Old timer told me my nail gun placement was garbage on a trim job in Austin

He said I was shooting too close to the edge and it would split the wood every time - moved my aim back half an inch and haven't had a split in 3 months. Anyone else get called out for something basic like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

wesleypatel1mo ago

Old timers are like forest spirits - they've seen every board split and every nail bend in thirty years. Sounds like that dude saved you a lot of cussing and wasted lumber. Bet your next trim job felt like butter after that one little fix.

claire_fisher411mo ago

Oh boy, that reminds me of something that happened to my neighbor Bill. He was trying to fix a squeaky floorboard in his old house and had been at it for hours, trying everything he could think of. Finally, this 70-something retired carpenter who lived two doors down wandered over, watched for a minute, and just said "you're overthinking it, the nail needs to go in at a slant." Bill did what the guy said and that board never made a peep again. It's amazing how those little tricks that take a second to learn can save you an entire afternoon of frustration.