The GN900SE Gas Nailer

Many people, both domestic and commercial users favour the use of a nailer because it is capable of driving a huge number of nails into a surface within a very short space of time. Because this time and number of nails far outdoes what nailing by hand would achieve.

The GN900SE Nailer from Makita is a gas nailer and has a number of features and spares which make it ideal for users from a variety of commercial and domestic backgrounds.

Safety with Nailers

One of the biggest concerns with the use of nailers is the safety of users and people in the immediate vicinity of their use. It is not unusual to see statistics on injuries caused by power tools and nailers are frequently at the top of the lists. It is also not uncommon for the injured party to be a bystander or colleague of the user.

The largest reason for the frequency of injuries is similar to the aspect which makes it so efficient for use and is attributed to the alternative name for nailers which is “nail gun”. Although the term might sound overly stated, the velocity with which the nailer can fire out nails is very similar to the way a gun fires out bullets and as such their use is only recommended by those with the ability and common sense to recognise the danger and power of the tool.

Whereas a hammer needs to use a series of blows in order to knock the nail into the required surface, a nailer uses compressed air to propel the nail in using a single blow. Although this ability is perfect for precision and speed which is often needed by a professional, it can also cause problems as a user has no opportunity to correct a mistake and it can often be the case that if the nail does not meet immediately with a suitable surface, it will continue to fire until it reaches a surface to adhere itself to.

Further safety advice is the recommendation that users equip themselves with eye and ear protection as the machines can be extremely loud when firing.

The GN900SE

This specific machine from Makita Spares is a gas nailer. This means that it uses flammable gas in order to propel the nail into the desired surface. The power is derived from a tiny canister of flammable gas which is drawn into the cylinder and then detonated much in the same was as a combustion engine.

The GN900SE has a magazine capacity of 44 nails, an angle capability of 94 degrees and a weight of 3.5 kilogrammes. It has been designed in such a way that it can be used over long periods of time as the user requires or dictates. Furthermore, it can also be fully recharged within 30 minutes.   

Fans of tools from Makita enjoy the ability of using their tools for long periods of time and expect them to last and rise to any challenge. For this reason, the GN900SE is sold in partnership with a variety of Makita spares.

The 9556PB 100mm Angle Grinder

An angle grinder is a machine traditionally used for cutting, grinding, polishing and sanding. Whilst it is traditionally used for cutting stone and metal, it has the versatility to adapt to a variety of surfaces and materials.

Because of the various roles the grinder is capable of performing, it is ideal for use in a variety of settings and the 9556PB from Makita spares is no exception. Favoured by professionals and domestic users who seek to smooth surfaces for ease, safety and decoration, it has the versatility and ability to make it an essential part of any tool kit.

About Angle Grinders

There are traditionally two forms of grinders: heavy and light. From 100 – 115mm, the smaller grinder is traditionally lightweight and easy to use one handed. The heavier options which can stretch to 230mm can be more difficult to use and as such should always be operated with two hands. The 9556PB from Makita spares is in the lightweight category but this rather unflattering description has no bearing on its’ abilities.

It is often seen that the main limitation on the smaller grinder is that the depth of cut may be limited. In the case of the 9556PB, a rotation speed of 11,000rpm quickly dispels any concerns that the tool may not be able to handle tougher jobs.

As a result of this high power and ability, extreme caution should be applied whenever it is in use. It goes without saying that 11,000rpm could cause an extremely pleasant injury to any user and although the tool itself might not be considered to be as dangerous as a saw, there is still a great deal of power to contend with. In addition to caution, users are recommended to use ear protection, gloves and eye protection. The largest reason for the eye protection is from the sheer amount of dust the machine is capable of producing. Although many users choose to situate their machinery outside, stockists and manufacturers stress that any use of the machines should be in a well ventilated area only.

A further recommendation, especially when working with metal is to use heavy duty protective clothing such as a leather apron or protective suit. Further considerations when working with metal are to ensure a lack of flammable materials as the sparks falling from the grinder and metal could easily cause a fire should they land on the wrong surface.

The Makita Machine

The 9556PB 100mm from Makita is a purposefully designed powerful grinder which is suitable for use in a variety of settings and capable of being used on a wide range of materials. It is favoured by professionals and domestic users as a result of its vast capabilities and user-friendly design.

It has been ergonomically designed to allow for easy grip and comfort for the user and with a weight of only 1.6 kilogrammes, it lends itself easily to extended use or larger projects. With a number of safety features such as a cut off valve, it is the ideal tool whatever the use in mind.

The 8406 Diamond Core Drill

For those professionals and domestic DIY enthusiasts who are looking to make clean holes which have no breakout and no threat of cracking or bleeding into the surrounding area of the wall or surface, Makita has the answer in the form of their 8406 Diamond Core Drill.

The drill has been designed for a variety of uses and therefore comes with a variety of Makita Spares including drill bits and extensions to allow for a variety of holes and shapes at varying lengths and depths.

The Benefits of Diamond Drilling

Experts favour diamond drilling because of the efficiency and speed with which holes can be created. Depending on the particular drill in question, diamond drilling is capable of creating holes and slots from 10mm to 1m in diameter whilst depths are virtually unlimited.

Used in a variety of trades from plumbing, electrical installation and repair, engineering and general building, diamond drills are suitable for bricks, blocks, pipes and cables explaining the popularity of the practice.

Diamond drills are powered by electric or hydraulic systems and as such have a low noise and dust output. Furthermore, they are capable of being operated in horizontal, vertical and inverted positions to ensure that even the tightest of spaces and most awkward of surfaces can easily be navigated.

Many drills suffer or falter when the requirements is for a much larger hole than a single drill bit allows and a user would normally struggle with such a requirement. The benefit of diamond drilling with its speed and lack of dust is that it allows users to adopt a technique known as “diamond stitch drilling” in which a series of adjacent holes can be created to make the required size and shape of opening. This also allows a user to create a “stepped” opening where required. For example, if a large “bulb” opening with a single deep hole is required, the diamond core drill would be able to satisfy such a requirement.

The Specifics of the Makita Drill

The 8406 Diamond Core Drill from Makita is suitable for drilling into steel, wood and masonry and has various capabilities in this respect. For steel, it is capable of drilling 13mm deep, for wood there is a limit of 30mm and masonry has a limit of 20mm. It should be mentioned though that these are limitations for individual insertions and should a user wish to adopt the diamond stitch method, the drill from Makita would be capable of rising to the challenge.

For the ease of the user, the drill has a two handled design and weighs 3.5 Kilogrammes. It works on 100 volts and is powered by mains electricity meaning that it is ideal for use in domestic and professional settings.

For safety, there are standard features throughout the Makita range and in this case, the main safety feature is that the drill will immediately disengage should it become blocked or jammed.

Furthermore, as might be expected with any power tools, there are a variety of Makita spares available for additional power, ability or repair.