scmrak's Full Review: Porter Cable-Cable No. FR350A Rnd Head Framer Kit
The local general contractor was next door painting our neighbor's house the first time I unlimbered my new Porter-Cable FR350 Nailer. At about the second time I fired off a nail, Luis looked up to where I was working and yelled, "Hey! Rex has a new toy!" I guess the signature "sneeze" - POW-whoosh! - of a air-powered nailer is unmistakable (especially at about 98 dbA).
With a couple of projects' worth of use under my belt, I've grown to respect the nailer and, more to the point, appreciate it for the simple reason that it makes jobs go so much faster and easier. There's no way I'm going back to driving nails by hand any time soon!
Specifications and Usage
Anyone who misses the biceps-building action of swinging a 22-oz hammer will be happy to note that the FR350 weighs in at a hefty 12.7 pounds, though this is pretty much in line with competing models from other brands. Using the tool is simple once you get used to its heft and bulk, with its dual-mode trigger and quick-load nail magazine. The nailer comes equipped with a 1/4-inch male quick-connect and an adjustable exhaust vent, You'll appreciate this latter the first time you accidentally get a face-full of exhaust: the nailer has a special form of high-speed halitosis! The nosepiece is fitted with a removable rubber cushion to protect work surfaces, removing this exposes a barbed foot that provides more accuracy for toenailing. The tool comes in a kit with a bottle of oil, the three hex-head wrenches needed to adjust the tool and clear jams, and a molded plastic carrying case. There's space in the case to hold a dozen or so nail strips.
The FR350's magazine holds two strips of plastic-collated full-head nails (22-degree angle) for a total of 72 nails. Pro users tend to use clipped-head nailers, which have a capacity of about 100 nails. This minor disadvantage won't affect most DIY users, though. Nail sizes accepted by the FR350 range in diameter from 0.113 to 0.148 inches and in length from 2 to 3-1/2 inches. A carton of 5000 coated 3-1/2" nails cost me about $28 at Lowes. Nail depth is controlled by air pressure (nominally 70-120 psi on my Porter-Cable CPF23400S compressor) and by a depth-of-drive adjustment on the nosepiece.
The magazine is mounted at a slight angle to the body of the tool. When used right-handed, the hose is kept out of the way by the tail of the magazine. Lefties may find this a disadvantage (you're used to it by now, aren't you?). The trigger, mounted underneath a rubber-cushioned handle, works in either rapid-fire mode - depress the trigger and "slap" the nosepiece on your target - or single-fire mode, in which you press the nosepiece onto the work and then pull the trigger. The latter gives you more control over nail placement; the former can give novice users double-fire events (here, I speak from experience).
Good and Bad
On the positive side:
Safety: Like all modern nailers, the FR350 won't fire unless both triggers (nosepiece and finger) are depressed. That doesn't mean you can't nail your foot to the floor, though, if you're sloppy.
Construction: The FR350 has a heavy-duty die-cast aluminum body and all-metal fittings - there's not a scrap of plastic in sight. This construction has a reassuringly bulky look without being unwieldy.
Jamming: My usage has resulted in only one jam - a broken nail strip let a single nail get out of line - and that came out the back of the nosepiece without a hitch, using only a pair of needlenose pliers. More serious jams, though, require removing the magazine, which looks like a bit of a chore.
Versatility: The FR350 is easy to use on the flat or when toenailing, especially when one uses the dual-mode trigger correctly and remembers the removable rubber foot on the nosepiece.
On the downside:
Adjustments: Adjusting the angle of the exhaust deflector and adjusting depth of drive both require using a hex-head wrench. I wish that this could be accomplished with thumbscrews (as it is on my Dewalt D51256K Finish Nailer), but when shopping for a nailer I noted that others also required the Allan wrenches, probably because the heavy-duty use requires that framing nailers be more robust.
Size: at almost 15 inches tall and 22 inches long, the FR350 is quite a beast. This makes it hard to get into tight places - but I have a Porter-Cable PN350 palm nailer for when that happens.
Overall
I highly recommend this nailer to hobbyists and DIYers needing (or just wanting) such a tool. It's proven dependable and easy to use so far, and I've had no problems with any of my stable of Porter-Cable tools. It's easy to adjust, load, and use. Pros may prefer a clipped-head or coil nailer instead for their higher nail capacity, but this one's just fine for me.
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