Strip nail galvanizing question

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Jeff Dantzler - 23 Sep 2005 21:02 GMT

I recently bought a Hitachi NR83A2 full head framing nailer.

Yesterday I bought some strip nails made by Senco that say on
the box "hot dipped galvanized". Upon opening the box, the nails
look very bright and do not have that irregular, matte,
silver/grey appearance that I'm used to seeing on hot dipped steel.

They cost more than the "bright" Senco nails.

What's the deal?

My best guess would be that they are electroplated and not dipped.

I would hate to think that they are mislabeled bright nails being
sold at a premium price in a big box store where a homeowner might
not notice the difference.

This weekend I will test one of these nails next to a bright,
common nail, and a real, known hot-dipped galvanized nail using
1 N HCl.

Here's my question:

Who makes the best hot dipped galvanized, full head strip nails
that will work in my Hitachi nailer?

As a followup, who makes the best stainless nails?

Since 2500 nails is pretty much a lifetime supply for me
(I'm not a framer) I'd be happy to pay roughly the same amount
for a box with fewer stainless nails. Maybe I should just do that.

Thanks,

Jeff Dantzler
Seattle, WA

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Thomas Kendrick - 24 Sep 2005 05:09 GMT

Check to product code on the end-flap of the box and match it with
Senco's description of that code. Most brite nails (no metallic
coating) are dipped in an adhesive that improves holding power. Is the
entire nail bare metal or just the upper half above the adhesive.
The fact that there are only 2500 in the box suggests that what's
supposed to be in there is HDG since more plain "brite" nails are sold
in boxes of 4000 for use in untreated framing lumber.

>I recently bought a Hitachi NR83A2 full head framing nailer.
>
>Yesterday I bought some strip nails made by Senco that say on
>the box "hot dipped galvanized". Upon opening the box, the nails
>look very bright and do not have that irregular, matte,
>silver/grey appearance that I'm used to seeing on hot dipped steel.

Reply to this Message

Bobk207 - 24 Sep 2005 07:49 GMT

Jeff-

Here is my source for SS nails, brads & staples...have used only 18
gage & 16 gage brads in 316

btw the NR83 is a great tool, mine is approaching 20years with one
rebuild (I've only used up about 20 boxes of nails)

http://www.stainless-nails-brads-staples.com/Framing-decking_nailsF6.

the sell boxes of 1000 nails at an increased price over the 5000 nail
boxes

I pretty much use SS fastners for all my work, why bother with galv
(electro or HD) when SS performs 10x better

If the nails are shiny silver looking then I believe they're
electro..........

but based on the qty per box (2500) per the Senco info thye're
supposed to be HD Galv

Sounds like somebody goofed

check out

http://www.senco.com/con_rem/pub.asp#framing

cheers
Bob

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Duane Bozarth - 24 Sep 2005 14:54 GMT

> I recently bought a Hitachi NR83A2 full head framing nailer.
>
> Yesterday I bought some strip nails made by Senco that say on
> the box "hot dipped galvanized". Upon opening the box, the nails
> look very bright and do not have that irregular, matte,
> silver/grey appearance that I'm used to seeing on hot dipped steel.

...

Can't have a strip nail rough like hand nails--they would jam too
frequently...

I'm sure the Senco site will explain fully how they treat their
fasteners.

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Bobk207 - 24 Sep 2005 22:47 GMT

Duane-

i agree about traditional HD's being too rough & definitely causing
feed problems but Senco has the two kinds electro & HD.

I've used their electro galv but I've never even seen the Senco HD's

I took a look at their website before I posted my first reply but I
didn't find any info about the two type of plating.

Anybody know the difference in th two types of plating as they relate
to Senco nails?

cheers
Bob

Reply to this Message

Jeff Dantzler - 26 Sep 2005 22:27 GMT

> Anybody know the difference in th two types of plating as they relate
> to Senco nails?

I learned a bit more today.

The nails I bought are not "hot-dipped" in the traditional sense--
as in dipped in molten zinc. They are tumbled with powdered zinc
and heated such that the zinc plates out on them. This does not give
as much zinc as a true hot-dipped process.

A little research turned up a consensus that Maze makes very good
nails. They are hot dipped twice: once as wire, and again after being
formed into nails. I ended up buying a box of 4000 Steelhead nails
which are made similarly and are comparable in quality to Maze. Both
of these should be more corrosion resistant than the Senco's I
bought intially. The zinc coating is noticably thicker.

Thanks to those who responded.

Jeff

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Homeowner Forum / Construction / September 2005

Strip nail galvanizing question