How to Use 35-Degree-Angle Nails in a 34-Degree-Angle Nail Gun

Advance angled nails by hand if you need to.

Nail guns are designed occasionally with a tilted nose. This tilt facilitates gun operation in tight corners and overhead work. However, nail guns can have slightly different angles, sometimes differing by only a degree or so and leading to a one-degree tilt in the head of the nails. You can use a 35-degree nail in a 34-degree nail gun but you may experience problems with nail travel. If the nails won't advance after firing a nail, you can do this manually.

Instructions

1. Depress the small lever on the bottom of the gun's nail carriage. It's on the very bottom, protruding out towards your body if you have the gun by its handle.

2. Pull the spring-loaded carriage out until it locks and stays there. Insert a clip of 35-degree nails into the slot where the carriage came out. Depress the lever and push the carriage forward until it locks in place over the clip of nails.

3. Pull the trigger to shoot the gun into a piece of wood as you would normally.

4. Depress the lever and pull the carriage back to expose the clip of nails. Push the clip of nails forward until it stops. It will move the next nail into firing position.

5. Close the carriage. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for each nail fired.

Tips & Warnings

• Some guns have a small portal that you can look through to see if there is a nail in place at the front of the gun. Check this portal to see if the nails have advanced by themselves. If this is the case, you won't need to advance the nail manually.

• Don't routinely use the wrong nails in any gun. It’s all right if you have no choice, but use the right nails if you have a choice. Over time, it can round off the firing pin in the nail gun.