always extra debris flying around during tear-offs. If I over-oiled, it felt like every bit of shingle dust found its way inside that nailer.
- One thing I did notice—if it’s super dry out or I’m working with a lot of old felt paper, sometimes a tiny bit more oil helps. But honestly, most days less is better.
- Also, learned the hard way that dropping a nailer in a pile of granules after over-oiling is basically asking for trouble... spent half an hour picking grit out of the feed.
- For what it’s worth, my buddy swears by those “oil-free” nailers but I’ve never trusted them for big jobs—just seems like something else to break.
- I’d say just keep it light and pay attention to how it feels during the day. Overdoing it just made cleanup worse for me and didn’t seem to help performance much.
- Curious if anyone’s tried those little inline oilers? I thought about grabbing one but not sure if they’re worth the hassle on smaller roofs.
You’re definitely not alone—old asphalt roofs are a magnet for grit, and over-oiling just makes it worse. I’ve seen a lot of nailers gummed up from too much oil, especially after a messy tear-off. Light oiling and regular checks seem to keep things running smoother, at least in my experience. Inline oilers are handy on big commercial jobs, but for smaller roofs, I think they’re more hassle than help. You’re on the right track keeping it simple and paying attention to how the tool feels during the day.
Keeping it simple really does go a long way, especially with older roofs. I’ve been through a couple of those gritty tear-offs myself, and you’re right—too much oil just attracts more junk. I used to think more oil meant better protection, but after cleaning out a jammed nailer for the third time in one day, I learned my lesson. Now I just do a quick check every morning and after lunch, and that seems to keep things moving. You’re definitely on the right track trusting your gut and not overcomplicating it. Sometimes less really is more with these tools.
