compressor/vnailer

ice

Grumbler
Joined
Apr 22, 2005
Posts
47
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Los Angeles
1) I have a Fletcher 5100. My compressor is a Jun-Air 6-25. I haven't hooked the two up yet. Someone told me I need to buy the following:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=92261

I'm not sure what exactly to do with it.

2) To hook up the compressor I bought an air hose and screwed female quick-release couplers to each end, one of which will attach to the Jun-Air, the other to the Fletcher. So all I have to do is plug it in now?

3) Tall moulding - what is the best method for firmly joining tall moulding for this vnailer? It would seem to me that putting a couple vnails in isn't enough - or is it? Can this machine stack vnails in the moulding by shooting in the same spot more than once?

Thanks for your help!
 
The item in the picture removes moisture from the compressed air. This is always an issue when you take regular attmospheric air and squeeze it down. Then shoot it down a tube and it expands again, sucking moisture with it, introducing moisture into the guts of the tools. They are mounted inline with the air hose, usually at the compressor end. Screw in fittings or whatever else is needed. I would put a quick connect fastener where the air hose connects and (semi) permanently attatch everything else.

James
 
Ice: these are nice little devices. They also allow for lubrication. Your Fletcher underpinner will stack points for you on taller mouldings. Most framers have a few favorite shadow box mouldings and it may take some experimentation to find out what size v-nail, type of v-nail and what air pressure to use to successfully join taller mouldings. For many shadow boxes we find a soft wood 7mm nail stacked will work. For some medium / hard woods 10mm works nicely.
 
And for some, we feel more secure using a slight-headed pinner (like the Senco) and puttying the nail holes on those deep, narrow shadowbox mouldings.

"It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a stacked v-nail to find its way into a shadowbox moulding."

(I'm probably going to regret saying that.)
 
I'm having trouble getting my vnailer set up. I have a Jun-air compressor. I took off the cap on the air intake tub and replaced it with the intake filter. Then I connected the hose to the vnailer via a quick-release. Turned on the compressor - it ran and then when it got up to around 6 bar the motor stopped (it is supposed to do that). I then tried the vnailer...when I hit the pedal I heard a little air but nothing happened (no nail shot). The PSI on the thing near the quick release attached to the Vnailer was 0.

I don't know anything about these...I'm looking on the internet for help but maybe one of you could help me. Thanks so much
 
There is probably a shut-off valve on the compressor that's shut off, so the v-nailer isn't getting any air. Hence the 0 on the pressure gage.

It's like turning off the water on the supply pipes under the sink. You've got water pressure, but no water.

Do you have a manual for your compressor? If so, read it. If not, get one. These things are fairly high maintenance and can actually be dangerous if not taken care of.
 
I have the manual - and followed the instructions...it just isn't very good...It basically told me to remove the intake cap, replace it with the intake filter, connect to pneumatic tool, turn it on. That's it! I'm worried about having unplugged it and leaving it at home with pressure in the tank.
 
I haven't figured it out entirely but apparently there is a valve on both the underpinner and the compressor and each has to be opened but the underpinner should be set around 90 psi.
 
You should put your lubricator and water separator about 10 to 15 feet down the hose from the compressor. If you attach it right to the compressor, as is often done, the water in the air does not collect in the separator as much as it will if it is down line from the compressor. This will mean you need to cut the hose and attach it in-line using a threaded male hose barb attached to each side of the lubricator-separator and clamp it to the barbs with small hose clamps.

Alan
 
Ice:

I'm not familiar with a Fletcher 5100 v-nailer. Their pneumatic ones are models 5600, and 5700. Was it a typo?

I once tried to operate a Fletcher 5700 with the safety screen (clear acrylic guard over the moving parts) missing -- I took it off and forgot to put it back.

The machine has a lock-out switch that prevents operation with the guard removed. Could that be your problem?
 
By the way, Fletcher offers an optional filter/lubricator made to fit its v-nailers, which is quickly screwed to pre-tapped holes on the back of the machine. It also comes with the hoses and fittings required for hook-up, and clear instructions. I think it costs about $100; maybe less from some distributors who offer package deals for these machines. I got one with my 5700 last year.

You were wise to get that accessory. Pneumatic cylinders fail due to wear and corrosion -- two conditions easily avoided with use of the filter/lubricator. To put it another way, pneumatic cylinders have seals that wear from the inside out. You won't know there's a problem until they begin to leak air & lose pressure.

The best place for the filter/lubricator is at the air intake for the machine. Any length of hose or pipe between the compressor & machine could condense moisture and accumulate debris. So, the closer to the machine, the better.
 
I am going to put the filter by the intake on the vnailer. As for the vnailer - I have gotten it to work now. 5100 was not a typo - it's an older machine. They also made a 5000 which was not pneumatic. It works fine now.
 
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