Plastic composite finish nails

[Phil]

Senco, http://www.senco.com/fasteners/ is advertising plastic nails. Should be perfect for CNC hold down.

Phil

[TReischl]

Can I use the grandkid's little plastic hammer to pound them in, or do I use the hammer from Wack-A-Mole?

[Xxray]

Isn't the tool that fires them $300 or so ?

[Mobius]

Isn't the tool that fires them $300 or so ?

Something like that, it isn't cheap. And you need quite a few of these to create a decent hold, so that part isn't particular cheap either.

[Xxray]

Yeah, I think I'll stick with screws and jigs for hold down.

[Olle]

So you can't use any finish nailer? I just looked at the 18 gauge nails, and they don't say anything about a special nailer...?

[Xxray]

I have heard of guys trying ordinary nailers, most report problems such as breaking the nails or failing to chamber the next round. Some report no problems so it seems the only way to know for sure is try it and see. I'd keep my expectations low, they want you to buy the high priced gun and try to design the nails so you have to.

[highpockets]

I had Raptor send me some sample 18 gauge nails to see if they would work in my nailer. They didn't, they just crushed up in the nailer and I had to dig them out. Like the idea of the plastic nails, but the nailer is way too expensive for my hobby shop.
In talking to the salesman and Raptor the 18 gauge wouldn't work well with hardwoods or anything much over 3/4". He recommended going with the 15 gauge.

I'll just use well placed screws.

[Desert_Woodworker]

I was ready and go buy some- Thanks for posting this idea and a special thanks to those who tried out the product.

[Phil]

I was ready and go buy some- Thanks for posting this idea and a special thanks to those who tried out the product.

I'm glad I posted too, I won't be buying any either.

Phil

[highpockets]

Here's some information from Raptor's website http://raptornails.com/technical-inform ... f-wood.php

Basically you can't use the nails on harder woods. If you want to hold down a 3/4" piece of MDF, it ain't going to happen (per their chart).

[Keith Larrett]

I have the Omer gun and use the 1 1/4" raptor nails on 3/4" hardwoods and MDF pretty regularly. I just take the time to drill small pilot holes to shoot the nails through. I haven't had any hold down issues with them and find it quicker than using screws as well as less stressful.

[Keith Larrett]

On this molding, I shot through the underside of the sacrificial MDF into the bottom of the maple molding. Then I nailed the MDF to the spoil board.

[John Murphy]

I use Raptor composite nails with the Omer gun. They work great for hold down applications. I've been using the same 2 boxes (3/4" and 1-1/4") for the last 5 months.

If it saves one compression cutter, the nails pay for themselves.

Not allot of shear strength, but good tensile strength.

Can't live without them now.

John

[rscrawford]

I also love my Raptor nails and Omer gun. Doesn't take very many to hold the part in place. I really like this system for holding plywood sheets down, when the sheets are a little warped and the vacuum won't hold them flat. A couple Raptor nails in waste areas keeps everything in place, and when I'm finished I just tap each spot on the side with a rubber mallet and the nails shear off. I can surface my spoil board without worrying about removing nails, and I can cut through the nails without ruining expensive tools.