What Brad nailer should I get?

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What else did you look at?

Best price I can find for the Makita DPT353Z is £225 and that is without battery or charger
Battery packs range from £85 for a single battery and charger to £149 for the BL1850 and 2 x 5 AH batteries... nails 18mm F31825 £13.54 for 10000.

I think 25mm nails would be too long?

Looked at air driven ( compressor) nailers... but all too bulky.....

As an aside The Paslode I have is too vicious for cedar boxes... I use glue and screws ( stainless!!)..... suppose I could get a Makita screwdriver to ulilise the batteries!

But as I am going to need to assemble another 2000+ super frames... that is a mere 20p a frame to nail them!!!!
 
No way i want to do that lot with a pin pusher.

What sort of nailer would work on hive bodies?

I prefer to use screws (stainless torq drive heads) on hive bodies - and not the 'correct' fixing convention pushed by the usual mob either
 

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Yeah paslode is too powerful. My mates got one for driving 90mm nails into hardwoods. Great bit of kit but the brads and gas are expensive.

I chose the Makita as I already have the batteries and charger.

Amazon warehouse have them like new for £233 but they are doing 20% off until tomorrow. Takes it down to £188.

Still expensive if you need a battery and charger though. 18mm are spot on but wanna see if the 25mm work at an angle

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Any reason you opted for brads? We use A type staples in all our frames, they fix the frames together well. We do have a compressor but you can pick up small and cheap one's easily. We use the Draper 57555 8-25mm Air Stapler which small, lightweight, quick & reliable. We are assembling around 4-5000 frames each winter and have 4 guns on the go. They are around £60-80 each inc VAT depending where you go and you can pick up a small compressor for around £100.
 
They actually arent even brads, they are pins without the heads.

I used staples in an older nail gun and they kept misfiring and took a bit more aim than a single brad/pin although im sure they would be fine on a decent piece of kit.

Main reason was I am short on space and build the frames over winter in my living room so didnt want a compressor or hoses clogging up the room.

Im still really happy with my purchase. Its light and so easy to use with no cables/hoses and the frames are rock solid.
 
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Picked up a new Makita DPT353Z with a double charger and 2 5Ah batteries for under £365 inc VAT P&P 20000 pins to suit 18mm 23g £24.13

2000 frames to go!

Meur ras
 
Let me know how you get on with it.

I doubled pinned each joint.

Got it down to 30 secs a frame to to do the first fix.
 
Let me know how you get on with it.

I doubled pinned each joint.

Got it down to 30 secs a frame to to do the first fix.

Will be SWMBOs occupational therapy as poor lass recovers from a rather nasty emergency surgery.
Going to make up one of Jenksies gigs ( or even perform it at the annual Wassail gathering!)

Meur ras og en hall.
 
Let me know how you get on with it.

I doubled pinned each joint.

Got it down to 30 secs a frame to to do the first fix.

Well that would save me about 10 seconds a frame on using a brad push or about 8.5 mins per evening doing 50 frames.
Given ive got about 8kg of japanned frame nails( which will probably last longer) it doesnt seem like i need a nail gun.
 
Well it halved it for me from 60 seconds. Surprising how long it takes reaching for each nail and putting it in.

Also, what are you defining as first fix?

I actually think 10 seconds per frame isn't to be sniffed at!

To put it into context, I did 200 frames in under 2 hrs in my first evening using the gun.

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Well it halved it for me from 60 seconds. Surprising how long it takes reaching for each nail and putting it in.

Also, what are you defining as first fix?

I actually think 10 seconds per frame isn't to be sniffed at!

To put it into context, I did 200 frames in under 2 hrs in my first evening using the gun.

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1 bottom bar, 2 side bars, 6 nails is what i call first fix.
I only bring 50 home per evening which i do sat on the sofa watching telly without really noticing.
I reckon I'll still be ready for March.
 
Yeah thats what I call first fix too. But I am using 12 pins with the nailer. 2 at each connection.

Im also just sitting in front of the telly doing them.

However, I do love a gadget and have a background in Lean Six Sigma, so feel constantly obliged to shave off any time or cost savings. Plus, I hate making up frames.

Surely better to be ready by Jan and then spend your evenings doing a bit of fishing or something! :)
 
I'll be done with first fix in about 10 days only had about 1400 to do this year. Adding mostly commercial hives halves the number of brood frames( still a sh*t load of super frames though)
 
Not made up any frames for years, the wife does them all, often makes up 200 new frames complete with foundation of an afternoon, wouldn't be surprised if she could also knit a new jumper at the same time and, also watch some telly.
 
Not made up any frames for years, the wife does them all, often makes up 200 new frames complete with foundation of an afternoon, wouldn't be surprised if she could also knit a new jumper at the same time and, also watch some telly.
The joys of being retired hey?

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The joys of being retired hey?

Don't know much about retired, more like just tired.
She also wires all the foundation, several thousand sheets a year...got to keep her active.
 
A fine example indeed.

My fiance hasn't made up a single frame yet and moans when a bee gets stick in her hair.

Can I just send my frames over and you'll DPD them back up the next day fully wired and assembled?

I can sell the nailer then :)

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A fine example indeed.

My fiance hasn't made up a single frame yet and moans when a bee gets stick in her hair.

Can I just send my frames over and you'll DPD them back up the next day fully wired and assembled?

I can sell the nailer then

Get her trained up, Lal.
 
Nah she'll never buy it. My 4 month old on the other hand... I'm playing the long game with her. Making up frames will be as normal as brushing her teeth or feeding the chickens.

What's that? You want your pocket money? Get up to 600 frames and we can talk £££

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What's that? You want your pocket money? Get up to 600 frames and we can talk £££

Well done, even better if you can start them young...and bribery gets you everywhere.:winner1st:
 

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