The Porter Cable FR350A Framing Nailer really is a must for any serious carpenter, whilst it is not suitable for more delicate woodwork, when it comes to driving large nails into wood on building or renovation projects this tool can make the job much easier and save a lot of time and energy.
This nailer weighs in at just over 8lbs which is not light but you will struggle to find many lightweight nailers! The weight is required to counteract the recoil from the nailer as the nails are driven into the wood. Whilst the weight may cause strain to the wrist this should not be over excessive as the tool will most likely only be in use for fairly short periods of time.
Other dimensions:
Length: 21″
Height: 14.25″
Width: 4.6″
Operating Pressure – The FR350A performs well in the range between 70 – 120 PSI with the added advantage of running from almost any size of compressor so long as it has a tank – even the small pancake style compressors will successfully drive the Porter Cable FR350A nailer. It comes ready with a 1/4″ air fitting, however this can be easily changed if it does not suit the attachments you have. You will also discover that it has a dust cap fitted to prevent dust getting into the air inlet. It is always wise to store any air tools way from sources of dust and with this in mind the FR350A comes with its own moulded plastic carry case.
There has been many a long debate about the type of nails which should be used in building and construction work. Full rounded head or clipped head nails? There is the argument for clipped head nails that says more nails can be fitted into the magazine of the nailer so you spend less time refilling. However, in many states these nails are not deemed to be suitable for building or renovation work. The Porter Cable FR350A uses full round head nails which are accepted as being fit for this type of work, giving you one less building regulation problem to worry about. The magazine will hold 64 full round head nails.
Another advantage of the FR350A is that you are not limited to using one brand of nails, there are many brands of framing nails on the market and provided they meet the specification in the manual provided with the tool you can choose which you prefer to use.
There are many other features such as the removable non-mar rubber tip for when you don’t want any marks or scratches left on the surface, and the non slip rubber grip on the handle for safety and comfort in use.
As with all air tools the Porter-Cable FR350A lets out puffs of compressed air through exhaust at high speed as it dispenses nails into the wood, this model allows you to quickly and easily adjust the position of the exhaust so that it is directed away from you and your colleagues as you work. On this model, there is no need for additional tools to enable you to do this.
The facility is available to use a restrictive trigger mode or a contact actuation mode on this model and the ease with which you can change between the two is fantastic, some nailers require the whole trigger to be changed for each mode, not on this model! To change mode on the FR350A it only requires that you release a small red dial which is spring-loaded from its socket. It is then possible to turn the dial to select either restrictive trigger or contact actuation modes very quickly and without fuss.
To sum up, the Porter Cable FR350A is reliable and durable over long periods of use. It will easily pack a big enough punch to drive nails into composite materials as well as soft and hard woods. For everyday use this nailer may be a bit more expensive but it will deliver the professional performance needed by professionals.
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