Got a surprise nail gun misfire at a job in Austin last month

I was framing a new closet in this old house off South Congress when my Paslode just let one rip into a stud way off target. The nail flew out sideways and bounced off a steel beam, then hit me right in the thigh. It didn't go deep just stung like crazy and left a bruise the size of a lime. The homeowner saw it happen and laughed so hard she offered me a beer from her cooler. Now I double check my depth settings every time before I pull the trigger on any tight spot. Has anyone else had a nail gun go rogue on them like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_mary2d ago

Did the homeowner's beer make you more or less careful with the next shot?

lee.cora2d ago

Man, that's wild (but also kind of hilarious, sorry). That ricochet off the steel beam is exactly the kind of thing nobody warns you about in the safety videos, they always assume you're gonna shoot yourself directly. I've had a brad nailer kick back on me once when I hit a hidden knot in some old pine, it sent the nail sideways into my glove. Didn't break skin but it scared me enough to start wearing those impact resistant gloves on every job now, not just when I remember. Your point about checking depth settings is dead on, I've started doing a quick test shot into a scrap piece before any tight framing work because of that.

the_felix2d ago

Hold on, I gotta push back a little here. I've been framing for close to 20 years and I've got to say, that ricochet story sounds more like a freak accident than something you need to redesign your whole safety setup around. In my experience, if you're getting nails bouncing back that hard, the real problem is you're rushing the shot or not reading the material right, not missing some hidden safety lesson. A test shot into scrap is good practice for finish work, sure, but for framing? Your finger should know the depth by feel after a few years, and a glove just kills that feedback.