Powder actuated tools have come a long way since my first job

I started installing carpet back in 2002 and we used those old powder actuated tools that sounded like a gunshot every time. My ears rang for days after a big job and the recoil would leave your arm sore. Now I use a gas powered nailer that is quiet and barely kicks back at all. The new ones also have safety features that the old guns never had, like the trigger guard and the no-fire tilt sensor. We got our first one back in 2015 and I remember thinking it felt like cheating. Anyone else remember the old powder actuated days or do you all use the newer stuff too?

2 comments

2 Comments

riley_coleman82d ago

Powder actuated tools were brutal back then, it's crazy how much the tech has changed. Same thing happened with my granddad's old circular saw compared to the ones with the brake and guard now. It's funny how we just accepted the noise and danger as part of the job until something better came along.

mary_kelly2d ago

@riley_coleman8 same here, granddad's old hammer got replaced by a nail gun and never looked back.