The Handyguys discuss what nailer you use when. A pneumatic nailer takes much of the work or of driving nails and saves you time. With one pull of the trigger the nail is set flush or below the surface of the work. Nailers allow for one handed operation which frees up your other hand for positioning the work. A nailer can also get into tight or awkward locations where it would be virtually impossible to swing a hammer. There are nailers for interior trim, crown molding, chair rail, craft projects, woodworking, framing, building a deck or roofing. There are many many specialty nailers designed for specific jobs.

In this show we address a few questions about nailers from one of our fans Eddie. Eddie wrote us and asked.

I am doing a complete kitchen remodel as you may remember. To help me in this I got a set of 4 Campbell Hausfeld nail guns from Lowe’s. Now my dad owned nail guns and I saw him use them. But I was never allowed to use them very much and don’t know much about them. ( I know they are dangerous and that you have to oil them, usually with an oiler place in line on the air hose)

I need a resource for learning about these machines and the finer points of using them. What kind of maintenance etc. what kind of nails they are capable of using ( are there just one or two sizes per gun?) When do I choose which gun? I have some common sense but don’t have enough experience or education to know what question to ask.

This is quite a question! Eddie, we have dedicated this entire show to your questions. You asked the right questions.

First a run down of the most common nailguns

Maintenance

Most pneumatic nail guns need to be oiled. You mention an in-line oiler. This option probably didn’t come with your kit. They can be added to facilitate automatic oiling of your tools. The disadvantage is you will have oil in your hose which is really bad if you are going to use the compressor for spraying paint. Most people will usually just add a few drips of tool oil in the air inlet before using the tool.

Safety

Be sure to read an follow all the instructions that came with your kit. Safety glasses are a must.

Tip!!

Paul had a really random tip to wrap up the show. Door stoppers, get the spring loaded ones, not the solid ones. You have to listen to the show to understand why.

The Handyguys record from the floor of the Philadelphia Home Show.

We check out new products for DIYers at the Philadelphia home show. This show is similar to many around the country. Listen to the podcast for our impressions and then decide if you should go yourself or not.

This particular home show is mostly oriented to people looking for contractors. We looked hard for vendors that supply to DIYers but were not able to set-up time while we were there to do on air interviews.

One vendor, Rapid Refill, really wanted to get on the air so we relented, despite them not being home improvement oriented, and chatted with Art Mayo from Rapid Refill. Rapid Refill sells re-manufactured printer cartridges at a considerable savings over OEM cartridges. Rapid Refill has over 200 retail outlets. Find your local store at their website if you want to save on your printer cartridge or toner.

One of the visitors to our recording area was named Rory. We got to chatting and got into so many different home improvement topics we decided to sit him in front of a microphone and record the rest of the show. We talked with Rory about several things.

• Motion sensing dusk to dawn lighting – Rory is having trouble with the lights coming on when they shouldn’t. The conversation regressed to just getting a big dog for security.
• Paul then brings up doing crown molding, coping joints versus miter joints. Paul then recommends the book/angle finder versus coping.
• Rory then asks for advice on his kitchen floor. The Handyguys talk about pros and cons of different flooring options for the kitchen and if Rory’s only vinyl needs to come out first.

That’s it – The general feeling is that if you are a hard core DIYer we recommend you check what vendors are going to be at the show before you go. These shows seem more oriented to people looking to hire contractors. Sure, you can get ideas for your next DIY project but don’t expect to come away with lots of sources and contacts for DIY supplies and products.

The Handyguys built a simple garden trellis of their own design and address listener questions

The handyguys built a simple garden trellis of their own design and decided to make plans available to anyone who wants them. Feel free to download the .pdf and pass it around to whoever may want it. Listen to the podcast for details on the design and construction. The trellis only uses one board and some screws. It will only take an hour or two to build.

Before the Handyguys get too deep into the trellis project they answer some listener questions.

First up is a question from Rob – Rob wants to remove a support pole from his basement. Don’t do it Rob. We share some tips for incorporating it in your design.

Second is a question from Roger about a white gritty substance in his hot water. Listen to the podcast for some suggestions. Its likely time for a new heater for Roger. Roger may find other useful information in our podcast entitled The Cold Water Heater

Third is a question from Tilo – Tilo is stuck as to how to run crown moulding around a window that goes up to the ceiling. The Handyguys recommend building a valance. We discussed nail guns and compressors in our episode entitled Compress It! Tilo, you may want to also give that a listen. A nail gun will make your project a lot easier.

Lastly listener Calster wants to know if they could glue a medicine cabinet to a large mirror in a bathroom. The Handyguys discuss some options but ultimately recommend removing the mirror. We will be talking about some new glues in an episode in a few weeks.But not likely something that will help Calister.

On to the Trellis

Tools and materials needed:

• Table saw
• Drill and bits
• Wood glue
• Spring clamps
• 5/4″ x 6″ x 8′ knot free cedar or similar
• 4″ exterior wood screws
• 1 1/4″ exterior wood screws
• bar clamps
• square

Steps to build:

1. Using a table saw, rip cedar into 3/4″ strips. You will be left with a small piece of wood about 3/16″ wide. You want that piece to come from the center of the board, not the edge.
2. Cut one of the slats into cross pieces as show on the next page
3. Cut your 3/16″ slat into eight 6″ pieces.
4. Assemble the base first as shown on page two. Use glue and screws. Pre-drill to prevent splitting. A bar clamp will help hold everything together while you are drilling and screwing.
5. Attach the top cross piece first. Use spring clamps to hold it while you drill and screw. Attach the center and outer two slats first then slats two and four. Attach with 1 1/4″ exterior wood screws. Use a square to ensure the first cross piece is square to the center slat.
6. Attach the remaining cross pieces in the same fashion and make sure they are square to the center slat.

We hope you find this to be a useful project. If you have any questions about it you can click on where it says comments right below this post and ask away.

If you have any other questions about your home or other DIY project you can always call us at 615-676-0877 or email The Handyguys at us@handyguyspodcast.com or use the contact form on the website.