Surge of New Hoseless Framers Manchester CT
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Manchester, CT
Surge of New Hoseless Framers
By Stephani L. Miller
For about 20 years, Paslode was the only tool company with a viable gas-powered, hoseless framing nailer, and in that time many contractors have come to recognize the value of such a tool: freedom from compressors, generators, and hoses. Paslode is no longer alone, however. Hitachi, Max USA, and Powers Fasteners have each gradually started to debut hoseless framers of their own.
The surge of new tools in this category, while not exactly an explosion, will certainly spark some competition among manufacturers. It also presents an opportunity to increase pneumatic tool users' awareness of hoseless possibilities and offer more options and features to those already using hoseless framers.
Although there are minor differences from tool to tool, all hoseless framers on the market use essentially the same method of operation: a fuel cell and rechargeable battery. Fuel cells vary slightly, as do battery options.
 Hitachi Three tool manufacturers—Hitachi (above), Powers, and Max—have joined hoseless framing nailer innovator Paslode in offering alternatives to pneumatic framers, generating competition and increasing tool options. |
“The technology has been out there, it's been proven, and it works very well,” says Christopher Freeman, Hitachi's product manager for cordless gas nailers. “The reason there weren't more [previously] is because Paslode had so many patents on theirs.”
Though hoseless framers do offer freedom from compressors, the fuel cell–plus-battery technology is more complex than pneumatic power and comes with its own set of operational issues. Fuel cells have to be changed relatively frequently (about every 1,200 nails) and batteries need to be recharged (after about 4,000 shots). Firing speeds are also slower than that of pneumatic framers, manufacturers say, and the tools are not designed for bump-firing, only for sequential-firing. Hoseless framers also require different maintenance than pneumatic framers, because of their linear combustion systems.