Looking for an Air Compressor

[~greg]

Not very patient when it comes to shopping especially when I don't know what I need so I would like to first explain the situation and see if anybody knows anything.
Over the weekend I was installing hardwood floors at my mother's house and she rented the stapler and air compressor for me to use. Trusting that the rental place understood what we needed, brought everything home and started to work. Despite our friend Murphy joining the occasion and foiling all the best laid plans I managed to get 1/3 of the job done and will head back up at a later date to finish with better equipment.
The main problem was the staples wouldn't go all the way to the bottom of the grove. Called the rental place and spoke with someone and I felt like he wouldn't be able to find his backside with both hands tied behind his back so went and got smaller staples thinking that would work. It didn't. My mother tells me today, after researching online, she doesn't think the compressor was the right one.
I have 2 nail guns that were a gift from my wife which I haven't used yet. The one I think might work is a Milwaukee 16 gauge 2 inch nailer.
*Does anyone know if this gun will work nailing down 3/4" oak hardwood floors?
If not; then I may not need any help looking for an air compressor.
If it will, then I need help understanding what to look for in a compressor. There are a lot of details I don't understand.

After this project is over the compressor is going to find its home next to my paint booth for applying paint and finish to my projects.

Honestly, if someone would tell me a model of a compressor that will work for what I need for the flooring and it does I will be most grateful. I don't really want to spend over $200, but I will since this project is very important.

[Forester21]

Is this tonge and groove flooring??
We had oak flooring made from trees off our property, then used them in our dining room. We (ok - my husband) didn't use an air compressor. We rented a special tool made to install flooring. DH would put the end of the tool against the flooring then hit it with a hammer to make the staple go in.
OK - went and asked him what it was called - he said it was a "wood floor stapler thingamajig."
Theresa

[~greg]

Very nice using wood from your own property.
It is the t/g flooring. I used the wood floor stapler too, but it needed the air compressor. I liked it ok (even if it didn't work for nothing) over the manual stapler because the one time I was a little "upset" over it not working, I gave it a good whack to vent a little frustration and ruined the plank. Can't imagine if it was like that for the whole floor.
Wife did a little research after seeing me blow a vein on my forehead and neck at the same time and mentioned that the nailers need a compressor with a piston and the painting compressors don't use that kind. I refuse to get 2 different compressors. At least until I start making more money than I know what to do with.

[greatdane2]

I have used the real cheap compressors for years and finally bought a Mikita compressor a few months ago. I think it was around $250 with a nailer/stapler. So still a cheap compressor compared to some. But I took it out of the box and it still had pressure in it from the factory test. I have used it a fair bit for different things and am real happy with it. If you want the model # let me know.

Alan.

[Rolf]

If I understand correctly you are using an air assisted flooring stapler. If that is correct and the staples are not going all the way in, there could be couple of problems I would look for.
1. The recommended pressure for the stapler and make sure the compressor you are using is set high enough. For pneumatic nailers you don’t need a whole lot of flow, just pressure.
2. Is there a depth setting on the nailer? If so is it set correctly?
3. The nailer could be worn out (my suspicion) so you are getting a lot of blow by (leakage) Also being a rental when was it oiled last? This is critical for the air tools
I attached a Bostich manual that has a trouble shooting guide.

I would not use a regular nailer to put the flooring down as you might not get the floor tight enough. The flooring nailer forces the planks together and nails (staples) at the same time.

[~greg]

Rolf, big thanks for the info and the manual. You've helped me narrow down my decision so I don't need to get worked up with getting something for using my nailers on the floor. I'll read over the manual so I have an idea on troubleshooting. The picture on the right was the one I was using. It didn't have the depth range that I ever found so it must have been a combo of the leak and lack of proper maintanence.
So now I'll just look for a small compressor to take care of spraying finish.
That shouldn't be too difficult.

Alan, since I don't really need the nailer combo with the compressor, I won't bother you for the model #. I will look at the Mikita's though. I know they are a good brand.

[Toolman56]

Hum lot's thing's come to my mind, first i never use any rental crap, bad idea, i would just invest in good tool's, becuse in the long run, they will be used in the new shop your gonna build next year , of which you are gonna house the new tool's she's gonna buy you, but also mayby i check what you are nailing into, the underlayment, i once went to a rescue job house site becuse like you couldn't understand why the staple's wouldnt go in, sure he had 1/2 inch underlayment, but soon as he put the hardwood down and bahm it, it pop up, hum, so i tore one sheet up, he had cement floor under it, set the stapler reload with proper staples and good to go, but not as i like it,for fastening down, hardwood need's needs longer staples to breath and move and will pop out with shorter staples,also seen older house ,like 1800 have stringer's under the floor that the wood turn steel, and no matter what nail you use , you bounce off it, but this just my two cent's worth,Everett .

[Old Dude]

Tried the air-assisted stuff. For my money it tends to be finicky. Finally tried this one and bought it:

Porta-Nailer hardwood floor installation – DIY woodworking tools.

It worked great. You might say it's "mallet assisted". The nice thing is you don't have to drive the nail all the way in with one whack...it's racheted, so it stays where the first hit puts it, then hit it again. I did my son's family room with it, and had maybe 2 or 3 misfeeds the whole time, which are easy to clear. All nails get driven all the way in. Made a mistake and had to take a board out...bummer...that sucker was in there. And there's no air hose to drag around and stumble over.

I agree with Toolman. Buy the tool. If you get delayed (and it always happens to me), by the time you pay the rental you could have bought it anyway. If you never use it again you can always sell it on ebay. In fact, I saw a couple of these on ebay when I bought mine.

Cheers.
Ed