ITWAMP VN4 Manual V Nailer

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Town Framer

Grumbler in Training
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Jun 11, 2002
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Big Stone Gap, VA 24219
I have an ITWAMP VN4 Manual V Nailer. I can't get consistently tight joints. The joints look ok until I drive the nail then they tend to spread slightly. The joints are correctly mitered and opposite lengths are the same. I am a beginning framer so the problem is most likely with technique. Any Ideas?

Also, are vnailed joints usually glued? The company where i bought the machine said "no" but others say that I should.

I have been monitoring this group for several weeks now. There has been more useful information here than in most of the high-priced books that I was sold when starting my business. Thanks to all!
 
If the distributor told you you do not need to glue the corners, I would definitely find another distributor to provide your future framing needs. Frame corners do need glue, with certain exceptions mentioned below.

It sounds like you are perhaps using the wrong type of v-nails for the VN4. ITW/AMP supplies at least four types of grinds for the ALFA Macchine underpinners they sell. The have a softwood grind, a medium wood grind, a hardwood grind and a MDF grind for medium density fibreboard.

What many framers do not realize is that different woods definitely require different nails.

Why?

To understand the differences imagine taking a slotted screw driver and pushing it into a block of balsa wood. It will crush the moulding. Take a mat blade and push it into the balsa wood - it will push in easily.

A hardwood nail has a flat or "dull" grind. A softwood nail has a very sharp grind. Remember the carpenter who takes the nail and pounds it on concrete before he hammers it into an old dried piece of 2 x 4 - he dulls the sharp point to ensure that the nail drives staight into the hard wood.

If you take an oak moulding and try to drive in a softwood nail the nail will start to drive in and due to the grain, which alternates between softer openings and and hard rings, the nail will curve to follow the grain. Examime a few of your oak samples and often you see the grain running at 45 degrees. It is very seldom vertical grain. Your first shock will be seeing a softwood nail drive up and come out the outside edge of the moulding. The softwood nail in hardwood can actually do a 90 degree turn and exit the outside edge of the moulding.

When you try and drive the hardood nail in softwood it will, because of its dull grind, "mush" into the wood and the result will be a loose sloppy corner.

The main place where you do not see glue being used in joining corners is in the OEM or "framed" print industry. Most manufacturers of framed art for the big box and gift trade industry do not use glue. They simply drive extra nails and hope for the best. They make sure they have excellent cut corners, use the correct v-nails and use the best production underpinners available.

A lot of small frames 3 x 5 to 11 x 14 being sold as readymades are not glued either.

My first suggestion is to make sure you are using the correct grind of nails.

Alan Sturgess
 
Hello Town Framer,

Welcome to the Grumble.

I will guess that you get better joints with softwoods than with oak or ash, right? And I'll bet that the miter isn't completely loose, just on the bottom (back) of the miter sort of like a tapered looseness, eh?

Most v-nailers will do this if you place the v-nail too close to the outside edge of the miter. Try moving your first v-nail inboard about a quarter inch or more. You don't really need a v-nail right out there at the very edge of the miter if your joint is cut accurately to begin with. And check to ensure you are using the right v-nail for the wood you are trying to join. There are hardwood and softwood v-nails.

Regarding using glue with v-nails, I ALWAYS glue! From little spindley 1/4" mouldings to 6 inch 3" high monsters, I use either CornerWeld, TiteBond II, or Maxim on everything I build.

I read in another thread about MerpsMom having trouble with adhesive not holding on a miter joint. There are certain woods that will not accept certain types of adhesives. But the general rule that I follow is I don't buy large quantities of any wood glue. I buy what I can use in maybe a 6 month period, no more. I had a gallon bottle of TiteBond II that went bad and I found a few frames that weren't glued properly because of the bad glue. I have never seen a shelf life on glues but I don't believe that they will stay useable indefinitely.

Good Luck.

Framerguy
 
More on effective v-nailing: I read somewhere that v-nails meant for hardwood will not spread out when going in, and therefore will not provide a clamping action in softwood, so use the proper nails. I also read that the most pulling power is from the v-nails closer to the inside of the joint. Finally, I called the Titebond people two years ago with a question on glueing and was told that when glueing hardwood the joints should be subjected to a 2-step process: apply a solution of half Titebond II and half water to the joint prior to glueing, and, when dry, apply full-strength Titebond II, then join. I believe that this was intended to prevent the joint from wicking up all the glue, thus leading to a dry joint.
 
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