V-Nailer Suggestions

[danielgallery]

We are looking into buying a new v-nailer. The one we have squishes some of our mouldings and jams and sometimes just doesn’t make good corners; it's very particular and annoying.

What brand and model would you guys suggest?

 

[osgood]

Cassese! The best model you can afford!

 

[Paul Cascio]

There's 3-4 major brands and all are pretty good. Most framers like the v-nailer they own and their opinions will reflect that. ITW-AMP, Fletcher-Terry, Casesse, and Pistorius are all good brands, and also very popular within the industry.

In framing, it all about the corners, so get the best joiner you can afford. It's a long term investment too, so purchase a machine that can continue to meet you needs/volume as your business grows.

I recommend a pneumatic machine, as opposed to manual, for professional framing. However, there are some framers who get by just fine with a foot-powered machine. A few will even endorse their hand-powered nailer.

 

[Jim Miller]

We are looking into buying a new v-nailer. The one we have squishes some of our mouldings and jams and sometimes just doesn’t make good corners...

Before you invest in a new underpinner, take some time to understand exactly how and why your present machine is not performing as you would like.

Squishing may result from the air pressure being set too high, or the vertical clamp may be incorrectly placed, or the wrong pad may have been used. The same reasons may apply to "...just doesn't make good corners."

Jamming could result from normal wear and tear, which may be corrected by replacing a few parts. Also, are you using the correct name-brand fasteners?

Generally, all professional-grade underpinners are capable of producing perfect miter joints on properly-cut mouldings. When the results are less than perfect, the most common cause is not a deficiency of the machine, but the operator.

That said, if you really do need an new underpinner, or if you just want one and understand that you will have to operate it correctly in order to achieve good results, there are several choices available.

My personal favorite is the Fletcher CornerPro 5700. It is loaded with features, but the one I appreciate most is the double-hydraulic, self-leveling vertical clamp assembly. That feature enables the machine to hold any moulding securely during the joining process. A few other machines on the market have a similar double-clamping feature. Shop around and take your pick.

A few words of caution: Invest wisely and don't buy such an important, long-term piece of framing equipment on the basis of low price. Do the research, make an informed choice, and buy the machine that best fits your needs now and in the future. And whatever you end up with, maintain it properly.

 

[danielgallery]

This is the one we currently have
http://www.pilm.com/INGLESE/meccanica2003ITA/scheda5x5AS.html

We are using the pilm staples and have used the lowest air pressure possible (and there are a couple of mouldings it still messes up). The original 'pads' that it came with were just hard plastic and we've wrapped them with padding, which did help for some of the moulding squishing problems. Lately we've started to put the pressure on the lowest setting clamp it down, raise the pressure some then put the staple in, if we don’t raise the pressure the staple doesn’t go in all the way.

My husband is the only one who can even get this machine to function halfway right. I cant even use it during the day when he is not here because it is so finicky....which slows our production down since we are the only two working here...

Thanks for your suggestions.....we will start to research those brands.

 

[Jim Miller]

Your machine is similar to the ITW/AMP model VN2+1, and almost identical to the Fletcher/Pilm model 5600. Both of these underpinner designs are Italian, and very similar in both features and quality.

A general limitation of this particular design is that the driver mechanism is stationary, so the operator must release the clamp and move the moulding pieces in order to change insertion points. Since it has only one vertical clamp, a wide or radical-profile moulding might require two or more setups in the process of joning each corner. The basic design of the machine requires some skill of the operator to set up the clamps carefully for each insertion.

That said, an awful lot of framers use machines like yours, VN2+1 and 5600 models, with good results every day. These are good entry-level machines, and in the hands of a skilled operator may be practical for up to about 10 frames per day.

The more advanced technology for Italian underpinners is used on ITW/AMP model VN-42 and Fletcher/Pilm model 5700. That is, the driver mechanism moves beneath the moulding pieces, which are held stationary throughout the joining process. That often eliminates mid-process set-ups, unless the vertical clamp needs to be repositioned. On the Fletcher 5700, as noted previously, the optional double-hydraulic clamp is a great time-saver, which holds each corner stationary throughout the joining process and makes operation much less complicated.

On your machine and most other brands, the air pressure may be adjusted from zero to more than 125 PSI (or the limit of your compressor). Generally, soft woods and poly mouldings may be joined at 40-60 PSI. Hardwoods may require 80-100 PSI, especially if the fasteners are to be stacked.

I suspect your difficulties are associated with the way the vertical clamp is positioned. Even on very soft mouldings, crushing may be avoided by proper selection and placement of the rubber or vinyl clamp pads that come with ITW/AMP and Fletcher/Pilm machines. I don't know if you got one with your machine, but the Fletcher/Pilm machines come with a round, felt-covered pad, which is very gentle on fragile finishes.

I am familiar with the kind of machine you have, so if the primary operator of your machine would like to phone me, I would be pleased to go through the setup procedures. My shop phone is 614-868-5554, 10am - 7pm Eastern time Monday-Friday.

 

[j Paul]

Your machine is similar to the ITW/AMP model VN2+1,

I suspect your difficulties are associated with the way the vertical clamp is positioned. Even on very soft mouldings, crushing may be avoided by proper selection and placement of the rubber or vinyl clamp pads that come with ITW/AMP and Fletcher/Pilm machines.

I have the ITW/AMP VN2+1 myself. On mouldings that have varying height on the face, this is my solution and it works great.

I set the vertical clamp (using the round pad most often) just so it comes down on the highest part of the profile with about 70psi. Then (and this is the important part) I use an LJ leather weight on top of the moulding (Important that it be LJ as some other weights have to large of shot inside) The vertical clamp pushes down on the leather weight which conforms to the mouldings shape across the whole profile. (Sometime you need a second leather weight if really deep profile) This becomes automatic after using a time or two.

On flat face profiles you don't need to use the leather weights just set your vertical clamp pressure right and your good to go.

 

[Jim Miller]

Yes, the leather LJ weights work nicely in some cases. All sorts of hand-fashioned jigs and spacing devices might help, too. In any case, it is necessary to hold the moulding absolutely still during the insertion of each fastener. Just as in cutting the miters, any movement of the pieces during joining creates a problem.

Careful placement of the clamp pad is essential, and it should contact the moulding directly above every insertion point. Trouble is, some profiles make that difficult or impossible for single-clamp machines, without adding some kind of special device.

Underpinners that have double-hydraulic vertical clamps, such as a Fletcher model 5700 with that option, eliminate the difficulty of securing large or radical-profile mouldings. Once laterally adjusted, the two clamps are self-leveling and both apply equal pressure to their contact points on the moulding. So, only one set up of the double clamps is required per frame.

 

[Jim Miller]

Another thought...

The vertical clamp needs to be well within the travel of the pneumatic cylinder driving the clamp gantry. That usually means placing it within an inch or so of the moulding's surface. If the clamp pad is placed near or beyond its range of travel, it can not exert enough pressure to hold securely.