2 choices

Post Reply | Watch this Post

There are at least 2 choices for you. One is a spring/hand powered nail gun that is basically a variation of a staple gun. These, including the electric version, are just not powerful enough to do much. They are just OK for very light trim work in pine.

The second version is a a propane gun that do work well with proper maintenance. Cost is somewhat high for initial purchase and not worth it, in my opinion, for hobbiests and amateur home improvement workers including the writer.

The air powered tools are pretty reasonably priced and have the benefit that the air source can be used to power many other kinds of tools. An air powered gun and compressor will be about the same cost or less than a propane nail gun alone.

One of the drawbacks with nail guns is their limits as to the kind of nails that they will accept. There are brad and small finishing nail guns, framing nail guns and roofing nail guns with a lot of overlap. If you really want to go in this direction, be sure that the size gun and quality are toward your father's interest. Usually, this is toward the brad and finishing nail size fastners for hobby work. I would start by asking your father to go to a store with a good stock of brands like Porter-Cable, DeWalt, Milkaukee, Bostick, and Senco. There may be a fear factor of something new (and something expensive for you) at work so see if you can find someone that will let him try one or enjoy tool shopping for something that he really wants.

Henry in MI