Problem Fletcher Framing Point Nailer needs more oomph.

[SY Woodworking]

I’ve bought a 2nd hand point nailer, and it works fine but it could do with a little more oomph when firing the pins into the frames.

I’ve tightened the screw thread on the back and that worked a little but the pins are still quite loose.

It came with a spare spring and I tried to switch it out yesterday but couldn’t figure out how to get the thing apart in order to swap that spring out.

Does anyone know how to change the spring, is there an online manual, or guide?

 

[SY Woodworking]

Ok, so I just went for it and unscrewed stuff till it came apart

The hardest part was getting that long spring back in without it pinging out of the end.

 

[Nikodeumus]

Did that fix your problem?

 

[Prospero]

Just my take on the subject but I've never really liked the 'framer's points'. Never owned the gun so
never used them. I used 11mm triangle points until I gradually drifted toward Fletcher Multipoints. I find
them better suited for the purpose. They grip surprising well and as they are thinner they can be
bent down - or up to remove them when necessary. Having a little hole in allows long-nosed pliers
to be used to pull them out.

Works for me.

 

[Larry Peterson]

I have two of those beasts. I was never able to get the oomph that was needed no matter how I tried to adjust them. The points would just come out too easily regardless of any adjustments. I finally gave up and graduated to the Fletcher Pneumatic Driver. Problem solved. Expensive as heck but you are only as good as your equipment. I also tried some of the generic pneumatic drivers but wasn't satisfied with any of them.

 

[SY Woodworking]

Did that fix your problem?

Sort of, after a couple pins it jammed so I had to take it to bits again, unjammed it (there was a small peice that I hadn't put back properly) and after that it seems a bit better, but as @Larry Peterson says below, it's still not _that_ powerful, but it is improved.

I have two of those beasts. I was never able to get the oomph that was needed no matter how I tried to adjust them. The points would just come out too easily regardless of any adjustments. I finally gave up and graduated to the Fletcher Pneumatic Driver. Problem solved. Expensive as heck but you are only as good as your equipment. I also tried some of the generic pneumatic drivers but wasn't satisfied with any of them.

I don't have any air in the shop unfortunately. (well, there's air obviously, just not compressed air ;-) )

 

[Nikodeumus]

Sort of, after a couple pins it jammed so I had to take it to bits again, unjammed it (there was a small peice that I hadn't put back properly) and after that it seems a bit better, but as @Larry Peterson says below, it's still not _that_ powerful, but it is improved.


I don't have any air in the shop unfortunately. (well, there's air obviously, just not compressed air ;-) )

Did you find the manual?
There is an amazing resource here at The Grumble for a huge array of framing related equipment.
You can find the manual for your Fletcher point driver here:

Framing Equipment Manuals Library

www.thegrumble.com

One other thing. When you are driving the points into the frame, are you holding the frame VERY securely?
Or even better, bracing it with something solid.
A loose grip on the frame will allow the energy of the driving action to be dispersed (vibration), and the points won't drive in as far as they should.
And what kind of wood are you experiencing the problem with?
Softer woods will take the points much more easily than hardwoods.

 

[SY Woodworking]

Did you find the manual?
There is an amazing resource here at The Grumble for a huge array of framing related equipment.
You can find the manual for your Fletcher point driver here:

Framing Equipment Manuals Library

www.thegrumble.com

Thanks for that, the exploded diagram would have been useful while I was staring at the various bits after I'd dismantled it but I managed to get it back together in the end.

One other thing. When you are driving the points into the frame, are you holding the frame VERY securely?
Or even better, bracing it with something solid.
A loose grip on the frame will allow the energy of the driving action to be dispersed (vibration), and the points won't drive in as far as they should.
And what kind of wood are you experiencing the problem with?
Softer woods will take the points much more easily than hardwoods.

I do brace it, but only with my hand, I was thinking about getting something a bit more solid to stop it absorbing the energy. The frames are fairly soft wood, I would know what species they are though, they're just standard mouldings, off cuts really rather than something I've made myself.

 

[Nikodeumus]

I do brace it, but only with my hand, I was thinking about getting something a bit more solid to stop it absorbing the energy. The frames are fairly soft wood, I would know what species they are though, they're just standard mouldings, off cuts really rather than something I've made myself.

I have a couple of weights that are just 1" square iron bar, about 6" long, wrapped in soft material. They are great for bracing when driving points in a frame.
I've also used a simple weighted tape roll dispensor.
Almost anything heavy will do.

 

[SY Woodworking]

I have a couple of weights that are just 1" square iron bar, about 6" long, wrapped in soft material. They are great for bracing when driving points in a frame.
I've also used a simple weighted tape roll dispensor.
Almost anything heavy will do.

Yeah, the guy who taught me used a coffee tamper handle made from something like granite, really heavy. That worked really well.

 

[wpfay]

Anecdote time: I have 3 Fletcher point drivers, two of which I purchased during a sale.
One of those two has never been fully functional. It barely gets the tip of the point in medium density wood, even cranked down to full spring compression, and it totally worthless on hardwoods.
The other is my go-to with plenty of force in hardwoods at about 30% spring compression.
No, I don't know why I didn't return it. Maybe I thought I could fix it...

FYI: The name of the tool used to absorb the energy from the point driver (other than your hand) is a Bucking Bar, or Bucking Block, most commonly used in countering the force of a pneumatic rivet hammer.

My dad had a short section of hardwood, maybe a 2x4 6" long, with thin leather glued to one side. This was used as a Bucking Block when using the #2 diamond points (glazier's points). I still have a Fletcher-Terry #2 diamond point gun and am amazed we didn't all get carpal tunnel syndrome from using it. It is actually painful to use.